The Chronicle went to the Rangitikei candidates for comment on the issues of the electorate, as part of our 2014 election coverage:
The Questions:
1: What's one practical way of reversing the massive population decline in the district?
2: Is roading going to deteriorate with the cutting of the Government funding assistance rate (FAR)?
3: What was the best thing that happened in Rangitikei this year?
4: Why should people vote for you? ¦5: What's the best thing you did this year?
Roy Brown, Conservative
1: We need to make it easier to do business by cutting the red and green tape and reducing bureaucracy and cost of doing business. This will help our local and regional economies grow, provide employment opportunities and attract people to the district and the region.
2: Our roading is in pretty poor shape and further cutting of FAR will not help. A full review needs to be undertaken as well as initiatives researched in how the balance can be met between central government and local government and the costs of repairs and maintenance of our roads. I would also like to see a more transparent and open tender process for roading contracts which encourages competition and careful budgeted expenditure of tax payer's money.
3: On a personal note the birth of my third daughter was the best thing that happened to me in the Rangitikei! There are so many events in this electorate but a stand-out for me was the Central District Field days at Manfield Park. Great event, lots of people, well organised and a big showcase for our local businesses and farming community.
4: I live and work in the Rangitikei with my wife and three daughters. I have extensive banking and financial, business, and corporate management experience along with charitable and youth affairs work. I am passionate about the Rangitikei electorate and I want to see it prosper and grow. I will push hard for less red and green tape and bureaucracy. I will stand for you and your family and I will represent YOU, the people of Rangitikei in parliament.
5: The best thing I have done this year is stand for the Conservative Party as the candidate for the Rangitikei Electorate.
Ian McKelvie - National
1: The population in the north of the electorate is declining, while the population in the lower Rangitikei is increasing. To arrest the decline we need a strong New Zealand economy, an efficient agricultural sector and a well-resourced tourism industry on which new business can confidently grow. The National Government has managed the economy to allow this to happen.
2: Any potential cut to the FAR rate will challenge our rural ratepayers as the impact will be felt most by our productive sector initially. However I have confidence in our councils to argue their cases and maintain the roads to at least the current standard. Our roads are the lifeblood of rural New Zealand.
3: The past year has seen a buoyant agricultural sector and an increase in tourism numbers as a result of initiatives such as the Prime Minister's Cycle Ways and the Forgotten World Adventures in Taumarunui. Growth like this leads to more jobs and more opportunities in our small business sector.
4: I have unique experience in matters concerning rural and provincial New Zealand. I am one of the few farmers standing for election and will be able to use this to benefit Rangitikei in a National-led Government. National represents strong, cohesive and united Government. We have made significant progress in our commitment to build a better New Zealand but there's still more to be done. I have worked hard for Rangitikei and New Zealand and will continue to do so.
5: Aside from the real privilege of representing the people of the Rangitikei I attended the 2013 New Zealand Special Olympics Summer Games in Dunedin in November as their Board Chair. I was among 1100 athletes and over 1000 volunteers. It was humbling, inspiring and made me proud to be a New Zealander - a wonderful experience.
Romuald Rudzki, NZ First
1: People are moving away to find work, so we need to create more and better paying jobs in new businesses. The best way to do this is to get young people and others with ideas to create 'born global' companies that can sell their products or services using the internet. This is why New Zealand First has an entrepreneurial fund specifically for our young people and also why we have developed the Royalties for the Regions policy.
2: The obvious answer is 'Of course!' but roads still need to be repaired and paid for, so who will have to do this, why the local ratepayers of course! Road costs should be met from the current road charges including the tax on petrol and diesel, and the vehicle tax. The alternative is private toll roads which NZF strongly opposes in favour of an integrated transport system for bike, bus, train, car, boat and planes.
3: This will have as many answers as there are people here. Some people have had the best year ever and others the worst. The most important historically may well be the Whanganui River Treaty signed on Tuesday, August 5 at Ruaka Marae which established Nga Tangata Tiaki as the new body responsible for distributing funds. Hopefully some of that will be used to create new start-up companies.
4: I have the track record of success in building communities and businesses. I used to be a Youth and Community Worker and my current job is as the Founder and Director of the New Zealand School of Export. New Zealand First has proved its commitment to the Rangitikei by giving me the highest list ranking of any candidate of any of the parties. No other party can say that!
5: I helped people grow and improve their lives and those of their families through creating new jobs. We can all make an enormous difference especially to the people we share our home or a fence with. It is the small things - a kind word, a smile, a helping hand, a compassionate heart - that make an enormous difference and proves that we are all stronger when we help each other.
Deborah Russell, Labour
1: Attracting industry to the region. People will come and live in our pleasant rural towns if they can get work here. We need strategies to get business to set up here. Labour's regional development policies will make a real difference in this regard.
2: Yes. Regional roading is already under pressure because the Government has siphoned money off into its own pet projects. It's short sighted thinking, because we need all those rural roads to get our products to market.
3: The announcement from Proliant that they will be building a manufacturing plant near Feilding. High tech jobs in the agricultural sector - exactly the sort of business we need to attract to the region. It builds on our existing strengths, it will employ people directly, and all those people will in turn support more jobs in and around Feilding and the wider Manawatu.
4: I've got energy and commitment. I've travelled from one end of this huge electorate to the other, knocking on doors, holding street corner meetings, attending festivals and markets, and working hard to connect with people. That's the kind of drive that I will bring to representing people in Rangitikei.
5: Stick my hand up to run for Labour in Rangitikei. It's a huge challenge, and it has been so worthwhile. I've met people who are deeply committed to their communities, and I've had the privilege of driving through every part of Manawatu and Rangitikei and some of Ruapehu District. It's a fabulously beautiful part of our country.
Neil Wilson, Act
1:One of the most powerful ways to reverse declining fortunes is for governments to get out of the way of entrepreneurship. Any reduction in regulation, wasteful spending particularly on vanity projects, lower local government rates and other taxation is a positive promotion of economic growth. The most clear, pertinent and detailed ACT policy is our promise to reduce the corporate taxation rate to 12.5 c/$.
2: We have good basic infrastructure in this electorate. However roads and rail must be built before they can be used, and improved before the benefits of extra spending can be seen. We need confidence in ourselves and our district to invest both Government money and our own money. On the role of assistance ACT thinks the closer the source of the money to where it is applied the more efficiently it will be used.
3: Many good things have happened and if I must choose there was one fascinating thing I did notice - the RDC and MPI funded Rangitikei Strategic Water Assessment Project Report. We have cause to hope for sensible use of a rich resource, it covers the Electoral area and gets my vote for the best thing to happen in Rangitikei this year.
4: Remembering always that the Party Vote is the most important. ACT brings a classical liberal vision and values to the debate - vision and values that underpin the modern world. Reason, individuality, happiness. Taking personal responsibility is the one thing everyone can do to tackle almost every issue raised in this campaign.
5: I moved with my partner Lorraine to Marton and felt at home in the rural setting. I was pleased to find Pacific people here. I have lived among and worked with Pacifica peoples and admire their forbearance, humour and sense of family. Diversity broadens the community and will do a lot to balance what can sometimes be entrenched rural pessimism. I tasted retirement, did not like it and found a job.