Forestry, farming & polls - Cushla Tangaere-Manuel

So tell me, what are the big issues within the electorate at the moment? What have you been dealing with primarily in those first few years, Kushla?

So primarily, you know, when we first came, obviously Cycling Gabriel had not long happened.

So I'm in the Hawke's Bay at the moment and they've still, we met with some of the local mayors today.

Chris Ipkins is here as well.

And they've said they've still got recovery contracts or projects out to 2029.

So there's that.

And then, of course, the massive issues with the forestry and, well, basically not our land transition issues.

But ultimately, what's at the fore of everyone's minds at the moment is just surviving in Ikaroa-Rawhiti in New Zealand.

So the cost of living, people want jobs, people want access to good health care, and they want access to decent homes.

Yeah, well, that's probably not confined to that electorate either, I would say.

So I was having a read before an interesting article that says that forestry, failing roads and suicide prevention dominate the Ikaroa-Rafiti debate.

So obviously, yeah, cost of living is one thing.

And then there's these other issues as well.

Yeah, definitely.

I should have said infrastructure as well.

I mean, I live on State Highway 35 and it was great for me.

Barb Edmonds said she wanted to come and visit the northern end of the electorate.

So I took her all the way up to Ruatoria.

So she drove about two hours of State Highway 35 because I want to see, you know, people in our party, you know, she...

Eventually, she's going to be the Minister of Finance.

So I want them to understand when I'm talking about broken infrastructure on State Highway 35, what that actually looks like.

The importance, not only for us to get home, but it's a crucial trump line for access to health care.

Often people have to catch an ambulance to Gisborne.

to access healthcare, but also for the economy, for the likes of the forestry that contributes so much to not only the local and regional economy, but the national economy.

And yes, you're right.

So tell me, what are the big issues within the electorate at the moment? What have you been dealing with primarily in those first few years, Kushla?

So primarily, you know, when we first came, obviously Cycling Gabriel had not long happened.

So I'm in the Hawke's Bay at the moment and they've still, we met with some of the local mayors today.

Chris Ipkins is here as well.

And they've said they've still got recovery contracts or projects out to 2029.

So there's that.

And then, of course, the massive issues with the forestry and, well, basically not our land transition issues.

But ultimately, what's at the fore of everyone's minds at the moment is just surviving in Ikaroa-Rawhiti in New Zealand.

So the cost of living, people want jobs, people want access to good health care, and they want access to decent homes.

Yeah, well, that's probably not confined to that electorate either, I would say.

So I was having a read before an interesting article that says that forestry, failing roads and suicide prevention dominate the Ikaroa-Rafiti debate.

So obviously, yeah, cost of living is one thing.

And then there's these other issues as well.

Yeah, definitely.

I should have said infrastructure as well.

I mean, I live on State Highway 35 and it was great for me.

Barb Edmonds said she wanted to come and visit the northern end of the electorate.

So I took her all the way up to Ruatoria.

So she drove about two hours of State Highway 35 because I want to see, you know, people in our party, you know, she...

Eventually, she's going to be the Minister of Finance.

So I want them to understand when I'm talking about broken infrastructure on State Highway 35, what that actually looks like.

The importance, not only for us to get home, but it's a crucial trump line for access to health care.

Often people have to catch an ambulance to Gisborne.

to access healthcare, but also for the economy, for the likes of the forestry that contributes so much to not only the local and regional economy, but the national economy.

And yes, you're right.