National’s head in the silt on Christchurch East

Written By: - Date published: 8:08 pm, October 9th, 2013 - 17 comments
Categories: by-election 2013, same old national - Tags:

national-blighted-future

This is from a contributer about the Christchurch East by election.

“It’s no secret that National’s campaign in East hasn’t exactly gotten off to the most inspiring start, what with picking someone who lives in Waimakariri, and who has only just arrived back in the country.  But with candidate Matthew Doocey’s website now up and running and the pamphlet below being delivered throughout the ward, it’s becoming increasingly clear just how out of touch National is on the issues facing Christchurch.

As others have pointed out, Christchurch East is by no means a safe Labour seat anymore, with 10,000 people having left since the earthquakes and National having won the party vote there in a big way at the last election.  The big challenge for a National candidate in the seat though is the lack of progress being made by the Government on the key issues for people in the East: EQC, Insurance and Housing.

With EQC still a by-word for frustration and incompetence, the insurance mess still unresolved, and average rents in Christchurch continuing to rise out of control, it’s not a great record for a National candidate to have to run on.

So what have they decided to do?

Pretend those issues don’t exist, if their campaign literature is anything to go by.

Nowhere on Doocey’s website or on his pamphlet is any mention of EQC, or insurance issues or even housing. Not once.

Is Doocey delusional? What does he think local people have been dealing with for the last three years?

The strategy seems right of out Nick Smith’s “there is no housing affordability crisis” playbook. Or Tau Henare’s suggesting that low wages don’t exist because cleaners can just get another job.

It’s either an example of National picking a candidate who doesn’t understand the local issues (probably because of his much hyped – by himself – connections to the Carter family) or a really cynical move to avoid tough issues.

It’s no secret that people in Christchurch East feel ignored and forgotten. Many were hoping that the by-election was going to force the Government to front up on the key areas where they are failing.

Instead, it looks like they are just going to stick their head in the sand, or should it be the silt, and keep on ignoring the locals.”

And here is Doocey’s pamphlet.  Click on it for a larger version.

Doocey Flier back page

 

Update:  Comments will be moderated until 7 pm tomorrow because of election day restrictions.

17 comments on “National’s head in the silt on Christchurch East ”

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  1. QoT 1
    9 October 2013 at 9:23 pm

    No mention of his undoubtedly successful career as a Lex Luthor impersonator either.

  2. Rodel 2
    9 October 2013 at 9:39 pm

    Is this a relative of the nutcase Doocey on Fox News?

  3. David 3
    9 October 2013 at 10:12 pm

    As an eastsider the Nat and the labour candidate can bog off! could neither party find a local ? It’s just insulting.

    • Tamati 3.1
      9 October 2013 at 11:20 pm

      I remember the Labour candidate ran off to watch the Warriors after she won the nomination. Showed her JAFAness through and through. I hope she quickly learns a thing or two about the Crusaders.

      Christchurch is most definitely a union town!

  4. Lanthanide 4
    9 October 2013 at 10:13 pm

    So won’t Christchurch East be significantly re-drawn as a result of the census, so whoever wins this seat really only has it until the next election and then it’s an all new ballgame next time anyway?

    • mickysavage 4.1
      9 October 2013 at 10:20 pm

      Yep but the representation of Christchurch East is very important, well vital.

      • McFlock 4.1.1
        9 October 2013 at 10:27 pm

        Not really – there’s not too much that they can’t pass at the moment anyway, and if they go went overboard with the one vote before the election that could only help labgrn. What do they want to do that mp/uf/act won’t rubber-stamp?

        • mickysavage 4.1.1.1
          10 October 2013 at 8:05 am

          Agreed McFlock. I was talking about the need for the people of Christchurch East to be represented rather than the ability to stop the Government.

  5. BrucetheMoose 5
    9 October 2013 at 10:34 pm

    If actions speak louder than words, then Christchurch East has been quiet as a graveyard lately. If you drive around some parts, you begin to wonder if there is anybody still living in some streets. It is not only there that seems desolate. Go for a walk in the central city and if you stand in one spot long enough you may see some tumble weed cruise by. Key and Brownlee were all talk at the beginning, but now you seldom even hear from his Supremeness, The Lord Fool of Canterbury. He and his payroll media side kick, Roger Sutton are rarely seen out in public unless it is a well planned, almost secretive media opportunity to be later banded around to the public, mainly at the other end of the country. Typical of National, all promise of starbursts and skyrockets, then all you end up with is a packet of crackers and couple of sparklers to lighten up the mood.

  6. vto 6
    10 October 2013 at 7:21 am

    I think it is people who think that National care about the strugglers and grinders and workers who have their heads in the silt.

    National don’t give a fuck about the east.

    National are a pack of wankers.

  7. Tracey 7
    10 October 2013 at 8:36 am

    Jafaness? One day people will “get” that a large portion of aucklanders werent born there… being from other countries and the rest of nz.

    and you a statistics man

  8. Tracey 8
    10 October 2013 at 8:43 am

    Poto WilliamsPoto Williams is a 51 year old resident of New Brighton, she is Regional Manager of St John of God Hauora Trust, managing the Community , Youth and Child Service (Southern Region), based at the Waipuna site in Pages Road in Wainoni. Living and working in the Christchurch East provides a very real understanding of local issues on a daily basis, people wanting a life with a positive future for themselves and their children.Her current role is the latest in many community based roles, having held senior management positions in the Community Mental Health, Community Health, Disability services and prior to her current role, in the Family Violence sector.Her community work has included being involved in issues of homeless ness through the LIFEWISE Big Sleepout, being active in the Auckland and Christchurch launches of the Living Wage Campaign, being a member of the Community Child Protection Review Panel and holding governance roles for Waitakere Community Law Service and Community Waitakere.She is of Cook Island descent, part of a large extended family in New Zealand and Australia, holds an MBA from Southern Cross University and is currently writing a Doctoral Thesis on Pacific Women’s Leadership. Poto and her partner Ken, have three grown up children.