Nicola Grigg, MP for Selwyn, has won a second term as an MP and she's buzzing. It was a convincing wiping of the floor, as she scooped 67% of the votes. A wider win by the National Party will give her a first go at being in Government and not languishing in opposition.
Talking to Dom George today, she said she went to Parliament to be a voice for agriculture and farmers.
"It was a real body blow in 2020 to have been the first MP when Selwyn went red, and it was my absolute determination to turn it back to blue again."
Dom then asked about the atmosphere during Saturday night's election.
"Well, I was nervous. I'm always one of those people that, just, you get nervous and you always think, oh god, what else could I have done? Have I done enough?" replied Grigg.
Nicola spoke about the reality of change from government to government. Addressing this, she stated, "Chris Luxon's been saying to us for the last year or so, if we get over the line, this is going to be one of the biggest turnarounds."
When asked about the implications of this victory for the rural electorate, Nicola said, "I think this is going to be quite a different regime or clearly, that's what people have voted for, right."
The conversation also highlighted the hardships faced by farmers, who Nicola said were in "a real sense of malaise right now and they've been hammered by six years of regulation." Her empathy for farmers was clear as she affirmed her commitment to be a voice for agriculture and farmers in Parliament.
