Blair Cameron has been selected by local party members as National’s candidate in Nelson for the 2026 General Election.
Blair was National’s candidate at the 2023 election, narrowly missing out on becoming Nelson’s MP by a margin of just 26 votes.
After growing up in the rural South Island community of Highbank, Mr Cameron studied at the Ivy League’s Brown University before working as a senior research specialist at Princeton University. After moving to Nelson, he has worked as a consultant for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and the Asian Development Bank, as well as teaching at the Leadership Academy for Development at Stanford University.
“I’m excited to get back to work as National’s candidate for Nelson to help re-elect a National Government focused on growing the economy to create jobs and lift wages,” says Mr Cameron.
“Now more than ever we need an MP who understands how the economy works and who will work alongside Nelson businesses to solve problems and help them grow.
“People I talk to regularly bring up Nelson’s decades long infrastructure deficit which this Government is addressing.
“National is building the Hope Bypass to help fix Richmond’s transport woes and delivering the Nelson Hospital redevelopment – after years of delay under Labour. National has also fast-tracked more than 370 new homes in Nelson to provide much-needed housing for our growing community. These big infrastructure investments are key to our region’s future.
“Critical projects like these could not be completed without careful economic management. Just like getting inflation down to 3% from Labour’s high of 7.3%, and the resulting eight interest rate cuts, which are now saving the average Nelson mortgage holder $400 a fortnight in repayments.
“National is delivering for Nelson. As the local candidate I will keep working hard to deliver more wins for our community.”