This year's general election will be held in October. Photo / NZME
This year's general election will be held in October. Photo / NZME
The two main political parties have confirmed candidates for Rotorua in the upcoming general election - and they are no strangers to what’s in store.
Throwing their hats into the ring, again, are former Olympian and lawyer Ben Sandford for Labour, and current Rotorua MP Todd McClay for National.
McClay is in his fifth term, having secured the seat when up against Labour’s Claire Mahon in 2020. He was ahead by about 1250 votes.
It is not the first time Sandford and McClay have been up against each other, however, as Sandford ran as Labour’s candidate in 2017 when the margin between them was 7901 votes.
Sandford’s last venture into politics was during the local government election last year when he ran for mayor.
In a response to Local Democracy Reporting yesterday, Sandford said he threw his hat into the ring because he loved living and working in Rotorua, and felt it had incredible potential.
“I will be a strong, positive, solution-focused advocate for Rotorua, our communities and iwi.
“I’m excited to work with a refreshed Labour Party that is focused on solutions to the real issues that we are facing and gives people the ability to realise their potential.”
Ben Sandford has been selected as Labour's candidate for this year's general election in October. Photo / Andrew Warner
Asked what he thought the campaign period might be like, he said it was always a lot of work and this year would be no different.
His key priorities included the cost of living, housing, poverty, climate change, the economy and “showing how a Labour Government will continue to deliver positive outcomes for Rotorua and solutions to the issues we are facing”.
During the last election, the gap closed between Labour and National in Rotorua. When asked his thoughts on this, he said there was a lot of work the Labour Government had done in the city over the last five years.
Sandford said this included increasing the social housing stock, committing more than $84 million to improve stormwater, more than 7500 children benefiting from school lunch programmes, as well as boosts through Kanoa investments.
“And this work has been done while at the same time dealing with a pandemic and multiple natural disasters.
“My team and I are going to give it everything we have to win the electorate seat and increase Labour’s party vote so the good work of this government can continue.”
McClay confirmed to Local Democracy Reporting yesterday he had been re-selected to be his party’s Rotorua candidate.
“The Rotorua electorate is a fantastic place and we have much potential.”
But he said over the last few years Labour decisions, “like the use of our city for the country’s homelessness problem”, or cost of living increases had held it back.
In his view, there was a lot to do to get back on track and while a new council was part of that, he said it was crucial there was a change in government.
As for what he expected the campaign to be like, he hoped it to be respectful and informed.
National MP Todd McClay has been re-selected by his party as the Rotorua candidate. Photo / Andrew Warner
“I pledge to focus on the positive things we need to do to fix our city, a date to close down homeless motels, backing the police to clean up our city so that people are safer, and improving education and health by backing by our teachers, doctors and nurses.”
He acknowledged the last election was “one of the most” difficult for National and said he remained humble the people of Rotorua chose to elect him as their representative.
“Since then National has improved in the polls and Labour has dropped significantly.
“This election will be fought on current issues like the cost of living, ram raids and gangs, roading and potholes, a government that can actually get things done, not Covid and the campaign of three years ago.”
The most recent poll from The Taxpayers Union/Curia last month resulted in a tie between both Labour and National at 34.4 per cent.
