Wellington-based Green supporter Jon Field is pissed off about pay equity and thinks New Zealand is going backwards fast. Read about why in the second instalment of Characters of the Campaign Trail, a new series delving into voters’ minds. 

Name: Jon Field

Age: 81

Occupation: What do you think? Labourer? I’m retired. But I used to be the general secretary of the Green Party and a community board chairman in the Kawakawa community council.

Family/relationship: Married with children and grandchildren.

Electorate: Wellington Bays (formerly Rongotai).

Who will you vote for? The Greens of course.

What appeals about the Greens? Well, I’ve been a member since it was founded. Back then there was no other party that was there for the environment or for social justice, and so we had to found our own. I was a Green Party candidate in 1990, which was the first time we had an election with the Greens.

What are the three biggest issues for you this election? The environment and especially clean water. Social justice. We’ve just seen that the government has given large amounts of money to landlords, whilst taking away the right of women to get equal pay opportunities. So that sort of thing, that pisses me off. And taxation. Because everything is tied in with taxation.

Do you discuss politics with your family and friends? My wife is the Green Party co-convener so… yes.

Describe NZ right now in three words: Going backwards fast.

If you had to get the face of one politician (past or present) tattooed onto your body, who would it be? James Shaw.

Will you vote on election day or beforehand? Not sure. We’ll see what the situation is. But I won’t mail my vote in.

What will you do on election night? Sweat. I live in an electorate which has got a Green MP in Julie Anne Genter and we usually have a joint party with the Wellington Central electorate so I’ll probably go to that.

–As told to Hayden Donnell