Michael Clarkson is a stay-at-home father to his young daughter. He comes from a sporting background, has competed in mountain biking and inline speed skating, regionally, nationally and internationally, and is passionate about health and fitness.

As a former orderly working for the South Canterbury District Health Board, Michael Clarkson has seen first-hand the many issues with our health system, such as understaffing and the undervaluing of health workers. He would like to implement a “Workers Welfare advocacy service”, an idea he’s been working on for some time, “mainly due to the current failings of the health industry”.

Michael believes there needs to be a review of the Accident Compensation Commission and ACC legislation, to effect improvements in the ACC hearing process and outcomes for injured New Zealanders.

Michael’s main drive is to see transparency and accountability in all sectors, which saw him run in the 2022 Local Body Council Elections as part of a newly-formed ratepayers’ association for the Timaru District. Prior to that he was a Twitter commentator for Martyn Bradbury's “Waatea Fifth Estate”.

Another area of concern for Michael, as the father of a young child, is the school curriculum and the “driving implementation of ideologies that have nothing to do with education”.

Michael says “Our freedoms, freedom of speech, and our values have been massively eroded in recent times and it’s time for them to be reclaimed”.

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