Anna Lorck with mother Viv, who was her biggest supporter in encouraging her to run in her third election, which she has won. Photo / Paul Taylor
Anna Lorck with mother Viv, who was her biggest supporter in encouraging her to run in her third election, which she has won. Photo / Paul Taylor
After two failed attempts to win Tukituki for Labour, Anna Lorck was in two minds about whether she could stomach a third go.
The never-give-up push that she needed came from her mother Viv. Once she had that, she never looked back.
Lorck rode the Labour tide to become TukitukiMP on Saturday night, unseating National's Lawrence Yule by a majority of 772 votes.
"It's a reflection of the hard work ... to demonstrate to others that if you keep working hard you can get there," Lorck said on Sunday.
The weekend was a family affair for Lorck - she didn't have a public or party function, instead inviting family, close friends and supporters and media to her and husband's rural Hastings house.
Lorck was ahead by about 1400 votes for much of the night, before it dropped to about 880, then finally down to 772 when 100 per cent had been counted.
She said even as the gap narrowed she had felt "very positive".
Calls and messages of congratulations flowed throughout the night, with Andrew Little being the first Labour MP to congratulate her.
Lorck says she's ready to "hit the ground running", with a mandate across Hawke's Bay, which is now all red.
"One of the great things is that we will be able to work as a really strong team across Hawke's Bay, that's exciting for our region and that's a huge benefit.
"I think Hawke's Bay is in a really strong position to lead the country forward.
"My focus as a true local MP is to represent this electorate first and foremost."
Lorck says the hospital and water security are a priority for her term.
She would like to see a cardiology intervention centre and an integrated cancer centre as part of a "rolling rebuild" of the hospital.
Lorck with husband Damon Harvey, one of her biggest supporters and campaign manager, on election night. Photo / Paul Taylor
Lorck sits on the DHB board, and said if it was in the best interest of the community she would like to stay instead of departing, but she was yet to have conversations with the board chair and Labour party about this.
She said she would also like to have some sort of base and presence in Flaxmere to be more accessible to the suburb.
"For a community that's been so supportive of me and Labour, that's an area that I want to continue to work on and build on.
Lorck is not on the Labour list and said she always wanted to enter Parliament "with a mandate to serve the electorate first and foremost".
She acknowledged Yule's work and contribution to the electorate as a "respected MP and former mayor", saying it was a "strong" and tight campaign.
