Bye Bye Beyer

It is worth noting that Georgina Beyer left Parliament this week – certainly more noteworthy than Lesley Soper replacing her.

G-Man highlights how when asked what contributions she had made to politics, she cited her election as sending a message around the world.

This is all too true that Georgina is far more famous for getting elected than for anything she has done in her seven years as an MP.

Now apart from her being in the wrong party (my ideal Parliament has 90 National MPs, 34 ACT MPs and six Green MPs 🙂 I was pleased Georgina got elected. It was somewhat remarkable that a transsexual former male prostitute could be elected to the NZ Parliament, especially in a rural electorate. I think it says a lot for voters judging not on the basis of someone’s sexual past but on the fact she had been an okay Mayor of Carterton.

But by the same standard any candidacy for Mayor of Wellington should be judged not on the fact she is transsexual, but on her record as an MP. And that record is dismal. Compare her to another Labour MP who might seek a Mayoralty – Tim Barnett. Barnett has helped get two controversial bills through Parliament, has been made Chief Whip, been an effective Select Committee Chair etc. He would be a credible candidate for Mayor of a major city. Georgina would not be.

She is of course free to stand. But if the left don’t want Kerry Prendergast to be re-elected, I hope they can find a candidate who actually could govern a billion dollar organisation.