More National renewal

Stuff reports:

The at-times controversial National MP Maurice Williamson has announced his retirement from politics at next year’s election. …

Williamson thanked his electorate, who had “so generously supported” him for the past 30 years. 

“Their tremendous support has never been taken for granted and I have always known that I needed to earn each and every vote.

“I particularly appreciated their continued loyal support after the introduction of MMP in 1996, which enabled voters to support a political party but not necessarily that party’s candidate.”

He said it was a “privilege to be the MP for Pakuranga”, and to be a Minister for 15 of those years.

Maurice had and has huge support in Pakuranga. He got almost three times as many votes as the Labour candidate in 2014.

It is good to see National continuing to renew itself in Government. There will be new National candidates next year in East Coast Bays, Waikato and Pakuranga. I expect at least two more retirements to come also.