Executive Manager of Te Mahia Community Village Rima Nakhle has been selected by local party members as National’s candidate in Takanini for the 2023 General Election.

“The Takanini electorate is my home and I’m really excited to have the opportunity to campaign here for a National Government that’ll deliver for people in our community,” says Ms Nakhle.

“People in Takanini work hard to get ahead but are drowning under sky-high mortgage repayments, rents and grocery prices fuelled by Labour’s economic mismanagement. The Government is spending $1 billion more per week than in 2017 but outcomes have worsened. People in Takanini look at their bills and wonder how Labour can continue wasting taxpayer money while families struggle to cover the basics.

“I’m aspirational for people in Takanini and want them to have the best opportunities in life. I’m standing for National because it’s the only party with plans to help people get ahead and the ability to deliver.

“Our FamilyBoost policy which will provide up to $75 a week in tax rebates to help pay childcare costs for families will go a long way to help with people’s budgets. We’ll strengthen our economy so we can reduce the cost of living, lift incomes, restore law and order, build infrastructure for the future, and deliver better health and education.

“A good education is the ticket to a better life, and education will be a key focus for a Chris Luxon-led National Government. We’ll get our kids back on track with our Teaching the Basics Brilliantly policy, which will require all primary and intermediate schools to spend an average of an hour each day on reading, an hour a day on writing, and an hour a day on maths.

“People in Takanini also want to feel safe in their community and cracking down on crime will be another priority for me and National. In the Counties-Manukau Police District, the number of victimisations were 20 per cent higher in 2022 than in 2017 – a result of Labour’s soft-on-crime approach.

“National will tackle the repeat youth offending behind a lot of the retail crime we’re seeing across Auckland. We’ll introduce Young Offender Military Academies to set serious young offenders on the right path and we’ll back our police to disrupt gang activity.

“I’ll be absolutely dedicated to the people of Takanini and the issues they care about if I earn the right to serve as their MP in Chris Luxon’s National team.”

Authorised by J de Joux, 41 Pipitea Street, Wellington

Biographical notes

Rima Nakhle is the Executive Manager of Te Mahia Community Village, a family business providing emergency and transitional housing in Takanini. She established the Te Mahia Community Village Trust with her husband Roger several years ago, a trust which aims to better the lives of families in the Village through sport, education and social activities.

She is passionate about her community and sponsors several local sport teams and athletes, as well as supporting community and charitable initiatives with a particular focus on education and sports for youth.

Born in Sydney, Rima made New Zealand her home more than a decade ago after marrying Roger, and has been living in the Takanini electorate since then.

Rima has a Bachelor of Laws from Western Sydney University and was admitted to the bar in New Zealand in 2014.

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