An interesting gang of candidates
Well, the election date is set and now the campaigning has begun. The Petone Herald covers four different electorates stretching from the western hills out to Eastbourne. I did a quick search for the candidates from the parties in any genuine contention for electorate and party votes and found an interesting gang of characters. The incumbents are United Future leader Peter Dunne in Ohariu and Labour?s Trevor Mallard in Hutt South. Meanwhile the incumbents in the geographically stretched Maori electorates are Labour?s Parekura Horomia in Ikaroa-Rawhiti and Mahara Okeroa in Te Tai Tonga. Dunne and Mallard are well entrenched and are clear favourites to keep their seats regardless of who takes power after the election. The Nats have selected Wellington rugby stalwart Paul Quinn as their Hutt South candidate but he hasn?t exactly been pummeling the press for attention on community issues. Not so the Nat?s candidate for Ohariu, list MP Katrina Shanks who has been scrapping for any bit of community traction she can get ? although mostly in the northern suburbs. The other main Ohariu candidate Labour?s list MP Charles Chauvel has been working hard too. But representing the government means he has a tough job using community problems for traction. He?s stuck with the job of selling the current government?s solutions to them. The Greens candidates are Virginia Horrocks in Hutt South and Gareth Hughes in Ohariu. Interestingly, Hughes, 26, was once arrested while dressed as Ronald McDonald. ACT has one candidate in the readership area ? Colin du Plessis running for Ohariu. And Murray Smith will be standing for United Future in Hutt South. The Maori seat incumbents face Maori Party challenges from Rahui Katene in Te Tai Tonga and former broadcaster Derek Fox in Ikaroa-Rawhiti. And what about New Zealand First? When I called the party I was shuttled between three different people ? none of whom could say who would stand in the electorates or when the info would be announced. Still, at least they were friendly and keen to help. When I called Labour for confirmation I was told by the woman who answered to look at the website. I already was, I said. No, the other Labour Party website she said. How many websites do they need? In the end she grudgingly confirmed the candidates herself.
