National selects Mangere & Manurewa candidates

National has selected two new Auckland candidates, with Agnes Loheni in Mangere and Katrina Bungard in Manurewa.

Ms Loheni, of Samoan descent, runs a successful Pacific clothing brand. Mrs Bungard is a teacher and Head of Department at Elim College, and serves on the Counties Manukau District Health Board.

“Mangere is a vibrant and positive place, with hard-working families and businesses succeeding not locally but around the world,” Ms Loheni says.

“National believes in Mangere, which is why it is investing in vital infrastructure like roading and new schools, improving housing, and improving social services.

“I have extensive ties to Mangere so I am really excited to be running here to give our communities the strong National voice they deserve.”

Mrs Bungard says she is honoured to be selected and is looking forward to getting out on the campaign trail for National in Manurewa.

“Bill English and his united National team are working hard to grow the local Manurewa and Auckland economy, build for future growth, and support people most pressured by change.

“Manurewa is getting ahead under National, and it deserves an MP that is aspirational for the area, understands local issues, and knows what it takes to get ahead.”

Biographical Notes: Agnes Loheni

Agnes Loheni, 45 years old of Samoan descent was born and educated in Auckland. She lives in Auckland with her husband and their five children.

Agnes is an accomplished business woman in the manufacturing, export and retail sector as an owner of the Pacific fashion brand called MENA. Established fifteen years ago as a home business in Samoa, the business expanded its operation to Auckland 10 years ago to expand its wholesale and export channels. In 2010, the business was awarded the MIT Pacific Business Trust ‘Pacific Exporter’ Award.

Passionate about growing Pacific success and enterprise, Agnes provides her time freely to mentor small business owners and is regularly asked to share her business journey at community, school or business networks events.

In between raising her family and building a business, Agnes completed her Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical & Materials) degree from the University of Auckland and will be graduating this May.

Biographical Notes: Katrina Bungard

Katrina Bungard was born and raised in Auckland. She and her husband Mark have been married for 13 years and have two sons, Nathan and Samuel.

After completing a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts at The University of Auckland (2005), Katrina studied at The University of Otago where she completed a Bachelor of Teaching degree (2007). Katrina has since completed a number of other tertiary qualifications, including most recently two post graduate qualifications in Educational Leadership.

Katrina has been employed in educational leadership since 2009 as a Head of Department at Elim Christian College. She is also currently the Deputy Chair of the Howick Local Board, and an elected member of the Counties Manukau District Health Board.

Katrina is a child cancer survivor, having lost her left leg to bone cancer (Osteosarcoma) at age 11. She attributes her passion to serving her community to her experiences as a child and to her involvement with a range of cancer support charities over the years, including Canteen and Camp Quality. In 2013 Katrina also started her own local cancer support network Can-Care East.

Outside her teaching, local government and community roles, Katrina enjoys spending time with her family and their two small dogs

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