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He recounted tales of his working days. He left school and worked for a bank on George St, flatted where the National Bank is now and played professional rugby on his O.E in Scotland. Returning to Dunedin at 25, he studied for a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting. Following on from that, he did his Charted Accountant qualification and developed a career in healthcare management. In 2008, he decided to stand for parliament. In the run up to the November elections Michael Woodhouse wants to get to know YOU! Here’s a taster of what the man can do for students if you give him the tick this year.
What do you think of your new competition?
I don't know him very well. He is very good at articulating the party line and needs to translate that into his own view. Metiria Turei is there as well obviously, she should with her increasing profile get a few votes.
 

What are your aims coming up to November?
Increase my profile on campus and to do that I hope to get involved with social media and get some forums going for all candidates. I think there is a really clear choice this year in terms of how you respond to a global recession.
 

What can you do for us?
A lot. I take a longer term view of student welfare. What students are really worried about are; will my student loans still be interest-free? What will the fees be? Will my flat be warm this winter? Will the qualification be worth the paper it’s written on? Will there be a job at the end of it? The answer to all of those questions is yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. Albeit, we are philosophically opposed to interest-free anything because it is quite artificial and it devalues debt and people who are financially illiterate can find themselves in deep doodoo quite quickly. My own view is that the voluntary bonding scheme has worked really well in terms of getting people to work in the hard-to-staff areas and I would really like to see that stay.

 
The electorate has said very clearly that they want student loans and we accept that, even though, philosophically, we probably wouldn't have done it had we been in power. We would have spent it differently because at a cost of about $600 million a year at the moment for interest-free [loans], I just think that investment could be better targeted.

 
Are you following the progress of the stadium quite closely?
One of the things that happened shortly after the last election was that the [Dunedin] City Council asked me to help advocate for a small amount of government funding to ensure that the stadium got over the start line. I was in favour of the stadium; I was very prepared to fund it through my rate payer funds. I had to really think about it in a recessionary environment. But I did, and one of the things I considered is the connection with the University. I think outside of the United States, this will be the only type of asset in the country and I don't think the University yet knows how much it will affect it. Secondly, there is almost a quarter billion dollar’s worth of construction work being spun off into the region at a time when our construction industry most needs it. I think it has kept organisations going and it's kept workers in New Zealand that we now need in Christchurch.
 

What are your thoughts on Don Brash's takeover of ACT?
Well, he is a little old to be the face of the future. ACT is a very individualist group. My fear is that it will become a one-fit-for-all and I think Winston will jump on that discussion. I think the discussion is a valid one, but I just hope the election isn't centred upon it.
 

What do you think the discussion should be centred upon?
We have a treaty that we have obligations under that have not been met. The negotiation process is designed to remedy the injustices of the past. Most sensible-thinking people realise this. The discussion that Don Brash is encouraging is more about, having done that, what place do Maori have in society? Is it a special place? Should that treatment be for all time? That is the question I think that hasn't been asked and I think Don Brash was trying to ask. We have been so focused on the injustices of the past that we haven't actually looked at what a stable New Zealand society would look like.
 

So you think the election discussion should centre on this?
I think this is a discussion we should have, but it shouldn't centre on this. Pita Sharples and Bill English announced a constitutional review last year and I think that is a more appropriate place to have that discussion. I am amazed at how ignorant Kiwis are of their own history, frankly.
 

Out of interest, are you a republican or a monarchist?
I am an ambivalent monarchist. I was surprised at all the hooplah about the wedding. But I would equally have no problem with a change if that was the will of the people. My guess is that while people have lived and died under the flag, the Union Jack will stay. There will be a timetable for the discussion which will align with constitutional reform. I get pretty pissed off about flag burning though.

 
Do you do the Stuff daily quiz often, and if so what is your average?
About 11 or 12.