Environment Forum Review
The campaign trail is getting busier by the day and I have attended many meetings and spoken to many people.

Today there was an environment forum at Otago University where I spoke along with a number of other candidates. Here is my review of the forum. I don't review my own performance in the interests of fairness.

The forum was held in one of the main common rooms for the students. Once again only a fairly small crowd of around 100 attended. I guess this is because the right wing have suceeded in turning many young people into self-focussed individuals who have no interest in these things. Or perhaps the students don't see politicians as relevant to their lives.

Jeanette Fitzsimons (Greens) was first up. She came across as mild mannered except for when she got into some argument with the ACT party guy about the Fiordland marine reserve. The Green campaign has been terrible on a national level. Their billboards are unreadable, they seem to have no one on the ground for a party with a whole bunch of MPs, and they're entirely concentrating on cuddling up to Labour and going for the "respectable" vote. This means that their policies on free trade and GE will be "toned down" as they seek to portray themselves as reasonable. The result will be ineffectiveness.
Jeanette's speech content was a solid 7, but her style and enthusiasm barely makes a 5.

David Parker (Labour) came in next. He is a very low profile MP for Otago, but managed to summon up some fire in his verbal battles with ACT Otago list MP Gerry Eckhoff. They had a face off at the microphone but middle-aged men trying to be tough always look a little embarrassing. Anyway, David has no hope in winning back Otago as it was only due to the fact National stuffed it up so badly in 2002 that he won anyway. A good speaker, although a little whiney at times, but it all seemed a bit formulaic.
David receives a 6 for content, and a 6 for style and enthusiasm.

Gerry Eckhoff (ACT) is a bizarre character. He comes across as some kind of upper class caricature with his private school tones and pinstriped suit. Today he must have had a good breakfast because he managed to spark up a bit. Only candidate there who said he didn't believe the greenhouse effect was real, or at least human beings had nothing to do with it. Hopefully his high country farm turns into a desert.
Relegated to the bottom of the list for ACT, he knows his time is up, and tries to cover a forlorn air with bluster.
In his favour, he did concede to me there was a difference between Stalinism and democratic socialism in a post debate conversation.
Gerry has improved his form marginally with a 5 for content, and a 6 for enthusiasm (no style though.)

Guy with a beard (United). A forgettable character from Wanaka, like all United candidates has no idea. This bloke was from the fishing and hunting wing of the United Party, as opposed to the Smoking in Pubs or crazed fundamentalist Christian wing of the United Party. Tried to follow the leader and kept on repeating "common sense" then looked confused when no one clapped. One of my pet hates is people who get involved in politics for these single issue causes like fishing and hunting. Everyone else is trying to talk about the future of the country and all they are interested in is fishing and hunting. Like big boys who have never grown up past the toy soldiers and matchbox car years. Give us a break.
Guy with a beard wins 3 for content, based on the fact he did know about fishing and hunting, if nothing else. 3 for enthusiasm, based on the fact at least he came down from Wanaka.

Conway Powell (National). I feel more and more sorry for Conway. The candidate for Dunedin South has spent all his campaign energy turning up at the tough debates which Katherine Rich is ignoring. Obviously Katherine is hoping Don Brash is going to lose the election, so she can step forward as New Zealand's version of Margaret Thatcher. In the meantime, she is nowhere to be found.
Conway is trying to plug the gap, and occasionally tries to talk tough with New Right economics, but his heart doesn't seem in it and he always ends up coming across kind of middle of the road. A kind of pale ghostly local image of Bill English on a bad day.
Conway wins 4 for content, and 4 for enthusiasm. Points off for the weak jokes, but a small credit for the fact that he is a trained botanist. Then again, loads of points off for the fact that he represents a nasty party that will launch an all out attack on workers, beneficiairies, students and the poor. Boo!

So there we go. Hi to the students who came up afterwards and discussed things. To the guys at the "MysterTron" flat – I'll be in touch about the sign.
- posted by Victor @ 6:45 PM