Butterick campaigns on record as Wairarapa MP

Mike Butterick is campaigning for a second term as Wairarapa MP on what he says is a record of delivery across the electorate, including in Central Hawke’s Bay.

The National MP won the seat from Labour’s Kieran McAnulty by 2,816 votes in 2023.

Butterick described his first term as “incredibly busy”, balancing electorate work with around 30 weeks a year in Parliament and, since April, ministerial responsibilities.

He is Minister for Land Information and Associate Minister of Agriculture, with responsibilities including water storage and security.

Asked what he regarded as the highlight of his first term, Butterick said it was the people he had met.

“You get to meet so many, what I call extraordinarily good people,” he said.

“You get to help constituents with, you know, the challenges that they have. You don’t win all the battles, but sometimes you can help navigate them through and get a good solution.”

In Central Hawke’s Bay, Butterick pointed to funding to raise the stopbank at Waipawa, investment in Hawke’s Bay Hospital, support for the Tukituki water storage project, school upgrades and new classrooms, and investment in learning support coordinators.

“There’s a number of wins we’ve had,” he said.

Butterick said accessibility had been a priority during his first term, pointing to regular clinics across the electorate and an 0800 number for constituents to contact him.

“My view is just roll up your sleeves and get on with the job, be accessible,” he said.

With campaigning in its final week, Butterick said cost of living remained one of the biggest issues being raised by voters.

“It has been tough. There’s no doubt about that,” he said.

But he argued there were signs business confidence and economic activity were improving, pointing to building activity, demand for workers and the performance of the rural sector.

Looking ahead, Butterick said water security was one of the areas where more work was needed.

“If we want to grow the pie, we need to invest in water storage,” he said.

He said New Zealand needed an infrastructure pipeline for water storage, a national strategy and national standards for irrigation.

National has proposed $300 million in concessional loans for water storage projects, identifying Northland, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and Canterbury as regions where projects existed or were being considered.

Butterick said water security was important not only for farming and horticulture, but also for businesses including meat processors, sawmills and vegetable processors.

“You cannot keep talking about the climate risk and not talk about how we manage it, and we manage it by storing water,” he said.

Butterick said he wanted to continue in the role after Saturday’s election.

“It’s been an incredibly privileged role that I’ve had,” he said. “I want to carry on with the role.”