None of National’s Kiwi-Indian candidates for the 2023 general elections could secure a high list ranking, but the party’s Campaign Chair is “very confident” some of them will make it to Parliament.
“We'll see some Kiwi-Indian candidates for National become Members of Parliament after the election…and I think they'll do an outstanding job for National and for the country,” says Chris Bishop.
The parliamentarian, who is also National’s spokesperson for housing and infrastructure, spoke candidly about the party’s campaign during a visit to The Indian Weekender office in Auckland recently.
The main Opposition party has fielded quite a few candidates of Indian origin for the October elections, not just from Auckland but even elsewhere.
Siva Kilari from Manurewa in Auckland is placed 30 on the party list, best among the Kiwi-Indian candidates but still a rather modest placing.
He is likely not going to make it to Parliament if National does not improve on the about 36 per cent vote polls are currently forecasting.
Most of the party’s Kiwi-Indian candidates are contesting from electorates that are not National strongholds, and winning the electorate vote will be a tough task.
Bishop acknowledges the battle is tough for them, and while the party does want to win the electorate vote, “the best way to get them into Parliament is through party vote”.
“I think, you know, ultimately it's the party vote that changes the government, and so every National candidate out there, including myself, is campaigning hard for the party vote first and foremost because that's the ultimate determinant of whether the government changes or not,” he points out.
After Siva Kilari, the next best-placed Kiwi-Indian on National’s list is Mahesh Muralidhar from Auckland Central, at 43; followed by Navtej Singh Randhawa from Panmure-Otahuhu, at 46; and Karuna Muthu and Ankit Bansal at 51 and 52 respectively.
Bishop says the Kiwi-Indian representation among its contenders is a reflection of the party’s democratic structure, and that many of these were elected by local members.
“You know, good candidates like Mahesh from Auckland Central, for example…he's doing an outstanding job. I think about Siva Kilari in Manurewa, who is also doing an outstanding job there.”
When asked how National responds to criticism it has not proposed a big ticket idea in its election campaign, Bishop points out the party has “lots of fresh new policies”.
“So, if there was a silver bullet for New Zealand, we would fire it, you know, the proverbial silver bullet. But there isn't one. That's the honest truth. So our campaign is about a lot of different things.”
Cost of living continues to be the top election issue, Bishop says, and “that’s why you hear National candidates and MPs talking so much about those issues”.
“Inflation is six per cent, it's triple what it should be. Food prices are up 10 per cent, you know, people's mortgages are going up. So people are really struggling…and people are very focused on the cost of living, they are focused on the economy, they are focused on law and order.”