27 Nov 2016

Nats select farmer for Northland electorate

10:48 am on 27 November 2016

The National Party has selected a farmer to win back the Northland seat lost in last year's by-election.

Rolling hills in the Northland region, New Zealand.

Photo: Philip Capper, Creative Commons

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters won the previously blue-ribbon seat in a shock result last year.

National's candidate at next year's election will be Matt King, a farmer, fraud investigator, volunteer firefighter, and former police detective.

Mr King said he has lived in Northland most of his life and knew the community well.

Northland is New Zealand's northernmost electorate, stretching from Cape Reinga to Wellsford, excluding the area around Whangarei.

It includes the towns of Kerikeri, Kaikohe, Kaitaia, and Dargaville.