Former journalist Jessica Rowe named as candidate to replace Chris Penk

National has named former Newshub journalist Jessica Rowe as the candidate to replace Chris Penk in Kaipara ki Mahurangi.Penk, the incumbent MP, pulled his candidacy for the seat after being stripped of his portfolios following a challenge to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's leadership last month.Rowe worked as a journalist before gaining a Masters in Global Diplomacy and working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.Her family runs a century-old haberdashery business in Auckland, has her own wool and property business interests, and co-chairs the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum's emerging leaders programme, and is a board director for the Student Volunteer Army.Jessica Rowe.SuppliedShe was formerly seconded from MFAT to Nanaia Mahuta and Simon Watts' offices and is now a ministerial advisor in Louise Upston's office.She is engaged to Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary and chief executive Ben King."I am excited to get to work, meeting locals across the electorate to re-elect a National Government and to be Kaipara ki Mahurangi's next National MP," Rowe said."National has been fixing the basics for Kaipara ki Mahurangi. Inflation is down from Labour's 32-year high and there are 220,000 new jobs expected to be created over the next four years."Confidence has rebounded in the economy, manufacturing is up, exports are at record numbers, and wages are expected to rise faster than prices."With the economic recovery underway, now is not the time to place more costs on Aucklanders."That is why I am proud to support National's pledge of no new taxes because Kiwis deserve to keep more of what they earn. The alternative is at least nine new taxes under a Labour, Greens, Te Pāti Māori, TOP Government."