By Emily Norman
Wairarapa voters giving two ticks to Labour is the dream for Kieran McAnulty, who is in the running to be a list MP for the first time.
Mr McAnulty is campaigning to be the Wairarapa electorate MP this election, and was confirmed as 37th on the Labour list on Monday night.
“Last election, I didn’t stand on the list. This time, the rules have changed so candidates have to,” Mr McAnulty said.
“Last time, I needed to demonstrate to the people here that I was committed to Wairarapa.”
“I wanted to show the people here that actually, I’m not just interested in getting into parliament, I’m interested in representing Wairarapa – and there’s a big difference in that.”
Mr McAnulty said the political “feeling” in Wairarapa now was “completely different than it was three years ago”.
“People want a change of government and are seriously considering giving Labour their support,” he said.
“Wairarapa needs an electorate MP who will champion this region every possible opportunity – one who is loud and proud Wairarapa.
“We need an MP that is visible – an MP who is actually out and about talking to people about the things that are important to them.
“It doesn’t matter how many list MPs this region has, without an electorate MP who is effective, we are missing out.”
Mr McAnulty said Labour polled 25 per cent last election, and were now “consistently polling between 30 and 31 per cent”.
He said to get into parliament as a list MP, he would need the polls to be at 34 to 35 per cent.
The list was scheduled to be released early on Monday, but there was a 12-hour delay after rankings were contested by Labour candidate Willie Jackson who was ranked 21st).
Mr McAnulty said he was delighted with his own rank on the list, and even though there was a delay, “in the end, nothing changed”.
“The list is reflective of New Zealand,” he said.
“It’s 50 per cent women, has good representation of rural and provincial areas, and then of course, there’s a good ethnic representation as well.”
Yesterday, Mr McAnulty said the important issues he had discussed with Wairarapa voters included a lack of adequate funding for health and police services, and job opportunities to keep youth engaged in the Wairarapa economy.
“We’re being left behind by this government, and that’s why I’m campaigning to change the government.”
“Mr McAnulty said the political “feeling” in Wairarapa now was “completely different than it was three years ago”.
“People want a change of government and are seriously considering giving Labour their support,”
The usual electioneering clap-trap! Release your evidence, Kieran. Labour is still polling where it was 3 years ago (<30%). Now in bed with the business-unfriendly greens your party is a threat to the NZ economy – one of the best performing economies in the OECD.
Current National MP is a huge disappointment. does NOTHING for Wairarapa Electorate. GORGE CLOSED,RIMUTAKA HILL STILL A GOAT TRACK.
Does not even live here.
Dull dull dull.
My fear is we may have the Ron Mark back again.He even makes Alastair Scott look good.
Think I will push off to Paris
Well I don’t know about a change of Government but our local MP isn’t exactly fantastic.
The problem for Mt McAnulty is that the party he represents is largely a bunch of muppets.
Change can be good but change for changes sake can land you in a mess.
I still get the feeling that Kieran is the right person for this region but that he is a member of the wrong party.
So vote for him as our local rep….you can still give your party vote to another party.
u want the zucc?