The 2023 ACT Party candidates for Tauranga and Bay of Plenty have been announced by the party.

Self-employed builder Cameron Luxton, who is 11th on ACT’s list for the 2023 General Election is standing for Bay of Plenty.

In 18th place on the party list is small business owner Christine Young, who has been announced as the candidate for the Tauranga electorate.

ACT’s list of 55 candidates was announced on Sunday.

Zane Cozens is the candidate for Taupō, Michael Howe for East Coast, and Marten Rozeboom for Rotorua. The party hasn’t announced a Coromandel candidate.

Christine is the cofounder of the Martial Arts Academy in Tauranga and Pāpāmoa and holds the rank of 7th Dan Master in ITF TKD.

“I have put myself forward as ACT party candidate because I am deeply concerned with the direction our country is taking under the current and previous governments,” says Christine.

“I believe the over-reach of government in our daily lives has gone too far. Hardwork, enterprise and common sense should be rewarded, instead we are creating a generation of dependency, and an expectation of government handouts.

“I worry for the future of New Zealanders as we are creating several classes of citizens; rules and regulations snuff out the entrepreneurial spirit that has been the backbone of previous prosperity for our country.

“The ACT party have excellent, well thought out policies, and I want these to be taken notice of and to have a stronger voice in the direction of NZ's future.”

Cameron, who has previously run for the Tauranga electorate, is a self-employed builder and married father of two kids who lives in Pāpāmoa where he was raised.

He says his seven year “OE” was “in a great little place next to Te Urewera National Park named Galatea”, share-milking a 200ha operation.

Cameron has won a range of awards in the primary industries including Apprentice of the Year, Central Plateau - Ag ITO 2013, third place BOP Dairy Industry Awards Trainee of the year 2013, BOP Dairy Industry Awards Trainee of the Year 2014 and third place National Dairy Industry Awards 2014.

He says the most important experience he had during this time was joining a community and developing relationships with people in the one of the poorest, most deprived areas in the region.

He says he observed the damage which government can wrought on a community with many hard working people, and how policies which restrict development, movement, and self-reliance can cause areas to decline.

“As a builder and a business owner, I understand better than anyone the challenges that Tauranga faces with infrastructure. I’ve also watched as gang numbers have exploded here, it’s time someone took on the real issues facing this region,” says Cameron.

General Elections 2023

The regulated period for election advertising expenses begins on Friday, July 14.

Nominations close for candidates at noon on Friday, September 15.

Overseas voting starts on Wednesday, September 27.

Advance voting starts on Monday, October 2.

Advance voting ends on Friday October 13. The regulated period for election advertising expenses also ends on this date and all election advertising must end. Signs must be taken down by midnight.

Election Day is on Saturday, October 14, with voting places open from 9am – 7pm.

Official results for the 2023 General Election are declared on Friday, November 3.