The highly competitive seat of Ilam has gone blue with National’s Hamish Campbell winning.

TOP Leader Raf Manji came second, and Labour’s Sarah Pallet came in third.

Campbell has built his career as a medical researcher and was the Deputy Head of Research for an Australian-based not-for-profit dedicated to multiple sclerosis research and advocacy.

When Campbell was elected as the candidate for Ilam he said “Labour’s soft-on-crime approach caused locals to feel unsafe in their own communities, with news of ram-raids and smash-and-grabs becoming as common in Christchurch as they are around the rest of New Zealand.”

Campbell said “what Kiwis rightly want is a government focused on addressing these issues and delivering for them.”