The National Party has re-selected incumbent Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown as its candidate for the electorate at next year’s general election.
Brown was first elected to Parliament in 2017 with a whopping 14,886 vote majority and retained the seat at the 2020 general election with a majority of 10,050 votes.
He’s National’s spokesperson for transport and public service and lives in Pakuranga with his wife Rebecca and their two daughters.
“It’s been an honour and privilege to serve the people of Pakuranga as their local Member of Parliament for the last five years and I hope to earn their trust at next year’s general election to continue representing them in Wellington,” Brown says.
“Pakuranga is an incredible part of New Zealand and one of the most diverse communities in the country, with people of many different cultures and backgrounds choosing to call our suburbs home.
“It’s also one of our nation’s oldest communities, with Howick celebrating its 175th anniversary this year.
“Rebecca and I are proud to be raising our two daughters here in what is undoubtedly one of the best places to raise a family.”
Brown developed a high public profile last year while serving as National’s police spokesperson.
He received several death threats from gang members.
Earlier this year he sponsored a bill in the Parliament which would have banned the Government and its agencies from providing funding to organisations run or administered by, or associated to, gangs.
His bill was voted down by the Labour Government.
In recent years Brown has spoken out publicly against the closure of the overnight medical service at East Care Accident and Medical in Botany.
He’s opposed the sale of Auckland Council-owned land occupied by the Howick Police station and of local public reserves.
Brown has also pushed for completion of the Eastern Busway and called on the Government to do more to tackle rising rates of crime nationwide.
He says the way of life in Pakuranga is “slowly being eroded by the current Labour Government, which has failed to respond to the many significant challenges we face here and around New Zealand.
“Violent crime is on the rise in a community traditionally free from such worries.
“Our local transport network is no better than it was when Labour took power, and access to healthcare has taken a dive with the loss of our own overnight service.
“The people of Pakuranga are feeling the pinch with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, out-of-control inflation forcing official cash rate mortgage rate hikes and many simply struggling to get by each week.”
Brown says Pakuranga deserves a better deal.
“I’ve fought strongly on behalf of this community over the past five years and will continue to do so for as long as I’m asked to serve.
“At next year’s general election I will be asking the people of Pakuranga for their support as MP, but more importantly for their support for the National Party.
“Only National can deliver the change needed to solve the issues our community faces and put New Zealand back on the path to prosperity.”
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