Current MP for Rangitata James Meager has been reselected as National’s Rangitata candidate for the 2026 general election.
First entering Parliament in 2023, Mr Meager chaired the justice select committee, before becoming minister for the South Island, minister for hunting and fishing, minister for youth and associate minister of transport.
Mr Meager said he was proud to be re-selected as the candidate for Rangitata, advocating for the things that mattered to Mid and South Cantabrians at the 2026 election.
‘‘Over the last three years I have worked tirelessly in government on behalf of our region.
‘‘My two local offices have supported hundreds of constituents with very complicated and personal matters, and my work in Parliament on the justice select committee saw us fix law and order in New Zealand and process more legislation than any other select committee.
‘‘The National Party has been the only party with a consistent presence in our electorate this term, attending every A&P Show and supporting our farmers, growers and producers along the way.
‘‘We have been with you at the Anzac Day services, the local business awards and sporting awards, and at our many, many cultural and service groups meetings, events and functions.
Agriculture, manufacturing and tourism were vital to the region and the country’s success, he said.
‘‘We need to see more growth in these areas if we want to create the jobs, incomes and livelihoods that our community deserves.
‘‘We have made good progress in our region, with unemployment lower and economic growth higher than the national average, but there is more to do.’’
Construction on the new Ashburton bridge would be starting soon, he said.
‘‘We have stepped in to sort the showgrounds intersection with work to be completed by May, allowing for the significant stage two development to go ahead.
‘‘We have allocated water infrastructure funding to Opuha dam, funded stop-bank resilience along the Rangitata River and introduced fasttrack for significant infrastructure projects across the South Island.
‘‘We are replacing the RMA, have ended the previous government’s war on farming, rolled back heavy-handed winter grazing regulations, removed agriculture from the ETS, axed the ute tax and signed a free trade agreement with India.’’
National were fixing the basics in local health, he said.
‘‘Expansion of theatre space at Timaru Hospital has been included on the National Health Infrastructure Plan.
‘‘We have extended afterhours care in Ashburton and extended daytime urgent care services in Timaru, are upgrading Ashburton Hospital’s Community Birthing Unit and are expanding community infusion services to bring more life-saving cancer treatment closer to home.
‘‘We have invested in rural wellbeing through Whatever with Wiggy and Aoraki Multicultural Council, declared a medium-scale adverse event to unlock additional support for farmers and Rural Support Trust after the hailstorms in 2025 and provided support for local youth organisation The Y to support over 700 young people in the region.
‘‘It has been a privilege to serve my region in Parliament, and I look forward to continuing to do so as your MP for Rangitata after the 2026 election.’’ — Allied Media
