Ex councillor to contest Rangit¯ıkei

Former Palmerston North city councillor Zulfiqar Butt has been selected as the Labour Party candidate for the Rangitīkei electorate in the general election on October 14.

Butt was elected to the city council on Labour’s ticket in 2019 but was voted out in 2022. He was the first Muslim voted on to the city council, after being a leadership voice in response to the March 2019 terror attacks in Christchurch, when he was Manawatū Muslim Association president.

Currently working as a small business owner, Butt has worked in public and private sectors locally and overseas. With a background in environmental sciences, he worked at Massey University for several years, and has worked on key projects supported by the World Bank, the Australian Agency for International Development and the World Food Programme.

He has lived in Manawatū for about 20 years and is standing in a largely rural, traditionally National Party electorate that surrounds Palmerston North. Butt said he was excited to have been chosen. ‘‘I am proud to have represented parts of the Rangitīkei electorate on the Palmerston North City Council. I am looking forward to campaigning across the electorate for every vote and the re-election of a Labour government.’’

Butt will be standing against National’s candidate for the electorate,

Suze Redmayne, selected to contest the seat long held by Ian Mckelvie, who did not seek re-selection after four terms.

Butt said Labour had a strong record of achievement in Rangitīkei, including investment in the $250 million construction of Te Whare Toroa at Ohakea air base, $9.1m for the Marton Rail Hub, increased social housing, managing the pandemic, and progress on issues including climate change, housing and child poverty.