Candidates promise they will run bold campaigns

OPTIMISTIC: Labour candidates for Te Tai Tokerau Kelvin Davis (left) and Northland's Willow-Jean Prime launched their election campaigns in Kawakawa on Sunday with support from Peeni Henare, who is also from the Bay of Islands and is standing for Labour in the Tamaki Makaurau electorate. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Labour's candidates for the Te Tai Tokerau and Northland electorates have launched their election campaigns in the Bay of Islands.

Labour List MP and candidate for Te Tai Tokerau Maori seat, Kelvin Davis, and Willow-Jean Prime, candidate for the Northland general seat, launched their campaigns at a joint function held at the Kawakawa RSA on Sunday.

Currently a Far North District councillor, Mrs Prime said she did not believe that she would be able to do both jobs if she was successful in the September 20 election.

She would wait until after that date before making a decision on whether she could do both roles, should she be elected.

"It's not against the law to do both (local councillor and MP), but I will make a final decision after the election and (if elected) I will talk to my party about how I could do both. My feeling now is that I can't, but I will reassess that after September 20."

Her councillor's job is worth $43,000-plus a year while a backbench MP earns $147,800.

At the campaign launch, Mrs Prime spoke about the recent flood damage, acknowledging how difficult it had been for Northland in the past week.

"Our communities are resilient, but we should not have to be.

"There needs to be more support from central and local government in response to civil-defence issues and preventative measures for the future," Mrs Prime said.

She was standing for Labour because the party stood for jobs, homes and families and she believed Northland would benefit more from a Labour-led government.

Mr Davis said he would continue to advocate strongly on healthy homes, education and ending sexual violence.

Peeni Henare, who is also from the Bay of Islands and is standing for Labour in the Tamaki Makaurau seat, turned out to support the evening.

The three candidates say it is a unique opportunity to have three potential Labour MPs who are grounded in their local communities in Government and say they will be running bold campaigns in their electorates in the lead-up to the election.