NZ Election 2026

Remutaka electorate

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.

Remutaka candidates

Explore the candidates in your area

Zabeen Lateef

National Party

Nigel Elder

ACT Party

Andy Foster

NZ First

Chris Hipkins

Labour Party

Luke Ross

Opportunity Party

Chris Norton

Green Party

Zabeen Lateef

National Party

Why I'm standing

I'm running because I believe politics should be about creating opportunities for people and making sure our communities have a real voice in the decisions that affect them. I want New Zealand to be a country where people can work hard, get ahead and feel confident about the future. For me, that means making good decisions with the resources we have and focusing on practical improvements to people's everyday lives.

About me

I've spent much of my career working through complex problems, advising decision-makers and turning evidence and ideas into practical solutions. My background spans science, education, strategy, governance and community organisations. I'm naturally curious; I ask a lot of questions and I listen. I'm comfortable hearing different points of view and believe good decisions come from understanding both the evidence and the people affected by them. I'll bring that same approach to Parliament.

My priorities

  1. Improve access to healthcare, including after-hours care in Upper Hutt.
  2. Advocate for resilient infrastructure and transport that keeps pace with growth.
  3. Strengthen pathways into local jobs, trades and training for our young people.

Get across the policies, candidates and parties

Don’t know who to vote for? Policy.nz is the complete guide to the 2026 general election. Compare the parties, candidates and policies to see where you stand.

Policies

Compare the parties’ positions on the key issues this election

Candidates

See the electorate candidates running in your local area

Parties

Learn about each political party, its leaders and candidate list

Things to know...

Your two votes shape New Zealand’s next parliament. You need to be enrolled to vote.

Read explainer

  • Enrol to vote by Sunday 25 October

    You need to be enrolled before you can vote. You can enrol online at vote.nz.

  • Voting day is Saturday 7 November

    Head to your nearest voting place on the day, or vote early from 26 October.

  • You get two votes

    One for a party (the party vote) and one for a person in your area (the electorate vote).

  • Your party vote is the most powerful

    It decides how many seats each party gets in Parliament. That’s what Policy helps you figure out.