Missing address ends mayoral race for ‘devastated’ Bond
Ria Bond’s bid for the Invercargill mayoralty has ended before it began – but incumbent Sir Tim Shadbolt is in the race.
Bond, who has previously stated she would stand for the mayoralty, said she went to register at 11.45am yesterday, but was told she was unable to because the correct address of one of her nominators was not on the voting system.
‘‘I have spent the last few hours devastated,’’ Bond said.
She had arrived to register 15 minutes before the deadline because she wanted to be the last nominee.
Bond, a former NZ First MP, said her nominator had told her she had changed her address through the correct channels six months ago.
Though told there was no appeals process, Bond said she would look into the issue further.
Her campaign was ready to be launched and she had already spent a lot of money, she said.
‘‘This is a kick in the guts.’’ Shadbolt officially registered for the mayoralty on Thursday.
Despite his impressive record in election campaigns he was not complacent.
‘‘People say: ‘You don’t have to worry, Tim.’ But you do. It’s always a very anxious period for everyone involved,’’ he said.
As of 4pm yesterday, official records said Shadbolt was joined by deputy mayor Rebecca Amundsen, city councillor Darren Ludlow and Steve Chernishov, who has never held a seat on the council, as mayoral candidates.
Shadbolt said it took a lot of courage to run for office and candidates could be subject to some humiliating experiences.
He believed social media could have a big influence this election campaign. Though not known to be a social media guru himself, Shadbolt said he liked producing ‘‘mini dramas’’ on the internet.
He believed his biggest challengers would be Amundsen ‘‘with the women’s network’’, and experienced city councillor Ludlow, ‘‘the voice’’.
‘‘You have to take everyone seriously . . . It’s going to be a very interesting election.’’
Invercargill mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt has apologised to farmers for comments made by him but later taken ‘‘out of context’’ in a discussion on waterways.
Former Southland Federated Farmers president Allan Baird said at a rally for mental health in the rural sector in Invercargill yesterday that he had received an apology from Shadbolt.
Shadbolt said on the television show Anika Moa Unleashed that cows were like freedom campers because ‘‘they love nothing better than pooing in rivers’’. The comments riled Southland farmers.
Shadbolt’s email, provided by Baird, says farming comments made by him on the light-hearted television programme screened in February and replayed recently had been ‘‘taken out of context and presented as a serious discussion on this region’s waterways’’.
Shadbolt said in the email: ‘‘I wish to apologise for making any suggestion that it is only farmers that are causing damage to our rivers and environment.
‘‘Those who live in cities and towns also contribute to the damage . . . My only hope is that these comments will act as a catalyst for serious debate in the future.’’
Baird, who is a Dipton farmer, was pleased to receive the apology and had invited Shadbolt to yesterday’s rally. Shadbolt was unable to attend.
Baird and Mossburn farmer John Douglas, acting on behalf of Southland farmers, presented four native trees to the city of Invercargill at the rally.
‘‘It’s a gesture from rural to mend any wounds between rural and urban. We want communities to trust us as farmers,’’ Baird said.
Farmers have come under attack from environmentalist Angus Robson who has launched a nationwide campaign against winter grazing. Mossburn farmer Jason Herrick confronted two members of the campaign taking photos of his cows last weekend.
The environmentalists’ actions prompted Herrick, Baird and fellow farmers John Pemberton, of Brydone, and Kerry Wilson, of Winton, to form Ag Proud NZ this week. The group would be the voice of farmers, Herrick said.
The group set up a Facebook page on Thursday and had 700 members by yesterday evening.
Ag Proud NZ organised yesterday’s rally. About 100 people attended during the three-hour event.