Rodney

The biggest local issue for rapidly growing Rodney is roading, especially for commuters on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula.

A toll road across the Weiti Estuary has been proposed, but legislation supported by the sitting National MP, Lockwood Smith, ran into opposition from Labour and the Greens.

Smith, 53, who had a majority of 6905 in 1999, says he is "reasonably confident" of winning the seat again in his seventh campaign for Parliament.

Labour Party candidate Grant Duffy, 40, a union organiser and social worker, has yet to establish a view on solving Whangaparaoa congestion.

While Smith is the local MP, two list MPs, Penny Webster of Act and Sue Bradford of the Green Party, are standing against him in the election.

Webster, 55, a toll road supporter, is campaigning for the list vote and Bradford, 50, is campaigning for two ticks. She wants to capture the seat from Smith.

Bradford says the Greens' stand on GM will also be an important issue for electors in Rodney because of the number of organic farmers in the electorate.

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