Rule-breaking PM ticked off
Internet Party leader in subtle move to skirt no-sledging rule in debate with Prime Minister
Prime Minister John Key came closest to being kicked out of a local debate in Helensville last night after breaching strict rules that prevented candidates criticising one another or their rivals’ parties.
The joint Helensville/Te Tai Tokerau candidates meeting at the Kumeu Baptist Church will be the only local meeting Mr Key attends, and his arch rivals Internet leader Laila Harre and Mana leader Hone Harawira had hoped to use it as a platform to tackle him.
However, the organisers had even hired security staff to be on standby to march recalcitrant candidates out if they even mentioned their opponents, or spoke for too long.
Although Ms Harre managed to get in some criticism of Mr Key, she did it subtly.
So it was the PM who ran foul of the rules first when he began talking about the superannuation age and Labour's policy of free GP visits for over-65s. It took the convener, Holly Ryan, a while to interrupt and give him his first warning. When he tried to argue, she said, “Do you want to leave now?”
Prime Minister John Key came closest to being kicked out of a local debate in Helensville last night after breaching strict rules that prevented candidates criticising one another or their rivals’ parties.
The joint Helensville/Te Tai Tokerau candidates meeting at the Kumeu Baptist Church will be the only local meeting Mr Key attends — and his arch rivals, Internet leader Laila Harre and Mana leader Hone Harawira, had hoped to use it as a platform to tackle him.
However, the organisers had hired security staff to be on standby to march recalcitrant candidates out if they mentioned their opponents or spoke for too long.
Although Ms Harre managed to get in some criticism of Mr Key, she did it subtly.
So it was Mr Key who ran foul of the rules first when he began talking about the superannuation age and Labour’s policy of free GP visits for over 65s. It took convener Holly Ryan a while to interrupt and give him his first warning.
When he tried to argue, she said, “Do you want to leave now?”
Ms Harre’s first dig was when she recalled her own political beginnings during apartheid protests in the 1980s. “And I remember which side I was on!” she said, referring to Mr Key’s memory failure on the same topic. Asked about a local roundabout, Ms Harre replied: “I’ll leave that to your local MP, who won’t have the pressures of high office after September 20.”
It earned her a boo from many in the room — the locals had earlier wanted to know what she would do for Helensville, given she was a local candidate. Her answer had been: “Change the Government.”
Mr Key was asked about religious education in state schools and said it was up to boards of trustees to make those decisions, not the Government. The other candidates also managed to get a word in before the largely goodnatured crowd.
After Mr Key spoke about motorway developments, Mr Harawira questioned priorities such as spending on roading when children were living in poverty. “No offence to the people from Kumeu, who now have a roadway to the airport, but seriously, we could have done away with the tunnel, we could have done away with the Holiday Highway.’’
The best one-liners went to Act’s candidate Phelan Pirrie and Labour list MP Kelvin Davis. Mr Davis was asked whether increasing the top tax rate would send highly educated people overseas. He replied that it wasn’t taxes that drove people overseas, “it’s low wages”.
Mr Pirrie was asked about charter schools.
“They’re all doing very well, except for the one run by a trade union.”
Even Independent Penny Bright got a good-natured cheer after having to battle to get into the debate to begin with.
But it was always going to be tricky taking Mr Key on in his home turf. He has a 21,000-vote majority in Helensville.
The other candidates learned a lesson: the early bird gets the worm.
The meeting was so hotly anticipated that the church hall and an overflow hall were full an hour before the debate even started — leaving many candidates’ supporters out in the cold.
Judging from the applause when Mr Key arrived and stood to speak, it was the National voters who got there early. Subtle sledges or not, it’s doubtful he’s worried his hold on the seat is in peril.
Other candidates included Corie Haddock for Labour, Kennedy Graham and Marama Davidson for the Green Party, Andrew Williams for NZ First, Te Hira Paenga for the Maori Party, Stephen Berry for Act and Deborah Dougherty for the Conservative Party.