1996: Humour and stolen hoardings
Cantabrians have become used to and even fond of National MP Gerry Brownlee’s sense of humour. There was an early sign of it on August 27, 1996, when The Press reported on two bizarre election thefts.
‘‘MP for Christchurch North Mike Moore has had $4000 worth of Labour campaign signs stolen in the new Waimakariri electorate and the National candidate for Ilam, Gerry Brownlee, had his mobile electorate office taken for a joyride at the weekend.’’
Moore’s election campaign committee chairwoman, Sally Thompson, said: ‘‘I have been in seven election campaigns, but this is the first where hoardings have been stolen. Hundreds [of
signs] were stolen, sometimes after being put up three times.
‘‘This is deliberate sabotage. Usually, you lose two or three each campaign, or people draw glasses or moustaches, but these hoardings have been taken.
‘‘It’s not kids, bored on the way home. Hoardings up to five miles apart have gone on the same nights.’’
Brownlee’s campaign caravan was reported being driven around the city. It was found in City Mall and the only items stolen were some tea bags and a plastic barbecue apron.
On the theft of his campaign signs, Brownlee quipped: ‘‘I can’t understand why they would want to steal Mike’s hoardings. It makes more sense to steal mine, because I’m better-looking.’’
Was there something in the air during the first MMP election? A week later, it was reported that a hoarding for Labour’s Lyttelton MP and Banks Peninsula candidate Ruth Dyson had been doused in petrol and burnt down.
Mindless graffiti or vandalism was frustrating, Dyson said, ‘‘but this incident has really been disturbing for my campaign team’’.