PM Bill English and MP Louise Upston were met with quite the crowd when they arrived in Cambridge.
The National Party bus made a flying visit to Cambridge on Friday, travelling from Wellington to Auckland in a final burst of campaigning before Saturday’s election. Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett and Finance Minister Steven Joyce were the heavy-hitters on board, but the star of the show was undoubtedly Prime Minister Bill English. Media took up 14 seats on the bus, along with 18 Young Nats making the two-day pilgrimage up the country. Te Awamutu teenager, Katie Ollerenshaw (18), said Paula Bennett was ‘mama’ on the bus, giving them advice and joining in with the singing. Fellow Young Nat, Mason Dowie (21), said there were a small number of Young Libs from Australia on the bus and a convoy of around 10 or 11 Young Nats following behind in a convoy.
It was standing room only as Bill English urged the crowd at Good Union not to take the country backwards, pointing to the government’s track record which he said made New Zealand’s economy “one of the better performing economies in the Western World.”
“Businesses like Good Union are competing for young workers – isn’t that great?” he said.
He also pointed to the benefits of the Waikato Expressway to the region, saying there would eventually be four lanes from Auckland to the front of the Kaimai Ranges. “You just have to drive through here to see the work going on.” Then it was time for a quick interview with the assembled television cameras and they were off, continuing their journey to secure last-minute votes before the election. And judging by Saturday’s result, they were successful.
Bill English took time to talk with the crowd at Good Union
