# MP Profile: Hon Mike Butterick — National Party **File created:** 9 June 2026 **MP:** Hon Mike Butterick (Michael David Butterick) **Electorate:** Wairarapa **Party:** New Zealand National Party **Status:** ✅ Completed --- ## Current Roles | Role | Details | | --------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Electorate** | MP for Wairarapa (since 14 October 2023) | | **Party** | New Zealand National Party | | **Ministerial (outside Cabinet)** | **Minister for Land Information** (since 7 April 2026) | | | **Associate Minister of Agriculture** (since 7 April 2026) | | **Select Committees** | Primary Production Committee (member, 2025–present) | | | Formerly: Education and Workforce Committee (member, Dec 2023–Jan 2025) | | | Formerly: Environment Committee (deputy capacity, 2024–2025) | _Sources:_ - Beehive.govt.nz biography — https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/biography/mike-butterick (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - The Post, "Mike Butterick steps into ministerial role," 2 Apr 2025 — https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360979412/mike-butterick-steps-ministerial-role-government-shake (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - National Party profile — https://www.national.org.nz/team/mikebutterick (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - Parliament.nz search snippets (Radware-blocked) showing Education & Workforce Committee member 06/12/2023–29/01/2025 (accessed 9 Jun 2026) --- ## Relevance Score: 🟡 MEDIUM **Explanation:** Butterick is a Minister outside Cabinet in portfolios (Land Information, Associate Agriculture) with no direct connection to seniors policy. He is not a health, social development, housing, or seniors spokesperson. However, his Wairarapa electorate has a significant ageing population, and he has demonstrated active local engagement with seniors issues — attending the Ageing with Attitude Expo, writing about seniors' wellbeing, advocating for transitional aged care, and raising health workforce concerns. His Primary Production Committee membership is not seniors-relevant. --- ## Public Background ### Professional Background - **Farmer:** Sheep and beef farmer for 30+ years. Grew up in mid-Canterbury, moved to Wairarapa in 1990, bought a farm in 1995. - **Rural advocacy:** Former Meat and Wool Chair for Wairarapa Federated Farmers; spokesperson for "Fifty Shades of Green" lobby group opposing farm-to-forest conversions. - **Board service:** Director of Wings over Wairarapa. - **Community involvement:** Active in Cyclone Gabrielle recovery support; volunteer with rural support organisations. ### Political Career - Selected as National candidate for Wairarapa in May 2020; lost 2020 election to Labour's Kieran McAnulty (34.42%). - Re-selected March 2023; defeated McAnulty by 2,816 votes in 2023 general election. - Entered ministerial ranks in April 2026 Cabinet reshuffle as Minister for Land Information and Associate Minister of Agriculture. _Sources:_ - Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Butterick (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - Taxpayers' Union podcast — https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/tt_mike_butterick (accessed 9 Jun 2026) --- ## Public Positions Relevant to Older New Zealanders | Issue | Position / Activity | Source | Date | | --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------- | | **Ageing population health demands** | Acknowledged "growing demands of an ageing population" when welcoming physiotherapist investment at Wairarapa Hospital to reduce orthopaedic waitlists | National Party news — https://www.national.org.nz/news/251001-mikebutterick | 1 Oct 2025 | | **Transitional aged care** | Advocated for retaining King Edward Memorial Hospital as a transitional aged care facility | Instagram reel description — https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVxgVEsD-0i/ (description: "retaining King Edward Memorial Hospital for transitional aged care") | ~2025 | | **Seniors mental health & isolation** | Wrote opinion piece noting "many older people in our communities are still dealing with the lasting effects of Covid-19" and "isolation continues to affect people of all ages" | The Post — https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350430316/shout-out-those-who-keep-wairarapa-peoples-wellbeing-top-mind-mike-butterick | Sep 2024 | | **Online scams targeting seniors** | Highlighted surge in online scams using deepfake videos claiming pension cuts; encouraged seniors to contact his office for online safety advice | The Post (same as above) | Sep 2024 | | **Health workforce for seniors** | Engaged with Tū Hauoranga Trust's "Attract, Connect, Stay" framework; described building Wairarapa's health workforce as "critical" for seniors care | The Post (same as above) | Sep 2024 | | **Ageing with Attitude Expo** | Hosted a stall at this seniors expo; invited seniors to "come along and have a natter" | The Post (same as above) | Sep 2024 | | **Retirement village/aged care visits** | Visited "residents from some of the local retirement villages and aged care facilities" | Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/mikebuttericknat/ bio description | 2025 | | **Orthopaedic surgery wait times** | Constituents raised orthopaedic surgery wait times at Masterton Hospital; he contacted Health Minister Simeon Brown, who visited | Newsletter — https://www.national.org.nz/news/20250414-mpmikebuttericknewsletter | 14 Apr 2025 | | **Primary health care access** | Constituents raised access to primary health care; he facilitated ministerial visit | Newsletter (same as above) | 14 Apr 2025 | ### No clear public position found on: NZ Superannuation rates or eligibility, retirement village regulation, dementia policy, elder abuse prevention, disability support services, palliative care, or carers' support. Butterick has not spoken or voted publicly on these specific seniors-policy issues at a national level. --- ## Parliamentary Activity ### Member's Bills - **Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Restrictions on Issue of Off-Licences) Amendment Bill** (Member's Bill, drawn 9 Apr 2025). Proposes allowing restaurants to hold both on-licence and off-licence under the same roof, and liberalising low-alcohol product requirements to include no-alcohol beer/wine/spirits. Not seniors-specific. - Source: https://www.national.org.nz/news/20250410-mikebutterickhosporedtape (accessed 9 Jun 2026) ### Oral Questions & Parliamentary Speeches - Spoke in General Debate on 14 May 2025 about tougher penalties for anti-social/intimidating driving (boy racers, fleeing drivers). - Source: Newsletter — https://www.national.org.nz/news/250825-mikebutterick (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - No record of oral questions on seniors-specific topics found in available sources. ### Select Committee Work - **Primary Production Committee:** Banking inquiry questioning four major banks on competition, lending rates, and access to services in rural areas. Visited Nelson for fishing/aquaculture sector engagement. - Source: Newsletter — https://www.national.org.nz/news/20250414-mpmikebuttericknewsletter (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - **Education and Workforce Committee:** Member from Dec 2023 to Jan 2025. Contributed to inquiry into harm young New Zealanders encounter online. - Source: Parliament.nz snippets (accessed 9 Jun 2026) --- ## Declared Interests (Register of Pecuniary Interests) As at 31 January 2025 (published annually): | Category | Details | | --------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Real property** | Family home (held in trust) – Masterton; Farmland (held in trust) – Masterton | | **Companies & business entities** | MD & ER Butterick Partnership, trading as Rocky Hills Partnership – farming | | **Trusts** | Beneficiary and/or trustee of family trust(s) holding property and farmland | | **Retirement schemes** | KiwiSaver (provider not specified in summary) | _Sources:_ - Register of Pecuniary Interests, Summary of Annual Returns as at 31 January 2025 — https://www3.parliament.nz/media/11939/register-of-pecuniary-and-other-specified-interests-of-members-of-parliament-summary-of-annual-returns-as-at-31-january-2025.pdf (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - NZ Herald summary — https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/mps-property-portfolios-christopher-luxon-sells-investment-houses-politicians-with-overseas-interests/KXBDH4LYB5AKJGEEBPTKFYHL4E/ (accessed 9 Jun 2026) **Business-decision implications:** Butterick's farming background and declared interests in agricultural land and a farming partnership create potential relevance for policies affecting rural land use, farming regulation, and Land Information portfolio decisions. No declared interests in health, aged care, retirement villages, pharmaceuticals, or disability services. --- ## Business-Decision Implications - **Low direct relevance for seniors-sector businesses.** Butterick's portfolios (Land Information, Associate Agriculture) and committee work (Primary Production) do not directly intersect with aged care, retirement villages, health services, or seniors finance. - **Local relevance only.** Businesses operating in the Wairarapa electorate may find him responsive on health workforce, hospital services, and roading infrastructure issues that affect older constituents. - **Agricultural land decisions** (via Land Information portfolio) could indirectly affect retirement village or health facility development on rural land, but this is a minor connection. --- ## Campaign Relevance - **2026 general election:** Butterick holds Wairarapa with a 2,816-vote margin (2023). The seat was previously held by Labour (Kieran McAnulty, 2020–2023). It is a marginal electorate that National will need to defend. - **Ministerial profile:** His 2026 appointment as Minister for Land Information raises his profile but the portfolio has low salience for seniors voters. - **National Party campaign:** As a backbench/local MP type rather than a seniors policy leader, he is unlikely to feature in seniors-specific campaign messaging. --- ## Monitoring Terms For tracking future relevance to older New Zealanders: - `"Mike Butterick" AND ("aged care" OR "retirement" OR "superannuation" OR "NZ Super" OR "dementia" OR "palliative")` - `"Mike Butterick" AND ("health workforce" OR "hospital" OR "orthopaedic" OR "wait times")` - `"Butterick" AND "Land Information"` (portfolio developments) - `"Mike Butterick" AND ("seniors" OR "older" OR "ageing" OR "elderly")` --- ## Source List | # | Source | URL | Date Accessed | | --- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------- | | 1 | Wikipedia – Mike Butterick | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Butterick | 9 Jun 2026 | | 2 | Beehive.govt.nz – Minister biography | https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/biography/mike-butterick | 9 Jun 2026 | | 3 | Beehive.govt.nz – Minister releases | https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/hon-mike-butterick | 9 Jun 2026 | | 4 | National Party – Mike Butterick profile | https://www.national.org.nz/team/mikebutterick | 9 Jun 2026 | | 5 | National Party – Member's Bill announcement | https://www.national.org.nz/news/20250410-mikebutterickhosporedtape | 9 Jun 2026 | | 6 | National Party – Newsletter Apr 2025 | https://www.national.org.nz/news/20250414-mpmikebuttericknewsletter | 9 Jun 2026 | | 7 | National Party – Newsletter Winter 2025 | https://www.national.org.nz/news/250825-mikebutterick | 9 Jun 2026 | | 8 | National Party – Physiotherapist boost Oct 2025 | https://www.national.org.nz/news/251001-mikebutterick | 9 Jun 2026 | | 9 | The Post – "Warming initiatives getting us through the winter" | https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360796963/warming-initiatives-getting-us-through-winter-mike-butterick | 9 Jun 2026 | | 10 | The Post – "Shout out to those who keep Wairarapa people's wellbeing top of mind" | https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350430316/shout-out-those-who-keep-wairarapa-peoples-wellbeing-top-mind-mike-butterick | 9 Jun 2026 | | 11 | The Post – "Mike Butterick steps into ministerial role" | https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360979412/mike-butterick-steps-ministerial-role-government-shake | 9 Jun 2026 | | 12 | Taxpayers' Union – MPs in Depth podcast | https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/tt_mike_butterick | 9 Jun 2026 | | 13 | Register of Pecuniary Interests 2025 (PDF) | https://www3.parliament.nz/media/11939/register-of-pecuniary-and-other-specified-interests-of-members-of-parliament-summary-of-annual-returns-as-at-31-january-2025.pdf | 9 Jun 2026 | | 14 | NZ Herald – MPs' property portfolios | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/mps-property-portfolios-christopher-luxon-sells-investment-houses-politicians-with-overseas-interests/KXBDH4LYB5AKJGEEBPTKFYHL4E/ | 9 Jun 2026 | | 15 | RNZ – "Here's what MPs own shares in" | https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/572484/here-s-what-mps-own-shares-in | 9 Jun 2026 | | 16 | Instagram – @mikebuttericknat | https://www.instagram.com/mikebuttericknat/ | 9 Jun 2026 | | 17 | Instagram reel – King Edward Memorial Hospital transitional aged care | https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVxgVEsD-0i/ (description) | 9 Jun 2026 | | 18 | Parliament.nz – member snippets (Google cached, page Radware-blocked) | https://www3.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/butterick-mike/ | 9 Jun 2026 | --- _This profile is based on publicly available information and is intended for knowledge-base purposes only. It does not constitute personal attack or opposition research. Every factual claim is sourced. Where no public position exists on seniors-specific issues, this is noted._