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The National Party has announced its candidates for the Rongotai and Wairarapa electorates for the upcoming general election.
Masterton sheep and beef farmer Mike Butterick is candidate for the Wairarapa, setting up a repeat of the 2020 election.
He will take on incumbent Labour MP Kieran McAnulty, who confirmed his candidacy on March 19.
Butterick started his farming career as a shepherd in Canterbury before moving north to Wairarapa more than 30 years ago.
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He holds positions on the Wings Over Wairarapa board, as an executive on the Wairarapa Water Users group and also as a member of the Wairarapa Federated Farmers executive.
National Party/Supplied
Sheep and beef farmer Mike Butterick will run as National’s candidate for the Wairarapa electorate in the upcoming general election.
Butterick said he was standing for National as he believed it was the only party who could strengthen the economy to overcome the cost of living crisis and help struggling families in his electorate.
He also made a strong commitment to support the farming industry.
“Alongside our National team, I’ll advocate for farmers and farming communities to be able to get on with what they do best, without being burdened with more unworkable regulations.”
At the previous election, Butterick was heavily defeated by more than 5000 votes as McAnulty won the electorate.
ROBERT KITCHIN/Stuff
Minister for Emergency Management and Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty will face a rematch of the 2020 election as he fights National’s Mike Butterick for the Wairarapa seat.
National has announced self-employed lawyer and investor Karuna Muthu as a candidate for the Rongotai electorate.
Born in Madurai, India, Muthu arrived in New Zealand in 1995 and has spent much of his career working in business and investment strategy working out of Strathmore Park, mainly with start up and early stage companies.
He holds graduate diplomas in business from the University of Auckland and Unitec, as well as a Bachelor of Laws from Victoria University of Wellington.
Muthu said one of his key aims would be to “ease the burden” on families in the electorate.
“I’m standing for National because it’s the only party with a plan to fix the cost-of-living crisis and the ability to deliver on it. We’ll stop Labour’s wasteful spending and competently manage the economy.”
National Party/Supplied
Karuna Muthu has been announced as the National Party candidate for Wellington’s Rongotai electorate.
Muthu has been involved in several community governance roles, including as president of Wellington Mutamizh Sangam – a group for Tamil New Zealanders to support Tamil language and culture. He has also worked with groups focused on digital inclusion and as a trustee on the Queen Margaret College Foundation Trust.
“My wife and I have raised our children here and campaigning to represent this community in Parliament is my chance to give back to a country that has given my family and me so much since we moved here 30 years ago.”
The Rongotai seat will be vacated by Labour MP Paul Eagle at the upcoming election after he announced his retirement from politics following a failed mayoralty bid. Fellow newcomer Fleur Fitzsimons is the Labour candidate.
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