Tim Macindoe says debt worries helped Nats

Tim Macindoe celebrates his re-election with his wife. Photo / Christine Cornege.

Returning Hamilton West MP Tim Macindoe celebrated his win yesterday by delivering the gospel at church.

The incumbent MP, who is also an Anglican minister, spoke to the congregation at Holy Trinity Church at the 8am service he was rostered on for.

"I read the gospel and administered the chalice but a few of the parishioners said they were frankly surprised to see me there," he said.

But what wasn't a surprise to Mr Macindoe was National's resounding win over Labour in the polls.

"I think it was pretty close to the polls we had seen. We always thought it would be somewhere near the 58 to 62 per cent mark. It was an outstanding result in an MMP environment."

Mr Macindoe polled 15,102 votes - well ahead of his nearest rival, Labour list MP Sue Moroney, on 11,043 votes.

He became just the second National MP to hold his seat for consecutive terms in Hamilton West since Mike Minogue was re-elected in the Muldoon-led 1981 National government.

Mr Macindoe credited his re-election on people's attitudes towards the nation's debt levels and wanting stability.

"I certainly picked up right through the campaign a very realistic attitude about the fact that in the economic conditions we are facing the Government has to show restraint and has to continue getting government spending under control so we can tackle our debt problem," he said.

"I found whenever I spoke about that issue, heads were nodding. People were saying, 'We don't want any further debt' and 'We have to ensure we get the books back into surplus'."

Mrs Moroney, encouraged by Labour's poll results in the electorate in 2008 and her long work history in Hamilton, made the move to Hamilton West and was expected to provide a stiff challenge for Mr Macindoe.

But Mr Macindoe's 2008 margin more than doubled on Saturday night to 4059 votes.

The result in the blue-collar electorate reflects the wider sentiment to stick with National for a second term and confirms Hamilton West's reputation as a bellwether seat.

Mrs Moroney, a former journalist and stablehand, is 10th on Labour's list, and will return to Parliament as a list MP.

Meanwhile, Hamilton East MP David Bennett was re-elected for his third term with a comfortable majority of 7708 votes.

He believes voters recognised the $3 billion investment the National Government made in infrastructure in Hamilton, including the $2.4 billion expressway that will link Hamilton to Auckland, the rollout of ultra-fast broadband and a $400 million redevelopment at Waikato Hospital.

Hamilton West
15,102Tim Macindoe (National)
11,043 Sue Moroney (Labour)

Hamilton East
16,831David Bennett (National)
9,123Sehai Orgad (Labour)