National selects candidate to stand in Tauranga byelection following resignation of Simon Bridges

Sam Uffindell has been selected by local party members as National’s candidate in the upcoming Tauranga byelection. Photo / Supplied

Sam Uffindell is a banking specialist, a surfer and a dad of three young kids. Now the National Party has chosen him to take on the race to be Tauranga’s next MP.

Uffindell heads the financial crime unit at Rabobank and is a local agribusiness owner.

He was chosen ahead of three others, including former Tauranga City councillor Kelvin Clout, Western Bay of Plenty District Council analyst Tom Rutherford and Tauranga Business Chamber chief executive Matt Cowley.

Eager to gain international experience after studying at the University of Otago, Uffindell spent 10 years working in senior banking roles in Sydney, also gaining a Master of International Law and International Relations from the University of New South Wales.

Before settling in the Bay of Plenty with his family last year, he was vice president of Deutsche Bank in Singapore.

The 38-year-old was selected by 67 National Party delegates representing party members at a special candidacy selection meeting held in Tauranga today.

Sam Uffindell with wife Julia and children Zippora (left), Lily and Sam. Photo / Supplied

Uffindell told the Bay of Plenty Times the four contenders were taken aside and told the results and he was “stoked” to get the nod.

“There was shock, enthusiasm, happiness. It was good.

“I worked as hard I could over the past fortnight and didn’t take anything for granted because the other three are all very credible and high-performing individuals so I knew if I didn’t give it everything I had, I wouldn’t have come away with it.”

When asked why the National Party, Uffindell said the party’s values aligned with his.

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“We need to change New Zealand and the National Party is the party to do it.”

He said he had always been passionate about politics and studied it at university.

“I went away and worked overseas for a while and I came back to New Zealand and was astonished with the malaise and incompetence that was permeating through the New Zealand Government and that inspired me to join up with the National Party and get involved as much as I could. And now I find myself standing for the seat of Tauranga.”

Despite Tauranga being a blue seat since 2005, Uffindell said he wasn’t a “shoe-in”.

“I am going to work as I did in the pre-selection and work as hard as I can and get out there, meet the people of Tauranga, listen to them and campaign on what’s important to them.”

Tauranga National candidates Sam Uffindell, Tom Rutherford, Kelvin Clout and Matt Cowley. Photo / Supplied

When asked who within politics he had looked up to, he said it was a tough question as he believed there were a lot of people within National to aspire to.

“You could look at how effective John Key was at handling everything, you could look at Bill English’s work around handling social investment and you could look at how effective Tony Ryall was with the health portfolio.”

Outside of his busy work schedule, Uffindell said he is a husband to Julia and father of three children aged 5, 3 and 1, and if there was any spare time he liked to surf.

“When I can and there’s some swell coming in, I’ll get out there on the board.”

He described it as an “absolute honour” to be selected as National’s candidate.

“I’m aspirational for Tauranga and want it to remain one of the best places in New Zealand to live, work and raise a family. I’m asking for your support because you deserve a strong local voice to make this happen.

“As a small business owner, senior executive, and dad to three young kids, I understand the issues Tauranga faces and will work tirelessly for you and for the investment our city deserves.

National’s Simon Bridges has been the Tauranga MP since 2008 but resigned in March. He will leave Parliament this week. Photo / Andrew Warner

Also standing in Tauranga’s byelection is former Tauranga principal and current Minister for Internal Affairs, and Women Jan Tinetti for Labour; self-employed Papamoa builder Cameron Luxton of Act; self-employed Nelson lawyer Sue Grey for the NZ Outdoors and Freedom Party; New Conservative Party co-leader Helen Houghton and hemp industry worker Christopher Coker for the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party.

On Sunday evening, the New Nation Party announced the selection of Andrew Hollis as their candidate in the Tauranga byelection.

Everyone who is enrolled by May 11 will be sent an EasyVote information pack in the mail.

The byelection, to be held on June 18, comes after Simon Bridges, former National Party leader and MP for Tauranga since 2008, resigned in March.

Bridges will deliver his valedictory in Parliament on Wednesday, capping off a 14-year career.

The Weekend Herald reported it understands Bridges’ next move is to head to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce to replace its long-standing chief executive Michael Barnett when Barnett steps down.

Bridges declined to comment to the Weekend Herald. “I am not commenting on what I may be doing next beyond what I have already said. I’m pursuing commercial opportunities and a media project or two.”

The Tauranga electorate includes Mount Maunganui and Omanu Beach.

It’s been mainly conservative, with the exception of 1935 when Charles Burnett was voted in by the Labour Party. Winston Peters was the Tauranga MP from 1984 to 2005. He represented the National Party from 1984 to 1993, at which stage he left the party to establish New Zealand First.

In 2005, the electorate was regained for National by Bob Clarkson and again by Bridges in 2008.