Otaki TodayFive candidates have thrown their hat in the ring to contest the new Kāpiti electorate.
The National MP for the previous Ōtaki electorate, Tim Costley, will vie for the seat against Labour candidate Sophie Handford, the Greens’ Melody Willis, NZ First’s Penny Gaylor, and Opportunity’s CK Sng.
Ōtaki Today asked the candidates what they thought mattered most to Ōtaki residents.
Tim Costley – National
Improved local healthcare is the biggest issue I hear about, followed by the need to cap council rates. We’ve opened new health facilities locally, funded extra medicines and treatments, and we have a new cancer clinic coming. Law to cap rates at 4% is also progressing. Towns like Ōtaki get forgotten about by councils and some candidates. Not me: I understand what our town needs. I wrote a new law which is entirely focused on delivering better support for Ōtaki. It aligns the boundaries of agencies like health, MSD, housing, and police, so we don’t slip through the cracks and get stuck between Kāpiti and Horowhenua. It would mean you could get all your support in Kāpiti, not Levin or Palmerston North. Ōtaki deserves the best local support, especially for healthcare and making life more affordable. That will continue to be my focus if you re-elect me as Ōtaki’s MP.
Sophie Handford – Labour
People are worried about the cost of living, the lack of jobs, the cost of healthcare, and access to housing. Labour will fight the cost-of-living crisis with free GP visits and prescriptions, and a $20 a week cap on public transport fares. We’ll boost wages by restoring pay equity and fair pay agreements – that will help families and lead to more spending and jobs in the local economy. Labour will invest in local infrastructure, like social housing, increase apprenticeship funding, and introduce tax breaks for small business investment. People are sick of the current government making excuses and ignoring problems. The number of people in Ōtaki on Jobseekers has risen 15% in the past three years. Wages have stagnated. While Ōtaki families struggle, National has cancelled desperately needed new state houses on Aotaki St. Ōtaki locals want action, not excuses. You deserve a champion who will fight for a community where everyone can thrive together.
Melody Willis – Greens
“There is an indigenous spirit in Ōtaki that is unapologetic and proud. By definition that spirit is also loving.” – Tainui Stephens, 2021. I’m impressed by the strong sense of community, care, and creativity demonstrated by Ōtaki residents and it’s this type of spirit that all New Zealanders deserve. I’ve heard from Ōtaki residents how deeply the cost of living and housing crisis is impacting whānau and your local community. Despite what some would have us believe – with chronic underinvestment in housing, assaults on Te Tiriti o Waitangi me te reo Māori; and recent attacks on rough-sleepers, workers, and the environment in favour of corporate greed – Aotearoa has enough for everyone to thrive. New Zealanders cannot afford to elect another government that prioritises corporations above people and planet. This is why I’m standing for the Green Party, the only party with a plan to ensure everyone’s needs are met and nature is healthy.
Penny Gaylor – NZ First
After 17 years representing Otaki and the Kapiti Coast in local government, I’ve joined NZ First to represent people in Parliament. I’ve lived in Otaki for 20 years, serving on the board of Te Wānanga o Raukawa, and am chair of Ōtaki College. Education is important to me, and as NZ First says, education is an investment, not an expenditure. And I’m committed to tackling student truancy. I’ve long championed environment responsibility. New Zealand is rich with natural resources and hard-working innovative Kiwis, so I’m backing a party that is smart enough to know how to put the two together and get us back onto the pathway to prosperity. If we want to be a prosperous country again, we have to work our way out of debt and welfare dependency. I’m proud of my work to secure new electric trains for Otaki, which will realise huge economic benefits for Otaki.
CK Sng – Opportunity
Ōtaki’s growth is at a crossroads. Housing stress remains a real concern as affordable options are scarce, and fast-tracked developments risk overwhelming our infrastructure, roads, and community character without proper consultation. Residents want growth that respects mana whenua, protects Raukawa Marae and the town’s cultural identity, and doesn’t sideline existing whānau in favour of newcomers. Alongside this, cost-of-living pressures, stretched healthcare access, and ageing infrastructure are front of mind for many households. As the Opportunity Party candidate for Kāpiti, I’ll champion smart, sustainable development where housing growth is paired with real infrastructure investment (via our Affordable Housing and Intergenerational Infrastructure policies), transparent community consultation, and policies that improve healthcare access and ease the cost of living (via our Healthy People, Abundant Energy and Tax Reset policies) without leaving Ōtaki’s unique character behind. Ōtaki deserves a voice that listens first, then plans and acts with the next 30 years in mind.
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