Tapsell for East Coast

The Herald reports:

Rotorua Lakes councillor Tania Tapsell has today been selected to be the new National Party candidate for the East Coast electorate.

Both former National Party leader Simon Bridges and Rotorua MP Todd McClay made the announcement on their Facebook pages.

Bridges said Tapsell would make “an awesome Member of Parliament”.

McClay offered his “huge congratulations” to Tapsell in his Facebook message.

“Tania is a successful campaigner, hard-working and deeply passionate about the East Coast. She will be a very successful MP for National,” McClay said in his post.

Tapsell is a Rotorua District Councillor and former Labour MP and Mayor Steve Chadwick said:

Chadwick, who has mentored Tapsell since she became a councillor, said she was disappointed she could be losing her on the council.

“I saw her as a future leader for Rotorua and council and I am disappointed but I understand her political ambition and aspirations and we’ve discussed it.”

And a good electoral record:

Tapsell has been the highest-polling candidate on the Rotorua Lakes Council for the past two elections and surpassed even the mayor in vote numbers in 2019.

Tania has worked in tourism, and been employed by BNZ and Deloitte. She is completing a Masters of Management.

Her great uncle was the first Maori Speaker of the House, Sir Peter Tapsell.

National holds East Coast by 4,807 but local Labour List MP Kiri Allan has a high profile and will be a substantive challenger. National needed a great candidate to retain the seat, and it looks like they have found one.