The sheep and beef farmer told Rural News that he was looking forward to “putting his feet under the table and learning the ropes” in Wellington.
Anderson convincingly won the Waikati seat with 19509 votes or 52.3% of the vote. He replaces long-term MP Jacqui Dean, who has retired.
“It’s pretty humbling to get a vote like we did,” he says.
His first commitment will be to the voters of Waitaki, a sprawling electorate.
“It’s quite a diversity of industry and people and I will do my best to serve them,” he says.
Before entering politics, Anderson was active in Federated Farmers- serving as a board member and as chair of its Meat & Wool Industry Group.
He is one of many farmers elected as an MP for the next three years.
Anderson says during his Feds days, he’s worked closely with former Feds president Andrew Hoggard, who will represent ACT and Mike Butterick, National’s new MP for Wairarapa, who defeated senior Labour MP Kieran McAnulty. Butterick, a sheep and beef farmer from Masterton, served Wairarapa Feds.
“I think it’s good to have so many farmers in Parliament- it bodes well for an industry that generates so much export revenue for the country.
“I think we were underrepresented over the last six years.”
Taking over the 220 hectare family farm in Southburn from his father in 2004, Anderson runs 1,500 sheep and about 20 beef cattle, with 10-80 hectares dedicated to cereal crops.
