Twenty-six candidates locked in for Hawke’s Bay electorates

Four sitting MPs will defend their seats against 22 challengers across Hawke’s Bay’s electorates at the November 7 general election.

With nominations now closed, nine candidates are standing in Tukituki, eight in Wairarapa, six in Napier and three in the Māori electorate of Ikaroa-Rāwhiti.

National’s Katie Nimon, Catherine Wedd and Mike Butterick are seeking second terms after winning Napier, Tukituki and Wairarapa respectively in 2023. Labour’s Cushla Tangaere-Manuel is also defending the seat she won that year in Ikaroa-Rāwhiti.

Nationwide, 530 candidates are contesting the election, with 17 registered political parties seeking the party vote.

Napier

Nimon faces five challengers as she seeks to retain Napier for National.

Before entering Parliament, she worked in advertising, managed her family’s transport business and served as transport manager for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. She won the seat in 2023 with a majority of 8909.

Labour has selected public health doctor Dr Alex Hedley, a former Napier Boys’ High School student of Ngāti Porou descent with whānau connections to Wairoa.

Napier city councillor Te Kira Lawrence is standing for New Zealand First. Initially selected to contest East Cape, Lawrence moved to Napier after former Labour MP Stuart Nash withdrew as the party’s candidate.

The Green Party’s Roy Boonen has a background in community organisations and business, including running a commercial cleaning company. His environmental work has included coastal protection at Te Awanga, and he identifies water quality and social justice among his priorities.

John “Johno” Ormond is ACT’s candidate, while independent Graham Wainwright completes the field. Wainwright is campaigning on regional infrastructure, healthcare and representing the electorate without being bound by a party line.

Tukituki

Wedd faces eight challengers in the region’s largest candidate field.

The former TVNZ journalist won Tukituki for National in 2023 with a majority of 10,118 over her former colleague, Labour’s Anna Lorck.

Labour’s candidate this time is Dan Scott, a meteorologist and forecaster who grew up in Hawke’s Bay and attended school in Taradale. His work involves helping New Zealand prepare for and respond to severe weather.

Former All Blacks captain Taine Randell is standing for New Zealand First. Ranked ninth on its party list, he also has a potential route into Parliament through the party vote.

Rob Douglas returns as ACT’s candidate after standing in 2023. A property valuer and nephew of party founder Sir Roger Douglas, he is campaigning for the party vote despite contesting the Tukituki electorate. He does not appear on ACT’s party list this year.

The Greens have selected Mark Longworth, who is based in Central Hawke’s Bay and has a background in natural medicine and small-scale land stewardship. Longworth has been absent from recent candidate debates, with the party’s Napier candidate, Roy Boonen, standing in for him.

Opportunity Party candidate Rachel Ward has a background in ecology and animal behaviour and manages a wildlife sanctuary in Hawke’s Bay. She has also contributed to the party’s environmental policy development.

Romana “Marnz” Manning is again standing for the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party, having received 631 electorate votes in 2023.

Two independents complete the field: Flaxmere-based technologist and presenter Grant Seton, and returning candidate Allister Tosh. Although Tosh previously stood under the Future Youth Party banner, the Electoral Commission lists him as an independent this year.

Independent Kaleb Hawkins withdrew from the race before nominations closed and is backing Labour’s Dan Scott.

Ikaroa-Rāwhiti

Three candidates are contesting the Māori electorate, with Tangaere-Manuel seeking to retain it for Labour.

The former Ngāti Porou East Coast Rugby Football Union chief executive won the seat in 2023 with a majority of 2874 over Meka Whaitiri, who had left Labour to join Te Pāti Māori.

Te Pāti Māori’s candidate this year is Haley Maxwell, of Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa. Raised in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa, Maxwell has worked in rangatahi justice, te reo Māori revitalisation and community development.

Hastings district councillor and IronMāori founder Heather Te Au-Skipworth is standing for the Greens. Her background spans health, community development, governance and major events.

Wairarapa

Wairarapa, which includes communities in Central Hawke’s Bay and Tararua, has eight candidates.

National’s Mike Butterick is defending the seat against a field that includes the man he defeated in 2023, Labour’s Kieran McAnulty. Butterick won that contest with a majority of 2816.

Former defence minister Ron Mark is seeking a return to Parliament with New Zealand First. He left Parliament following the 2020 election and is ranked 16th on the party’s list this year.

The Greens’ Lauren Craig has a background in law, activism and economic policy. She has served as a Public Service Association union delegate and co-convenor of the Young Greens.

Opportunity’s Matt Shepherd is a qualified primary school teacher working as a relief teacher across Wairarapa. He previously spent six years as a chef in the Royal New Zealand Navy and taught in Thailand.

Navigation officer Victoria Ale is standing for the Alliance Party, for which she is also maritime spokesperson.

Former Te Whatu Ora IT worker Barry Young is the NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party candidate, while Jared Warren Gardner is standing for Te Pāti Hira after contesting the electorate as an independent in 2023.