Born and bred in the Waikato, Tim van de Molen was elected as the Member of Parliament for Waikato at the 2017 General Election.

Tim was educated at Matamata College and gained a Bachelor of Social Science from the University of Waikato. Following his formal education he worked as a dairy farmer and ran his own rural construction business before joining the commercial sector, as a rural bank manager. Alongside this, he has owned several small businesses and served as an Officer in the New Zealand Army Territorials.

With a strong passion for the primary industries, Tim was proud to be named the 2012 Australasian Rural Ambassador. Then in 2013, he won the prestigious NZ Young Farmer of the Year Award. He is also a graduate of the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme.

A passionate, life-long resident of the electorate he serves, Tim strongly supports improving the infrastructure across the Waikato, in particular the extension of the Waikato Expressway to Piarere and to Tauranga; as well as the further rollout of high speed internet. Further developing the infrastructure to support the region’s economic growth and future prosperity, with a strong focus on advancing the safety and social connectivity of the community.

A keen outdoorsman, Tim relishes every opportunity to enjoy New Zealand’s natural environment, particularly scuba-diving, fishing, and getting off-the-beaten track exploring forests, ranges, and National Parks. Tim lives rurally in Tamahere with his wife Hilary, daughter Isobella, son Arthur, and the family’s two golden retrievers.