Bates was born and raised in Whanganui, where he attended Mosston School, Rutherford Junior High School, and Whanganui High School.[3] He later gained a bachelor of business studies degree in accountancy from Massey University.[4] He has been a director of an aged care facility, the Arena Manawatu stadium company, and the Universal 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]
Bates joined the National Party at the age of 13, when he campaigned for Peter Gresham.[5] In 2000 he was a Youth MP for Annabel Young.[6] Bates was selected by the National Party to contest the Whanganui electorate at the 2023 election. He was 47th on the party list.[7] At the time of his selection he was living in Sanson, but later moved to the Whanganui electorate.[4] On election night, Bates received 16,446 votes, beating the incumbent, first-term Labour Party MP Steph 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 the Three Waters and Resource Management Act reforms reversed.[8]
Bates, Carl (5 August 2014). Traversing the avalanche: A practical guide to the implementation of effective governance for SME growth. Sirdar Press. ISBN9780473272883.
Bates, Carl (2011). The Laws of Extreme Business Success. Sirdar Press. ISBN9780473183394.
