As the election nears, Q+A will be travelling around the country to look at some of the most interesting electorate contests in this year's campaign. Reporter Whena Owen's first stop: Northland.
When State Highway 1 through the Brynderwyn Hills is closed, drivers must contend with the litany of potholes along the two-way road through the Waipu Gorge.
The state of the region's "rubbish" roads is top of mind for beef and dairy farmer Grant McCallum, who is standing for National in the electorate. He told Q+A if he clinches the seat, he'll push for an alternative route through the Brynderwyns.
"The North needs a champion. It's what motivates me," he said.
Generally solidly blue, the Northland electorate seat was won in 2020 by just 163 votes by Labour's Willow-Jean Prime.
The incumbent took Q+A to a major spillway project designed to substantially reduce the flood risk in Ōtiria and Moerewa. Over the past decade, homes and marae in the area have been repeatedly affected by floodwaters.
"This is a demonstration of what a local MP can do for you when they know the community, they know the issues, and they know how to work Parliament," she said of the project.
But New Zealand First candidate and former MP Shane Jones said funding for the Ōtiria-Moerewa flood mitigation project came thanks to his party.
Of its $5 million cost, $2.8 million was funded by the Government and the rest from Northland Regional Council and local ratepayers.
"Quite frankly, you should judge me based on what we have delivered for Northland, which is beyond debate," Jones, who has had four unsuccessful attempts at the Northland seat, said.
Another familiar face is taking a tilt at the electorate seat: Matt King, the former Northland MP for National.
King is now running under Democracy NZ, the party he launched after attending the Parliament occupation. The party advocated ending vaccine mandates and "uniting all Kiwis" by opposing co-governance.
"We're not anti-vax. We're anti-mandate."
Meanwhile, lawyer Reina Tuai Penney is standing in Northland for the Greens.
"I think our voice is vital. We're talking about clean water. We're talking about climate change adaption," the progressive advocate said.
Penney said her Mangamuka community is already living with climate change's effects. For example, she has to drive an hour and a half each way to take her kids to school. That's because State Highway 1 to Kaitāia is still impassable due to slips.
Q+A with Jack Tame is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
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