Wairarapa candidate won’t move there
October 11th, 2010 at 2:00 pm by David FarrarThe Dom Post reports:
High-profile civil liberties lawyer Michael Bott will contest the Wairarapa electorate next year for Labour, having resigned as chairman of the Council for Civil Liberties. …
Despite National winning the seat in 2008 with a majority of 6758, Mr Bott, 45, said the seat was winnable.
He would not move from Upper Hutt to Wairarapa but would look to buy property there. Having grown up in Hawke’s Bay, he said he was familiar with issues in rural areas and towns.
Wairarapa is quite a parochial place, so I am not sure they will rush to vote for someone who won’t move there. equally I am not sure they will be impressed that you claim to know their issues on the basis you once lived in the Hawke’s Bay.
But Bott will be a more formidable candidate than the previous Labour candidate, a teacher whom I recall even failed to get elected to a local community board.
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- Wairarapa National Selection
- Too many forms to fill in for the $350,000
October 11th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Translated: “There is no WAY I’d want to live in the Wairarapa surrounded by all those peasants. But if you elect me I’ll consider visiting once in a while.”
Vote:October 11th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
If Mr Bolt stopped doing his market research during the weekends on the mainstreet of Carterton and actually hit some of the back roads he might find the good people of the Wairarapa aren;t too interested in an absenteee cityboy as their representative thanks.
Vote:October 11th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Well, at least the Council For Civil Liberties will enjoy an increased level of effectiveness. What an utterly ridiculous example of complete political incongruity to have someone from the Labour Party, (that gang of totalitarian socialist fascists) as its Chairman.
Vote:October 11th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
david the latee slurping “lifestylers” are a blight on the towns mainstreets every saturday and sunday.
The locals stay the hell away from the place during the weekends. His plan is to be Georgina V2.0 He might like to reconsider.
Vote:October 11th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
What Redbaiter said. I was astounded on reading this. To cite but one example, the Labour Party remained silent (oh, sorry, Lianne Dalziel got her nose out the trough long enough to write a blog post) when the Chief Justice was attacked for voicing an opinion on sentencing.
Labour’s recent record on civil rights is appalling. Clearly Bolt was blinded to their inadequacies in that area if he’s prepared to stand for the party without obtaining guarantees that they will adopt a civil rights agenda, so Red is right – the Council for Civil Liberties can only benefit from the resignation of a political partisan.
Vote:October 11th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Thats not an argument for foisting him off on the good citizens of the Wairarapa Rex.
Vote:October 11th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Rex, it’s “”bott” not “bolt”. Otherwise I agree with you and the other commenters on Mr Bott’s chances.
Vote:October 11th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
Murray:
It’s revenge on Cartertonians for electing Ron Mark as mayor
They’ve gone from a man who became a girl to a man who just acts like one. I’m still waiting for him to man up and offer me an apology.
alex Masterly:
Damn, there goes lame puns about his not bolting in. Thanks for the correction.
Vote:October 11th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Rex,
When the Nats trounce him at election time you can always exlcaim that they kicked his Bott
Vote:October 11th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
Civil Liberties eh; aren’t they the people who make excuses for criminals? I’m sure that will go down a treat with the wise folk of the Wairarapa, especially those who have fallen victim to gang crime, or had their cars and houses trashed by various toerags.
Vote:October 11th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
Let’s put aside personal animus and invective and drink a glass of reality (Martinborough or Masterton’s Pinot Noir). Bott will be lucky to poll as well as McKenzie did in 2008, and she was a local. Hayes by a mile!
Vote:October 11th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Inventory2:
Speaking as one of them (I’m State Director of Civil Liberties Australia)… no, no we’re not. We’re the people that try to stop the government sticking its nose too far into your life and that of other law abiding citizens as well as ensuring that, if you do step outside the law, you’re treated fairly and that, when you’re let out, everything possible has been done to stop you doing it again.
Vote:October 12th, 2010 at 7:47 am
The locals obviously paint themselves in woad, and the dinner party circuit in Wellington is much much more high brow. I would prefer it myself BUT that is not where the political bread and butter comes from.
Vote:October 15th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
The extrapolation from my edited comments in the Dominion Post take a cheap and rather silly shot at Labour with respect to my selection as Labour’s representative in the Wairarapa electorate. It is pure fiction to suggest that I have no intention of living in the Wairarapa. I have consistently maintained that once elected I would establish a household there. I currently have a home in Upper Hutt – big deal! Lots of MPs’ maintain houses out of their electorate. The Member for Dipton for example had the tax-payer fund his Wellington house and seldom graced his home in Dipton. How much time did John Key spend living in Helensville? I intend to maintain my Wellington base (at my own expense) when the House is sitting. I also intend to maintain my Wairarapa base at my own expense rather than hiding behind trusts and milking the tax payer as a number of National MPs do currently. Finally, would all National party supporters please continue to assume that the Labour Party team in the Wairarapa aren’t motivated to launch a vigorous campaign.
Vote: