He said he had the experience in politics to make a difference on the council and for Palmerston North. The current council, with several Labour and Green Party members, needed balance and a strong, conservative voice, he said. Ball said the current council had made many “nanny state” decisions that should have been challenged. He pointed to “kicking out” the Defence Forum expo from the heart of New Zealand’s defence community, the likely banning of vaping in smokefree areas and attempts to force bars to close earlier. He said his parliamentary skills were transferrable to local government and he still had the contacts in central government to be an effective advocate for the city.