Waitaki has a new MP for the first time in 15 years, but the electorate retained its familiar tinge of blue.
National candidate Miles Anderson won the seat and was also able to restore the majority party vote within Waitaki last weekend, which last election was awarded to Labour.
He is the first new MP since National’s Jacqui Dean first won the seat in 2008.
Mr Anderson secured 19,509 votes to the 9150 of his closest rival, Labour’s 19-year-old Ethan Reille.
‘‘It’s the culmination of months and months of work. I’m really pleased that our plan came together.’’
He was looking forward to working alongside his fellow National MPs who had secured their own electorates.
National’s 16,508 party votes in Waitaki was a ‘‘reflection of the mood of the electorate’’ Mr Anderson said.
‘‘I think that people have felt that perhaps, the last three years have been a bit too hard and the Labour Party hasn’t delivered on their promises.’’
‘‘It’s like being a third former, a year 9, in high school.
‘‘It’s sort of like an orientation, I guess you’d call it, the first week or two. Trying to work out where’s what and parliamentary procedure and that sort of thing. It is all starting to sink in for the Southburn farmer.
‘‘It was quite a surreal feeling to be walking through parliament thinking ‘hell, it’s very real now’.’’
With National candidates flipping many electorate seats, Mr Anderson was not the only fresh face roaming the Beehive.
‘‘There’s a heap of people who are in the same boat as me, so that’s good. You don’t feel too out of place.’’
They had their first caucus meeting on Tuesday and many were still ‘‘riding high’’ after not only National’s win but also the All Blacks’ win over Ireland on Sunday morning, he said. ‘‘That added to the weekend for most people.’’
When asked where he will base himself, Mr Anderson said he was hoping to have a presence in both Central Otago as well as Oamaru.
Mr Reille said he was proud of his campaign despite the disappointing result.
‘‘Coming into this six months ago, our only expectation of ourselves was to deliver a strong campaign that was positive, that was inclusive and that was truly representative of the community and we’ve done a damn good job of doing that.’’
He had a very clear message for those who may have thought this was a one and done in politics for him.
‘‘I’m not going anywhere. This is just the start for me and these results are really encouraging for me because it shows we do have a lot more work to do.’’
‘‘But, I haven’t given up on our community. Regardless of the result, I will keep doing the work I’ve been doing over the past six years to advocate for our community.’’
When asked about his immediate future, he said ‘‘all I’ll say is watch this space.’’
Mr Reille and his team conceded and congratulated Mr Anderson on his win just before 11pm.
