Remutaka covers Upper Hutt and its outlying suburbs, including Avalon, Stokes Valley, Maymorn, and Pākuratahi. The seat is held by Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who has held the seat since 2008 and was re-elected in 2023 with a margin of 22,344. Labour won the party vote in 2023 with 37%, followed by National on 29%. The electorate was originally spelt Rimutaka, due to a misspelling which was rectified in the 2016 Treaty settlement between the crown and Ngāti Kahungunu. Since 2020, it has been spelt as Remutaka.
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Our ability to focus on the important issues is at risk due to an oversaturated media environment and a lack of political vision. I want to help build a media environment that educates, informs and entertains without draining our attention, a political system where we discuss complicated issues in a nuanced, constructive manner, and a fair, modern tax system that affords every Kiwi equal opportunity to engage with democracy.
I'm not a career politician; I'm a visual storyteller. I've been a director, post-production specialist and a teacher in the film and television industry for nearly a decade, and I understand the importance of creativity around the decision-making table. I'm comfortable leading a team, communicating clearly and listening to others before making decisions. I'm an optimist; I try not to take myself too seriously and I don't judge others.
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