He also backed an expansion of Northport, despite his council\u2019s independent commissioners turning down resource consent<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cocurullo said as mayor he was passionate about all of those projects<\/a> and he wanted to see them through.<\/p>\n He pointed to the four-laning of SH1<\/a>, saying while it was good the project had been approved, the timeframe was too long.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s 12 years before it gets to Whang\u0101rei: that\u2019s unacceptable for Northland<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Cocurullo also criticised the slow pace of the Whang\u0101rei Hospital rebuild<\/a>, which he said should have been completed by now. Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora only applied in May for resource consent for the key part of the project, the acute services building.<\/p>\n Boosting Whang\u0101rei\u2019s construction sector would give people jobs and help the overall economy, he said.<\/p>\n Cocurullo said he developed good relationships with central Government during his time as mayor, which also included leading the Northland Mayoral Forum<\/a>.<\/p>\n He thought standing for central Government was a logical next step.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, if you\u2019re a passionate mayor like myself<\/a>, passionate about Northland, passionate about Whang\u0101rei and wanting to see it excel, the next step is national government.\u201d<\/p>\n But Cocurullo accepted there would still be a learning curve<\/a> if he became an MP.<\/p>\n His trademark waistcoats would remain<\/a> part of his attire, as people \u201cloved it\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n Since missing out on the mayoral race in October, Cocurullo had been busy with waste-to-fuel company GoNorth Limited, which was turning plastics into diesel in Whang\u0101rei<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cDiesel is desperately needed for the construction sector, farming and keeping trucks on the road.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not going to get hydrogen up here: realistically, diesel is the only alternative for the industry and you might as well make it out of plastic. At the moment, there\u2019s lots of it going into landfill.\u201d<\/p>\n Cocurullo was vague on manufacturing details, simply saying it was done in industrial Whang\u0101rei and had all the correct consents.<\/p>\n He called himself a \u201cman of action\u201d, collecting and removing more than 50 tonnes of e-waste from Whang\u0101rei this year.<\/p>\n Cocurullo will compete for the Whang\u0101rei seat against political novices this year, with incumbent National\u2019s Dr Shane Reti retiring from politics<\/a>.<\/p>\n Candidates included outspoken ED doctor Gary Payinda<\/a> for Labour and real estate expert Lloyd Budd for National<\/a>.<\/p>\nFormer Whang\u0101rei Mayor Vince Cocurullo says he will take his passion for Northland and the city into his role as NZ First’s candidate. Photo \/ Susan Botting LDR<\/p>\n
Vince Cocurullo (from left) \u2013 pictured with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Health NZ tikanga pou Malcolm Robson at the opening of Manaia House in 2025 \u2013 says he built key central Government relationships as his time as mayor. Photo \/ Denise Piper<\/p>\n
Vince Cocurullo, right, pictured with Far North Mayor Moko Tepania, says he will bring his trademark waistcoats to his new role.<\/p>\n