David MacLeod (Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou) has been selected by local party members as National’s New Plymouth candidate for the 2023 General Election.

Mr MacLeod owns and runs Linepower, a Taranaki electricity network maintenance business. He served on the Taranaki Regional Council, including as Chair since 2007, until stepping down at this year’s local elections.

“I’m humbled local National Party members have given me the opportunity to keep advocating for our region by selecting me as National’s candidate for New Plymouth,” Mr MacLeod says.

“After several years growing a local business and getting things done on the Taranaki Regional Council, I’m ready to use those skills to deliver for New Plymouth as part of a Christopher Luxon-led National team.

“Families across New Plymouth are struggling under a Labour Government that can’t deliver and is fueling the cost-of-living crisis with rampant wasteful spending.

“Since Labour came to power, rents in New Plymouth have risen by $150 a week and the price of everything else has shot up. Now with interest rates climbing fast, more families will be going backwards and having to make tough decisions about their budgets. Meanwhile Labour can’t stick to a budget or prioritise its own spending to help ease the cost of living.

“Rightly, the people of New Plymouth want a government that delivers for them. They want a Government focused on rebuilding and competently managing New Zealand’s economy, to enable them to have effective public services, like lower health waiting times and higher education standards, that in turn deliver better outcomes for all Kiwis.

“That’s what a Christopher Luxon-led National Government would deliver for New Zealand.

“My focus now is to campaign hard to earn the right to represent the people of the New Plymouth electorate as their strong local National MP and advocate in Wellington.”

Biographical notes:

David MacLeod, 54, was born in Hawera and raised in Manaia, attending Hawera College before completing an electrician apprenticeship. David bought into the electrical company he worked for, eventually buying the remainder of the business which is today called Linepower.

In 2000, David was elected to the Taranaki Regional Council. From 2007, he served as Chair until he stood down at this year’s local election.

David holds a number of governance roles including as chair of Predator Free 2050 and as a member of the Māori Economic Development Advisory Board. Since 2001, he has been a director of Port Taranaki. He was also a Fonterra director from 2011 to 2017.

He lives in New Plymouth with his wife Leasa. They have three adult children. In his spare time, he enjoys golf, scuba diving, water skiing, kayaking and cycling.

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