KEY POINTS:
The electorate office of Taito Phillip Field got a breath of fresh air, well a blast of air freshener actually, the day the Mangere MP was expelled from the Labour Party.
While Mr Field met with his lawyer at his home yesterday, a few blocks down busy Massey Rd disgruntled constituent Sam Bracanov was on the street spraying the breeze outside the electorate office with Glade "Clean and Pure" air sanitiser.
Mr Bracanov, who in 1994 famously sprayed air freshener at Prince Charles, was also busy hammering in signs on the grassy verge and handing out notes while incoherently protesting about everything from the British royal family to Helen Clark and Mr Field, who "told me off some time ago".
Inside the grounds the art deco style building was all but deserted and media inquiries politely directed to Parliamentary Services in Wellington.
As the media gathered outside the offices in the afternoon, cars tooted and one man drove past yelling "leave him alone".
Mr Field was not in the office, where Labour Party president Mike Williams eventually turned up to inform the chairman of the local electorate committee how "things are going to unfold" in relation to the MP's expulsion. At Mr Field's house his teary-eyed wife Maxine had asked reporters to respect their privacy.
"He's not very happy ... he has worked hard, but now he's sad. And we have three family funerals."
Sad or not, Mr Field displayed his compassionate side when he sent out a cold drink to a television cameraman who was wilting in the afternoon heat.
Response at Mangere town centre
* Maz Laulu, a part-Samoan community service worker and big fan of Helen Clark, said it was good Mr Field had been expelled from the Labour Party.
"He hasn't done anything to help the community."
* John Snowball, a Niuean hospitality manager:
"Good job - I think it's overdue. If he goes I will go back to Labour."
* Hilda Papali'i, a Samoan university student, said Labour was making a mistake and she would be "very wary" about giving the party her vote in future.
"Until they understand [Samoan culture] they won't see the big picture ... I respect him ... he's done good things for this community."
* Johnny Tagavaitau, a Niuean general hand:
"Pleased to see him go because of the negative publicity. And you hardly see him around."
