How well do we really know our politicians and the personal values and experiences they bring to decisions that affect us all?
Newshub Nation's Backstory series goes behind the scenes into the lives and childhood photo albums of our political leaders.
ACT MP Mark Cameron has been farming for over 30 years and six years ago purchased Belmont farm with his partner Jodie, up in Ruawai.
"Home is where the heart is and it's certainly here for me up in Northland," he said.
"So many of my neighbours know who I am, I know them and we share a passion for what we do in rural New Zealand."
Cameron was born in Australia but moved to New Zealand with his mother and sister when he was 2 years old.
"I was raised by a solo mum. My mother left my father for reasons everyone has difficulties in a marriage," he said. "I didn't really know my biological father until I was in my 30s."
While he doesn't hold anything against his father, he had high praise for his stepdad.
"What a tremendous man. He really taught me the value of all things."
While Cameron is often stretched for time between Ruawai and the halls of Parliament, he said he is "exceedingly lucky to have a partner who runs the farm in my absence".
Cameron was using a dating website, thinking "Oh my lord, what am I doing?" when he met Jodie.
Their first date was in Whangārei and Jodie said: "The first question he asked was would I prefer Batman or Spiderman?"
The answer would determine whether they went on another date and Jodie said Batman, "which was apparently the right answer to choose", she said.
"She's the boss of me," Cameron said. "It's a shared journey, right? We love what we do in New Zealand."
The couple have four children between them.
Cameron has also done work to help raise awareness of men's mental health.
The issue is personal for him as he suffered depression, and was medicated, for a time in his 30s.
"A lot of it is isolation, blokes are shocking at communicating."
He thinks the idea of farmers being rough and tumble and not suffering from those issues holds people back from expressing that they are suffering and getting help.
"I learnt to actually get rid of it by sharing the story," he said.
"You can be as big and strong and as capable as you like but in all that you're still human."
He now helps other people by advocating for the idea that "it's alright to not be alright".
Watch his full Backstory for more.
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