Today’s MPs

From the Herald series:

Tim Macindoe

Tim Macindoe set out to shatter any illusions that the road to Parliament was as smooth as his leader John Key had made it look.

Last year’s election was fifth time lucky for Mr Macindoe, who has been a National Party candidate in every election since MMP was introduced in 1996.

Fifth time lucky!

The former chief executive of Arts Waikato, deputy principal of St Peter’s School in Cambridge and prison tutor at Christchurch Women’s Prison said education and dealing with children at risk were among his priorities.

“I have been concerned for more than a decade that our country is in danger of losing its soul. Every tragic incident of child abuse or illegal drug sale to the young and the vulnerable or senseless violent crime that occurs in our country is an attack on our society as a whole and the values that most of us hold dear.”

Tim will no doubt be concentrating on holding the marginal Hamilton West seat. Hamilton West has been held by the Government of the Day for over 40 years, except from 1993 to 1996.

Kelvin Davis

Background:
Ngapuhi iwi, married with three children, lives in Kaitaia. A teacher in Northland since 1988, his most recent job was as principal of Kaitaia Intermediate from 2001 to 2007. Likes rugby, fishing, shooting and boating.

In his own words:
“It’s time we stopped wallowing in self-pity and instead looked for solutions … blaming the system implies we are too weak as a people to help ourselves, that we are victims.”

I was hugely impressed with his maiden speech.

Amy Adams

Personal:
As a lawyer and farmer, she said she was recently called a “typical Nat”. She said before people stereotype her they should know she was brought up by a solo mother who struggled to put herself through a psychology degree before working with disadvantaged families.

In her own words:
“[Agriculture] was our past and it remains our future. It is the primary sector that will help us as a country find our way through these troubled financial times.”

Amy has a safe seat for life, but it won’t take that long for her to start moving up the ranks. She could be our first female Minister of Agriculture!