Katie MilneFormer Federated Farmers national president and Rotomanu dairy farmer Katie Milne is being tipped to replace retiring MP Maureen Pugh as the National Party candidate for the West Coast-Tasman electorate. Miss Milne, the deputy chairwoman of the West Coast Conservation Board,gained a high national profile as the first female national president for Federated Farmers, serving from 2017 to 2020. She first became involved in the organisation at grassroots level on the West Coast in 1991 and served as a board member and the West Coast provincial president before her national role. Mrs Pugh gave a bouquet to Jamie Cleine, who was confirmed last Sunday as the New Zealand First candidate for West Coast-Tasman. NZ First is now championing a policy of returning 50% of mining royalties to the regions and Mrs Pugh said that was something she had also pushed.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 04, 2026 04:37 UTC