Kiwiblog

Had a brilliant day today. Myself and a couple of friends did a nice two hour commute to rural Wairarapa this morning. Went to Busted Blonde’s 10 hectare section near Mauriceville.

Once we got out of Wellington the weather was brilliant. Nothing like a good road trip with some mates on a fine day.

Thought we would be out there for just a couple of hours, but ended up spending five hours drinking and chatting in the sun, in a superb rural retreat.  Lots of good conversation, and a superb lunch which included whitebait fritters and venison. Yum.

Reflected on the drive back how lucky we are to be in a country with such great scenery. Am determined the next time we head to the Wairarapa to stay overnight so we can explore the many great backroads.

Tags: DPF, Wairarapa

The 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.

Tags: Labour, Michael Bott, Wairarapa

Headed up to Paraparaumu Beach during the week to catch up with friends who have a holiday home there. I went to university with Michael and we catch up regularly for movies and drinks. I hadn’t seen his younger sister Elaine for around 20 years, so it was a bonus to catch up with her also.

Not sure I made the best impression on her kids though as she introduces me to her daughter who is 13, and I proclaimed “Fuck I feel old”. When I first met Elaine she was at school herself, so suddenly realising she has a daughter who is only a couple of years younger than Elaine was when I met her, really makes you realise how much time has gone by.

The weather wasn’t great but their dog still enjoys chasing sticks into the ocean. It really is nice having the beach five metres away from the house.

It got me thinking about where my ideal holiday home would be, if my finances get to the stage where I could afford one. I have a mental shortlist along these lines:

1. Marlborough Sounds. I’d love a place down there, preferably as remote as possible so we have no road access and no neighbours. It would mean I need enough money to buy a boat and a house there, and sadly that is more a pipe dream for now. Ongoing costs of a boat also a factor.
2. Kapiti Coast. My family had a small batch at Waikanae and then a farmlet (15 acres) at Reikorangi so I know Kapiti very well. It is logistically the easiest option as just 45 minutes from Wellington. The beach is nice, and the prices not too unreasonable. The downside is it isn’t really remote enough.
3. Great Barrier Island. I absolutely live the Barrier, and if I lived in Auckland that would be where I want my holiday home. I’d probably spend half the year there if I could. The downside is I do not live in Auckland, flights over there cost quite a bit if regular, and pretty expensive to buy. I’d be more tempted to build something custom.
4. Wairarapa. I don’t mean Greytown or Martinborough but rural Wairarapa. Three friends of mine have places north of Masterton, and they are wonderful remote. No neighbours, superb bush and views and the prices are actually quite affordable. The downside is having to drive there and back regularly, and the distance to the beach.

Not sure how I will ever decide. If there is ever a Mrs Farrar, I guess she’ll decide for me

Tags: DPF, Great Barrier Island, Kapiti, Marlborough Sounds, Wairarapa

At the weekend, headed up to Busted Blonde’s rural retreat in Wairarapa. Was a very pleasant day with lobster and sausages and some nice lamb chops which up until around three hours before dinner was prancing around the paddock. Always a bit weird to eat something that you have seen alive just before dinner!

Busted had her parents and son, with her and her Aussie Rock. Lots of fun conversation. One hilarious part was when these was a discussion of her son’s exes, and I suggested maybe one could discuss Busted’s exes instead. Her son piped up that he had a poor attention span so didn’t think he could pay attention to the entire list. Busted’s yells of protest about not saying mean things about her in front of her mum didn’t have much effect – I even got a reference to the Green Parrot in there.

Anyway the highlight came after dinner, where her Aussie Rock proved he was as good with his hands as he is with his …. mind. He brought out his miniature plane which he had made.

I had wondered what the strip of lawn was for in the middle of the paddock. Now I knew – a runway. And along it goes.

And we have takeoff. The plane had great lift – not quite a harrier, but could climb quite dramatically when needed.

The plane could go up hundreds of metres easily. It was damn fast also – I’d say it could give a car a good run for its money. I’m not sure what the range is, but it looked to me that it could get up to a km or so away without difficulty.

And it successfully lands again.

I really enjoyed the drive to and from the Wairarapa. The traffic was light and got over the Rimutakas in under 20 minutes. There are so many great rural roads out there, that at some stage I want to spend a few days there just exploring the more remote areas.

Tags: DPF, roarprawn, Wairarapa

Whanganui had a 3% lead in the party vote in 2005, and this expanded out to 22% in 2008. And the 3,500 majority for Borrows goes to 6,000.

Rangitikei sees a 25% lead in the party vote and Simon Power moves his majority from 9,000 to 11,000.

Tukituki has an 18% lead in the party vote, and a 2,600 majority for Craig Foss gets a boost thanks to Labour’s sacking of the local District Health Board to over 7,000.

Palmerston North has been held by Labour since 1978. The party vote was narrowly won by National but Labour’s Iain Lees-Galloway held off Malcolm Plimmer by 1,000 votes.

Wairarapa has National 17% ahead on the party vote. And John Hayes turns the seat safe with a 2,900 majority converting to 6,300 in 2008.

Otaki was a huge battle. I’ve door knocked Otaki in the past and it is not natural National territory in the Horowhenua parts. So winning the party vote by 8% is good for National after trailling by 3% last time. Darren Hughes put up a huge fight to protect his sub 400 majority but Nathan Guy grabbed the seat by almost 1,500.

In Wellington, Labour does a lot better starting with Mana. Labour remains 6% ahead on the party vote but reduced from 18% in 2005. Winnie Laban’s 6,800 majority shrinks only slightly to 5.300.

Rimutaka was the last hope for NZ First. Labour won the party vote there in 2005 by 11% and in 2008 by 0.3%. On the electorate vote just as narrow with Labour’s Chris Hipkins pipping Richard Whiteside by 600 votes. Ron Mark got a credible 5,000 votes but stll trailed by 7,000.

Hutt South is home to Wainuiomata and Trevor Mallard. Trevor delivered a party vote margin for Labour of 4% and a 3,600 majority for himself. In 2005 the party vote margin was 14% and the personal majority 6,600 so some movement there.

Rongotai is now the home of the Labour Deputy Leader. But even before her ascension, Rongotai gave Labour a massive 11% margin on the party vote – 43% to 32% for National. And her personal 13,000 majority in 2005 was only slightly dented to just under 8,000. If that is her low tide mark, she’ll be happy.

Wellington Central saw in 2005 a party vote for National of just 33%, Labour 43% and Greens around 16%. In 2008 it was National 36%, Labour 34% and Greens around 20%. Marian Hobbs had a 5,800 majority and Stephen Franks cut that to 1,500 against new MP Grant Robertson with some Green party votes giving Robertson their electorate vote to keep Franks out.

Ohariu was assumed by almost everyone to be safe as houses for Peter Dunne. But it got close this time. First on the party vote, National beat Labour 43% to 40% in 2005. This time it was 47% to 33%. On the candidate vote Peter Dunne dropped from 45% to 33% making him vulnerable. National’s Katrina Shanks lifted her vote from 21% to 26% and Labour’s Charles Chauvel from 26% to 30%. The Greens candidate got 7% of the vote and may have ironically saved the seat for Dunne.

Tags: Annette King, Charles Chauvel, Chester Borrows, Chris Hipkins, Craig Foss, Darren Hughes, Election 2008, Grant Robertson, Hutt South, Iain Lees-Galloway, John Hayes, Katrina Shanks, Malcolm Plimmer, Mana, Marian Hobbs, Nathan Guy, Ohariu, Otaki, Palmerston North, Peter Dunne, Rangitikei, Richard Whiteside, Rimutaka, Ron Mark, Rongotai, Simon Power, Stephen Franks, Trevor Mallard, Tukituki, Wairarapa, Wellington Central, Whanganui, Winnie Laban