Campaigning

My first look at Paul Quinn, National's Hutt South candidate, was afforded by a campaign meeting hosted by the Forest and Bird Society on Thursday night. I think he has a short fuse which Trevor Mallard is quite good at lighting. Should make the meetings interesting. Murray Smith, standing again for United Future, is no less self-important as a mere candidate rather than MP.

I admit to struggling slightly with matters environmental but don't, as a consequence, compose answers so loosely related to the questions that I could be mistaken for a Minister at question time. The audience is not that dense.

More comfortable yesterday addressing the Catholic Diocese in Palmerston North on the issue of poverty in Aoteoroa, I found the idea of ending lifestyle welfare met with some approval. I was the only candidate/MP to go near the subject. Massaging the audience really does seem to be the number one objective for some. As an exercise in studying human nature, campaign meetings provide wonderful fodder. So good I sometimes have to remind myself to concentrate on the matter at hand. But I am warming to the process.

Yesterday a lady specifically addressed her question to the National candidate. "Will National be abolishing the Ministry of Women's Affairs as Don Brash promised at the last election." She was clearly aggrieved by the thought. Getting impatient with the National candidate bumbling apologetically that they ...er.... wouldn't, I interjected "No. They won't. But we might".

The looks on both their faces were worth it.