Elton John once sang that “sorry seems to be the hardest word”. That may be so but I certainly know that the easier to utter must be “thanks”.
As the dust settles on the recent general election, I am feeling very grateful for a number of things.
First, we live in a country where free and fair elections are able to be held. Even on occasions when each of our respective political parties and candidates are unsuccessful (and my side was spectacularly unsuccessful overall as recently as 2020) it’s heartening to see that in this country we still have a culture whereby the democratic will of the people is respected. Citizens of some other nations are not so lucky.
Second, I am grateful for the support that many people in this electorate have shown me personally through voting for me as a candidate recently. Naturally I am available to serve everyone in the community, regardless of who they may have voted for.
I also want to acknowledge the other candidates who put themselves forward so that we could have that conversation and a choice at the ballot box. I would welcome the opportunity to work with each of them (or continue working with them, in the case of those who are on the Rodney Local Board) in the years ahead.
Next, naturally I am also keen to express appreciation for the strong party vote result for the blue team across the country. At the time of writing, we don’t know exactly what the new government will look like, pending special votes being tallied and any coalition negotiations.
Whatever may eventuate, I am certain that we have a stable government that works in the interests of all New Zealanders. Certainly this nation deserves no less.
Finally, I would like to record my thanks to the local groups (for example, Kumeu Community Action) who arranged meetings at which members of the public could grill candidates on policy positions.
For now, take care and thanks again to everyone reading this column. I look forward to seeing you around northwest Auckland as your local MP again, for the next three years at least.
Cheers, Chris
