At a public meeting in Cromwell last week Act candidate for Rangitikei Andrew Hoggard, who is ranked fifth on the party list, talked about taking a chainsaw to the Ministry of Primary Industries.
He said there were many things the ministry was doing that were "so far from core business".
"If I’ve got the power to go in there with my chainsaw and chop wood out that I don’t want. It’s going to go back to simple basics ensuring we can export stuff."
Mr Hoggard, who until recently was Federated Farmers’ national president, said he had joined Act rather than National because it "was not more of the same" that was needed.
Southland Act candidate Todd Stephenson said there had been "enormous growth" in the bureaucracy during the term of the Labour government and Act wanted the number of public servants reduced to 2017 levels.
The two candidates spoke of Act’s plan to introduce a minister of regulation to look at all sectors of the government and economy with a view to reducing regulation.
They also outlined Act’s desire to bring an end to co-governance and for a referendum to be held on how the Treaty of Waitangi should be interpreted.
The candidates outlined Act’s policies on taxation and after the meeting Mr Stephenson said the National Party policy’s policy announced last Wednesday did not go far enough.
"We want to reduce taxes and simplify them."
Mr Hoggard urged the meeting to help Act towards 20 seats in Parliament so it would have more influence if it became part of a National-led government.
"National have never really shared power before.
"They’ve always had tiny little parties attached to them that they can choose to ignore.
"This would be a new scenario.
"It might take them some getting used to."
The candidates ran out of time as questions came up on sex education in schools, transgender issues and global trade.
