Yesterday, I posted a link to Johnny Moore’s column about the Ministry nightclub being pulled down by CERA. There’s a by-election going on in town, and one of the candidates decided that it was worth making hay out of this issue. Surprisingly, the party that put it’s hand up was ACT. It’s an interesting press release, and shows just how conflicted the ACT Party is these days; they’re arguing for property rights and that the government shouldn’t be intervening in people’s business; at the same time, the only other issue that Gareth Veale has said anything about in Christchurch East has been from the Sensible Sentencing-trust wing of the party, the “Three Strikes” bill. While I’d never vote for them, it does kind of hearten me to see ACT making the libertarian argument about the blueprint – but where were they on this when the plan came out 18 months ago?
The campaign run by ACT has been about as coherent as their policy; they’ve put out this press release, about a nightclub in Christchurch Central electorate that has nothing to do with the East, and they have two massive billboards – also in Christchurch Central, rather than East. I’m picking that the Conservative’s Leighton Baker will beat Gareth Veale tomorrow, and probably reasonably comfortably (considering we’re talking about the likely 4th and 5th placed candidates.) If that’s the case, then the narrative coming out of this by-election may not be about Labour or National, but that Colin Craig has properly established himself as an electoral contender – and that the conflicted, confused ACT brand is done and dusted. Results are expected to start coming in around 9, with confirmation after 10.
Rebuilding Christchurch 
You could argue also that National are even more conflicted! Hey we cannot intervene in the insurance market to ensure that insurers are honoring their policies (let alone get our own house in order at EQC) apart from a limp wristed insurance advisory service and as for the housing market, well spiraling rents and a general lack of housing, the market is supposed to sort that out too, but in the central city, Well…let’s compulsorily acquire a whole bunch of land and bank it so prices are manipulated and then sell it on to developers, while pulling the wool over peoples eyes and claiming it is for a “green Frame” While kicking out SMEs that are keen to return, and reopen their businesses (Richard Middleton of The Bicycle Theif comes to mind and also the sad saga of Nicky and Joe Arts on High St and their battles with MoBIE, CERA and The CCDU just to find out what their future holds in the mysterious “innovation Precinct” that spuper minister Steven Joyce wants so much. http://www.cardmakerschc.wordpress.com/
I’m glad that Poto Williams has won in Chch East. Gareth Veale has come 6th equal with Paula Lambert, the candidate for the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (56 votes each) Layton Baker got 487 votes http://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electorate-5.html
Clearly it is a big middle finger to National and their handling of the recovery (in Chch East at least) and hopefully with the electoral boundary changes, my local MP “invisible Nicky Wagner” will be out of the job and have all the time in the world to tweet about daffodils which she seems much more interested in than representing her constituents http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/7683219/Queen-of-the-silver-linings
James, you might note that Gareth was one of the speakers condemning the heavy-handed approach the government has taken.
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2012/12/freedom-in-christchurch/#axzz2mGNRbhdV
Where was Gareth? See above.