Manji questions Brownlee move
The first shots of an electoral showdown in Christchurch have been fired after Ilam incumbent Gerry Brownlee was confirmed as the next Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Current city councillor Raf Manji, who will challenge Brownlee for the Ilam seat in Christchurch’s northwest at September’s election, has questioned whether Brownlee can remain an effective local MP while carrying out his new role.
Brownlee has rejected Manji’s comments, saying former foreign ministers have managed to do both jobs.
Prime Minister Bill English announced on Monday that Brownlee would relinquish his post overseeing the Canterbury rebuild, a portfolio he has held for the past six years.
Yesterday, Manji said he found it ‘‘hard to see how he [Brownlee] can be an effective electorate MP, and advocate for Ilam and Christchurch, while being foreign minister’’.
‘‘But, you know, that’s going to be up to the people of Ilam to make that call.’’
Manji, who is running as an independent candidate, did not think Brownlee’s move made much difference to his chances of beating the incumbent in Ilam. ‘‘I thought this was likely to happen, so I don’t think it makes a huge difference.
‘‘From a broader perspective, it’s the end of a chapter and I think there’s opportunities for the city from here.
‘‘But a lot’s going to depend [on] what happens in the election to the next government,’’ he said.
Brownlee said former leaders and foreign affairs ministers had also held constituency seats.
‘‘My first response is every prime minister under MMP, except the current prime minister [Bill English], has held a constituency seat through the tenure of the prime minister.’’
The two longest serving foreign ministers since 2000, Phil Goff and Murray McCully, had also held constituency seats, he said.
‘‘Before the last election, and before the election before that, there were candidates out there happily telling people wherever they could that it was impossible for me to be a constituency member and do the job in Christchurch as well. So this is just grist for the mill, nothing new, and I’m quite confident I can handle it extremely well,’’ Brownlee said.
University of Otago political scientist Dr Bryce Edwards said Brownlee’s electorate vote could suffer due to his new appointment, but believed it would bode well overall for his popularity. ‘‘Gerry Brownlee is seen to have received a vote of confidence by the prime minister and . . . that is an endorsement that will factor into Ilam voters and their choices.’’
Visibility was important in modern campaigning, regardless of whether it was fronting on the streets and in school halls, or as a statesman dealing with international issues, Edwards said.
‘‘Although he is going to be neglecting his constituents a bit more than he might like, overall it’s probably going to be a neutral effect on his chances on holding his seat.’’