ACT Party leader and Epsom MP David Seymour has defended the relevancy of himself and his party this morning during an interview on TVNZ's Breakfast today.
Mr Seymour yesterday told his party's annual conference that a re-brand, including a new name and logo, is on the agenda, as some members think the name lacks clarity.
Speaking on Breakfast, Mr Seymour was asked by host Jack Tame "why are you relevant?" - with only Mr Seymour in parliament with the Auckland seat of Epsom seat.
"We're at 1.1 per cent - that's two and a half thousand votes nationwide from getting a second MP ... that would be a second MP because of the party vote," Mr Seymour said.
"The government's only got a majority of three [seats] at the moment - ACT picking up a few more seats could be critical to the shape of the next parliament and who forms the next government."
Mr Seymour also expanded on his annual conference comments around reducing the size of government, saying it's difficult to justify the number of ministers currently in parliament.
"This government has a minister for infrastructure, a minister for transport, an associate minister for transport, a minister for economic development, a minister for regional economic development and a minister for local government.
"Now, if I'm a businessperson say, in Hawke's Bay, I'm thinking 'who's responsible for me getting my goods to market?'
"We have to reduce the number of MPs and the number of high-paid ministers in limos if we're actually going to get some focus and value out of this government.
Mr Seymour was also asked whether he had bought a home in Epsom, his home electorate.
"No, no ... that is a serious challenge ... not everyone's going to try to buy a house in Epsom.
"I don't complain, I don't use myself as an example of someone who should be able to buy a house."
Mr Seymour earns about $190,000 per year - as of June, Barfoot & Thompson reported a three-bedroom home in Epsom sells for an average of $1.67m.
He said "there's plenty of land in New Zealand", but that red tape and bureaucracy is getting in the way of people building on it.
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