Dear John,

As your local voice in Parliament and in our community, it’s really important for me to understand what matters to you and our community to ensure I best represent this fantastic place on any given issue. Apart from asking locals in person, one of the best ways to find out what matters most is through surveys and questionnaires.

That’s exactly what I’ve done since being elected in 2018. Recently I sent a mail survey to all homes in the Northcote electorate. The response rate has been fantastic, with hundreds taking the time to tell me their thoughts, and I’ve been reading through the feedback received.

Unsurprisingly, congestion and public transport were the biggest issues facing our community before COVID-19. But here’s the interesting insight: post-COVID, this remains the biggest issue for our community! Concerns about the economy were the second biggest issue locally.

I also asked about three important questions likely to dominate this year’s election campaign and here’s the results:

I’ll continue to conduct and read these surveys to gauge local support for policy positions impacting our community.

Public Transport and Congestion

We’ve had some good news on the transport front for our community.

Northcote Point Ferry: Good news – work has finally begun to repair the wharf. I have shared the community’s frustration with how long this has taken to get going – Auckland Transport should not have allowed this delay to go on for so long. They’ve tried to blame it on COVID-19, yet it’s clear this can’t be right, as a year ago their line was that ferry services would resume in “early 2020”. I look forward to the completion of the repairs later this year.

Onewa Road: Good news – after delays due to COVID-19, Auckland Transport will push ahead with consulting over a trial of a permanent clearway for Onewa Road. They have signaled that nothing will be able to happen until AT’s revised budget is confirmed, which should be in August. I’ll be pushing AT to move quickly on this - you’ll recall it was part of our petition urging AT to take action and trial a few ideas to reduce congestion on this arterial route.

Northern Pathway/Skypath: As your local MP I’ve supported this project as I know that broadly our community wants the option to walk and cycle across the Harbour Bridge. However, in light of the eye-watering cost of the project, currently estimated at $360 million, and with the challenges we face in a post-COVID environment, I do think it is worth us revisiting this in relation to other possibly more important transport initiatives in Auckland.

Getting started on constructing a second harbour crossing is one such example. If there was ever a transport project that could open up economic potential for the North Shore, this is it. It is certainly key for future proofing Auckland as a fast-growing city.

Under this scenario, it would be possible to still have a walking and cycling link across the harbour bridge without the high cost of what NZTA is currently progressing. I expect that both options will be debated as we move closer to the election, and I look forward to sharing National’s position on important transport projects for our community soon.

Public Meeting on Jobs

Many in our community are worried about their jobs and incomes due to the impact of COVID-19. If Treasury’s predictions are correct, we will see thousands of job losses in our community over the next 12 months. Come along to voice your concerns and hear from Paul Goldsmith and myself about what National will do to create more jobs and improve our economy.

Campaign Launch

Recently I launched my re-election campaign for Northcote. I have enjoyed representing this wonderful community for the past 2 years and I would love the opportunity to continue to do so for the next 3 years.

Click here to watch my campaign launch video 

I’m looking forward to sharing with you more about my vision for our community and National’s aspirations for our country to succeed in a post-COVID-19 environment.

I Need Your Help

We are now in full campaign mode here in the Northcote electorate. I see so much potential for our community and our nation and I believe National is the best party to help us achieve our collective aspirations as a people.

I need your help to lift our party vote and to ensure my re-election as your local MP. Here’s a few ways you can help in the next few months:

Thanks for your effort and support!

See you in our community soon!


Dan Bidois
MP for Northcote