Kiwi-Indian Mahesh Muralidhar is looking forward to the upcoming national elections, days after he was selected as National Party's candidate from Auckland Central.
The Indian Weekender caught up with the 43-year-old, who is also the Chief Executive and founder of Phase One Ventures, which is focused on supporting and developing the Kiwi start-up ecosystem.
Q1. How do you feel about this new challenge?
I love the city, and I love this country. I moved here on my own from Singapore at the age of 14. New Zealand gave me a place to learn, falter, grow and achieve. My father told me that I must leave the world a better place, and I can't think of anything more significant than serving a country I love. I want to give back to a city that has given me so much.
I spent some of my formative years in Auckland Central. In fact, I was one of the first baristas at Starbucks when it opened on Queen Street.
Q2. What was your first thought on being selected?
It is such a privilege to be able to represent the National Party in Auckland Central. There’s a lot of work ahead to do, and the hard work starts now. I'll meet as many people as possible before October 14 (election day) to earn the right to be the MP for Auckland Central.
Q3. What is your take on the increased ethnic representation in Parliament?
We can always do better. I'm excited that the National Party supports candidates from diverse backgrounds, such as Angee Nicholas, Tama Potaka and Siva Kilari. We excite even more people from diverse communities to put their hands up.
Q4. What will be your top priorities?
I am incredibly aspirational for the people who call Auckland home, but it's getting harder for many to afford to call Auckland Central home. Making sure Auckland Central attracts and retains our best and brightest is my priority, starting with fixing the cost of living crisis.
Another critical issue for Auckland Central is rising crime. In 2022, there were almost 50 per cent more victimisations, which included offences like robbery, theft and assault in the Auckland City Police District, as compared to 2017. I am committed to working closely with our community leaders to make Auckland Central safer for everyone. We need to ensure that our communities and spaces are safe. I marched to recognise Janak Patel's passing; that should never have happened.
Q5. Tell us about your connection to India.
I was born in Kozhikode, Kerala. When I was two, my family moved to Singapore, where I spent the next 12 years. My parents made sure that I understood Indian values, norms and rituals. We were lucky enough to travel back to India twice a year, and I'd stay there for months.
At 14, I went to a roadshow hosted by the New Zealand Ministry of Education in Singapore. My father had himself gone to a boarding school in India and thought it would be great for me to share a similar experience. So that's how I moved to study at Napier Boys High School as a young teen in the mid-1990s.
I grew up on the ‘Ramayana’ TV series, ‘Chitrahaar’ and ‘Amar Chitra Katha’. I loved Sachin, but I probably liked Dravid even more!
Q6. What would you say is your USP?
Most of all, I'm here to serve, listen to the challenges and problems of the community, and work my socks off to make things better for Auckland.
I'm a seasoned senior executive who has addressed complex challenges in my personal and professional life. I bring a unique skill set and understanding of the economy and, very importantly, how technology and start-ups can play a phenomenal role in ensuring that New Zealand increases its productivity. I’ll stand up for the young people struggling to afford the basics, the start-ups and businesses we must support to unlock our productivity.
Q7. What would be your priorities for the Kiwi-Indian diaspora?
It's so exciting to see the Kiwi-Indian community growing. There is so much more South Asian representation in New Zealand. I want South Asians, and migrants of all backgrounds, to feel at home here.
I've noticed recently that there are more Kiwi families of South Asian background feeling more pessimistic, some even leaving New Zealand.
Q8. How do you view your chances in the upcoming election?
Kiwis know we are not winning as we used to. We are not as confident as we used to be. We are more insular than we used to be. We feel less safe. This has to change.
Kiwis are looking for a government that will be focused on their issues and can deliver. That's what a Chris Luxon-led National government will be.
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