Election 2023: Wigram, an electorate with a foot in both camps (Wigram electorate profile)
In the lead-up to the 2023 general election, The Press is profiling Canterbury’s electoral races. Here’s what you need to know about the candidates running to be Wigram’s MP. (By reporter Liz McDonald)
The electorate of Wigram covers suburbs in the southwest of Christchurch including Spreydon, Hillmorton, Hornby, Sockburn, Wigram, Hei Hei and Islington, and parts of Hoon Hay, Addington and Riccarton.
It is flat land which takes in the city’s large industrial area plus several retail and commercial hubs, with major new housing areas alongside long-established residential neighbourhoods.
At the time of the 2018 census, a third of the electorate’s residents were born overseas, 26% identify as Asian, and 9.7% as Māori.
Ninety per cent of the electorate’s working population are employees, one of the highest percentages in the country.
One fifth of workers are professionals, 15% are technicians and trades workers, and almost 9% are machinery operators and drivers.
Over the years, and various boundary changes, this electorate has unfailingly chosen a left-leaning MP.
But the party vote has been a different story. National won the seat’s party vote in both 2011 and 2014, and was just edged out by Labour in a neck-and-neck finish in 2017.
Last election, following a boundary change which swung the electorate south, Labour easily won the Wigram party vote for the first time in years.
This year, incumbent Megan Woods will line up against nine other contenders.
Woods is No 5 on that party’s list and holds the housing, construction and infrastructure portfolios. She’s held Wigram since 2011, when Jim Anderton retired. In 2020, she was more than 14,000 votes ahead of the National candidate, Hamish Campbell.
This election, Campbell has tossed his hat into the ring for the next-door Ilam electorate, so challenging Woods for National will be businesswoman and election first-timer Tracy Summerfield.
Summerfield has been a chartered accountant for over 25 years, ran her own childcare business which she sold in 2021, and is a qualified teacher who formerly served on the Early Childhood Education Board. She is at No 37 on the National list.
Lining up for the Green Party again will be Richard Wesley. Wesley works as a capital programmes adviser for the Christchurch City Council, and has previously worked as a project manager for Scirt and Vbase. Sitting at No 26 on the Greens’ list, he is involved in a range of environmental projects.
ACT will be fielding Ankita Lynn, a data consultant who specialises in data governance. Lynn previously worked for Parliamentary Services and other public organisations, and sits low on the ACT list at No 56.
Perennial candidate and low-polling specialist Tubby Hansen, who has unsuccessfully campaigned every general election since 1969, is again standing for the Economics Party.
Rounding out the list are Blair Anderson (Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party), Debra Cullimore (Leighton Baker Party), Geoff McTague (Independent), Wiremu Thomson (Independent) and Christine Van Duivenboden (NZ Loyal Party).
Poll: Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?
As reported in the Post, there’s a $30 million funding gap in financial mentoring. This has led to services closing and mentors stepping in unpaid just to keep helping people in need 🪙💰🪙
One proposed solution? Small levies on industries that profit from financial hardship — like banks, casinos, and similar companies.
So we want to hear what you think:
Should the government ask these industries to contribute?
-
60% Yes, supporting people is important!
-
25.7% No, individuals should take responsibility
-
14.3% ... It is complicated
Poll: Do you have a go-to adverse-weather checklist for your family? ☔⚠️
As reported in the Press, the same low-pressure system that lashed the North Island over the weekend is now making its way south, bringing heavy rain and strong winds with it. It’s a soggy start to the week for many of us.
With more wild weather on the cards, we’re curious: do you have a go-to adverse-weather checklist for your family? Or are you more of a “grab the torches and hope for the best” household?
-
44.4% Yes - we like to be prepared
-
38.9% Nah
-
16.7% This is on my to-do list!
Please Share This Story From Otautahi Newsroom Far and Wide To Help These Men
Otautahi Newsroom
Concerns are being raised about the safety, care standards, and duty of care at a Comcare-supported residential flat in Bishopdale, Christchurch, where vulnerable older men with significant mental health conditions are living.
An advocate speaking on behalf of four residents , says the men are experiencing ongoing intimidation, alleged abuse, and serious safety risks within the flat. The residents are described as having limited capacity to advocate for themselves and have asked for help to bring the situation to public attention.
The flat houses five male residents, all aged over 60 and all considered vulnerable adults with psychiatric illnesses. It is alleged that one resident, I (64), has displayed escalating aggressive and intimidating behaviour over a period of approximately five years. According to reports from residents and those advocating for them, this behaviour has included verbal threats, alleged physical incidents, repeated boundary violations, and conduct that has left others living in fear.
Reported incidents include police attendance following an alleged knife-related event and theft of personal property, an incident in which one resident was allegedly restrained in his bed, repeated verbal intimidation, and unauthorised entry into other residents’ bedrooms. There are also claims that staff members have been assaulted or felt unsafe attending the property, with some reportedly conducting visits from outside the flat due to safety concerns.
Advocates say the ongoing situation has had a severe impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of the affected residents. All four men report feeling unsafe in their own home, with some considering leaving the property despite believing they should not be forced out of housing they were promised would be safe and stable.
One resident, D, who has both mental health needs and a heart condition, is said to have taken on an informal role trying to protect others. Advocates argue this is inappropriate and unsafe, stating that residents should not be expected to manage high-risk situations without professional support. They also claim that Comcare has breached contractual commitments to provide safe, peaceful, and stable housing.
Further concerns have been raised about the suitability of the property itself. The Bishopdale house was originally a four-bedroom home with one bathroom but was altered to accommodate a fifth resident by converting a sunroom into a bedroom. Critics argue that having one toilet for five men over the age of 63 is inadequate and compromises dignity, health, and wellbeing.
There are also claims from a family member of a former resident that care provided to her terminally ill brother at the property was insufficient, adding to broader concerns about oversight and duty of care.
Despite multiple complaints reportedly being lodged with agencies, advocates say they have seen no meaningful action. They are now calling for urgent intervention, including:
• Immediate rehousing of resident I into a 24-hour staffed care facility, dementia care, or appropriate hospital setting
• An urgent, independent investigation into Comcare’s management of the Bishopdale property
• Assessment of whether elder abuse or neglect is occurring
• A full review of duty of care, risk management, and safeguarding practices
• Immediate measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the remaining residents
Advocates warn that without urgent action, there is a serious risk of harm. They say the men deserve to live without fear and with appropriate care that protects their dignity, mental health, and quality of life.
Loading…
