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Clem Simich To Face Additional Challenger For Safe Tamaki Seat

Auckland, 29 July 2004 – A third candidate has announced his intention to seek selection as the National Party candidate for the safe seat of Tamaki, currently held by Clem Simich.

Auckland solicitor Tim Rainey has announced his intention to contest the selection of the National Party candidate for the seat. An experienced trial lawyer, and long time National Party member, Mr Rainey believes that the time is right for National, and most importantly the National Party members in the Tamaki electorate, to look to the future.

“The next election will be crucial for the future of New Zealand. To win National must ensure that it has the best available candidates contesting each and every electorate.” says Rainey. “The National Party is the party of free enterprise and freedom of choice, and it is essential to the continued strength of our party that those principles are applied to the selection of our candidates.”

A member of the National Party since the early 1990’s and former electorate chairman for the Auckland Central electorate Mr Rainey says that his decision to seek selection as a candidate for the party is driven by his desire to see National form the next Government.

“Like many National Party activists, I was devastated by the 2002 election result. In allowing it to happen, effectively without a fight, National failed not only its candidates for election to Parliament but also the people of New Zealand.” “The so called “third way” advanced by the current Government is nothing more than a re-statement of the same old policies that had brought New Zealand to its economic knees by 1984. While the current Government has not had the guts to mount a frontal assault on the cornerstone changes made by New Zealand with such sacrifice in the 1980’s and 1990’s, they have set about emasculating the effects of those changes to the detriment of all New Zealanders. Make no mistake, this is not a Government of the centre; this is a Government of the left and it is essential to the future of all New Zealanders that it is replaced by a National led Government after the next election.” Rainey also says that in making his challenge for the seat he intends to focus on the future and what he has to offer as a part of a National led Government rather than the past or personalities.

“The selection process offers the National Party members in Tamaki an opportunity to assess which candidate has the most to offer the electorate and the party in the future. Mr Simich has been a good MP for Tamaki, but I believe it is time for a change and that I am the person to take Tamaki into the future.”

About Tim Rainey

Tim Rainey was born in the North Canterbury town of Rangiora on 2 October 1968. He was educated in Christchurch at St Andrew’s College and Canterbury University. He graduated from Canterbury University with an LLB in 1992 and was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 1993. He has been in legal practice since 1993 and moved to Auckland in 1997. He is currently an Associate with the Auckland law firm Cairns Slane.

Tim lives in Glenfield with his fiancée Sianne Farr.

ENDS

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