KEY POINTS:
If Winston Peters was the favourite son, then Gerry Brownlee quickly became the black sheep as politicians chased the grey vote in Christchurch yesterday.
The controversial New Zealand First leader was given a typically rousing reception by about 400 sympathetic oldies who packed into the Grey Power meeting, before he promptly turned the party political forum into an exercise in National Party-bashing.
The senior citizens fanned themselves with newspapers in the stifling heat of a suburban hall as representatives from other parties were happy to follow Mr Peters' lead.
Even the meeting chairman, Grey Power's Colin Taylor, inadvertently joined in with an unfortunate turn of phrase about how his organisation had drawn the political "heavyweights" to the forum. As the crowd giggled at the expense of the broadly-proportioned Mr Brownlee, Mr Peters eagerly pointed him out to ensure everyone got the joke.
Green Party representative Ken Graham, standing in for party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons, recognised he was in Winston's territory and told the audience: "I invite you all, in the esteemed presence of the Honourable Winston Peters, to vote Green".
By the time Mr Brownlee got up to speak his party had already had a grilling, and told the audience: "I feel very much like I am in the corner of the ring after the previous five speakers".
He tried to turn the tables on Labour minister Ruth Dyson by talking about National's own pledge card: "We have paid for it instead of taxpayers". To which Ms Dyson promptly replied from her seat: "Have you paid the GST?"
Mr Peters then demanded an apology from Mr Brownlee, having being cleared by the Serious Fraud Office, before interjecting angrily as the National frontbencher tried to take to the speaker's podium to strike back.
When Mr Brownlee got up to answer another question and went off track, Mr Peters promptly complained to the chairman, sending Mr Brownlee back to his seat without any further chance to address it.
Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton also warned of the history of National governments, and produced a written pledge not to sell Kiwibank, which he said was signed by all the other politicians at the forum. He urged Mr Brownlee to sign it.
Mr Peters even offered his own pen to Mr Brownlee, who declined.
An audience member, who wanted to be known only as Edith, spoke for many when she said she felt Mr Peters had been the one "ganged up on" in recent months.
"[New Zealand First] is the only party that has done anything much for the oldies."
