New Zealand First confirms Ria Bond as new MP

Ria Bond is New Zealand First's latest MP. Photo / supplied

New Zealand First has confirmed its new MP will be parliamentary staffer and former hairdressing salon-owner Ria Bond.

Ms Bond stood for NZ First in Invercargill last year, where she owned and operated a hairdressing salon, before moving to Wellington to work as an assistant to NZ First MPs Richard Prosser and Mahesh Bindra.

She is also a past president of the New Zealand Association of Registered Hairdressers.
Leader Winston Peters held a press conference in Invercargill this afternoon and confirmed Ms Bond would enter Parliament.

He said Ms Bond had a business background and experience as a mediator and spokesperson, and is an active member of Rotary and has served on NZ First's board.

"Ms Bond coming from Southland has seen at first hand the regional neglect by Wellington with communities losing their capacity to make workable decisions at a local level.

"We are confident she will devote herself to advancing the concerns of Southlanders, and those issues which need to be addressed if there is to be an improvement in the lives of Southlanders, whether it be people here trying to get jobs, raise families, and live useful lives and not being forgotten by Wellington," Mr Peters said.

Ms Bond is the 12th candidate on NZ First's list. The party currently has 11 MPs.
Under electoral rules, Mr Peters must resign as a list MP to allow his party to bring another MP into Parliament.