RIP Terry Heffernan
Rex W notified me of Terry’s death a couple of weeks ago, and this post has been in my pending file, waiting for me to catch up.
Most people who followed politics in the 1980s and 90s will know Terry. He stood for Parliament eight times from 1979 to 2008. That is not as unusual as the fact he stood for five different parties. Terry would argue the parties left him, rather than the other way around. His electoral record was:
- 1979 – for Social Credit in Christchurch Central (against Geoffrey Palmer)
- 1981 – for Social Credit in Wanganui
- 1984 – for the Democrats in Wanganui
- 1987 – for Social Credit in Wanganui – missing out by only 87 votes to Russell Marshall on election night. I wish he had won!
- 1990 – for the Alliance in Wanganui
- 1993 – for NZ First in Wanganui
- 1996 – for NZ First in Albany
- 2008 – for National in Port Hills
I have to be honest and say that I was slightly appalled when Port Hills selected Terry as their candidate in 2008. I had not met him at that stage, and just had a natural prejudice against anyone who has stood for Social Credit, the Alliance and Winston. His fallout with Winston slightly redeeming him!
But as I met Terry, and saw him in action, I understood how he managed to convince a pack of Nat loyalists to pick him – he had a certain charisma about him, was a passionate public speaker, and a very hard worker.
Kudos to Ruth Dyson for noting her opponent’s passing on the order paper for Parliament.
I did not know Terry well, but my belated condolences go out to those who did. he spent much of his life fighting for what he believed in.