Carl Bates | |
|---|---|
.png) Bates in 2023 | |
| Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forWhanganui | |
| Assumed office 14 October 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Steph Lewis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Carl Michael Bates (1983-03-13)13 March 1983 (age 42) Whanganui, New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Spouse | Candice |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Massey University |
Carl Michael Bates[1] (born 13 March 1983)[2] is a New Zealand politician, representing theNew Zealand National Party as a Member of Parliament since the2023 New Zealand general election.
Bates was born and raised inWhanganui, where he attendedMosston School, Rutherford Junior High School, andWhanganui High School.[3] He later gained a bachelor of business studies degree in accountancy fromMassey University.[4] He has been a director of an aged care facility, theArena Manawatu stadium company, and theUniversal College of Learning in Palmerston North. Bates set up a company to train boards of directors, named Sirdar Global Group, and operated it in New Zealand and Africa, and self-published two books on business success. He sold the company on his return to New Zealand in 2020.[5]
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–present | 54th | Whanganui | 47 | National | |
Bates joined the National Party at the age of 13, when he campaigned forPeter Gresham.[5] In 2000 he was aYouth MP forAnnabel Young.[6] Bates was selected by theNational Party to contest theWhanganui electorate at the2023 election. He was 47th on theparty list.[7] At the time of his selection he was living inSanson, but later moved to the Whanganui electorate.[4] On election night, Bates received 16,446 votes, beating the incumbent, first-term Labour Party MPSteph Lewis, by 5,512 votes.[8][9] Bates said the result reflected that people in Whanganui don't want their assets controlled from the capital.[8] He said people in the region were keen to see both theThree Waters and Resource Management Act reforms reversed.[8]
It was reported byThe New Zealand Herald in September 2025 that Bates had created a trust shortly after his election as MP to transfer shares in family-run real estate investment companies he had owned. These companies owned 25 properties, a number of which were in Whanganui. These property ownerships were not disclosed on the parliamentary register ofpecuniary interests. Bates has stated that the registrar of pecuniary interests,Maarten Wevers, advised him that "property held in a company whose shares are held by a trust, was not required to be declared".[10]
On 25 September 2025 the registrar of pecuniary interests announced an investigation into Bates' declaration.[11]
Bates met his wife Candice onTinder while living in South Africa. They have two children.[3]
