Northland

Only someone with plenty of courage would put money against sitting National MP and senior Opposition whip John Carter retaining this safe seat for the blue team.

Acknowledged by most, including former opponents, as a hardworking and visible MP within the diverse electorate since his entry to Parliament in 1987, Carter is pitching for his sixth term after recording a 5454-vote majority in 1999.

This widespread and mainly rural seat, with a handful of small towns serving as urban centres, sprawls from just north of Wellsford up to North Cape in the east, and from the Pouto Peninsula south of Dargaville up to Cape Reinga in the west.

Roading and infrastructure, regional development, rural housing, unemployment and health - notably the future of Kaitaia Hospital and its services - are major issues.

Farming, forestry, fishing, tourism and horticulture are the main dollar earners.

Any election hopeful wanting to poll well as a constituency candidate here needs a wide regional and community profile.

Only one of nine candidates opposing Carter appears to meet this criterion.

He's New Zealand First's man, Kaikohe-based Jim Peters, brother of Winston, member and former chairman of the Northland Regional Council, principal of Northland College, sports coach and a member of several regional trusts.

Another NZ First Peters brother, Ron, stood unsuccessfully against Carter in 1996.

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