The new National Party candidate selected to contest the Northland seat in the 2017 election says he is "unconcerned" about going up against Winston Peters.
Northland man Matt King, a farmer, fraud investigator and former police detective, hopes he will be able to take back the once-safe seat in next year's election.
"I've always been a National Party man...it's the everything party as far as I'm concerned," Mr King told RadioLIVE this afternoon.
Mr King said he was undaunted by the prospect of going up against Mr Peters.
"We never see him up here, so I'm not concerned. I'm going to be focusing on my campaign on the issues up here that are important to us."
Mr King says he is keen to push several projects if he is elected, including the four-lane Puhoi-to-Whangarei extension, and settling Ngapuhi's Treaty claims "once and for all".
The party dumped Mark Osborne, who lost the National safe seat to New Zealand First leader Mr Peters in last year's by-election.
Mr King said Mr Osborne has "been a big help" and offered some advice for the campaigning process, but would not go into the details.
Mr Peters is currently in Paris and couldn't be reached for comment.
Newshub.
