MP Hamish Walker saves distressed man days before wedding

Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker is marrying Penny Tipu tomorrow in Southland. The pair are pictured here with their cat Monty. Photo / Supplied

National Party MP Hamish Walker spent the first day of the year saving a life.

The politician was taking a walk with his fiancee Penny Tipu on New Year's Day when they came across a man who was standing on a six-inch wide ledge at the top of the Lake Hawea dam.

While Tipu called police, Walker skirted down the side of a grassy slope to where the distressed man was standing and managed to talk him down from the ledge.

He then walked with him to the local gas station, where he bought him some food and cigarettes to calm him down.

Police arrived about 20 minutes later and Walker accompanied the man to the Wanaka police station until the man's partner arrived.

Walker, who is marrying Tipu tomorrow, did not want to comment on the incident saying he was trying to stay focused on his big day.

However, Detective Senior Sergeant Malcolm Inglis confirmed Walker had brought the 28-year-old man down from the ledge, which is about 10m above the churning water.

"He was heading up to have a walk with his partner when he saw a man in distress. He talked him into coming away from the edge of the dam. He was there, on the spot, and did a very good job."

"He calmed the situation down and then went back with police to the Wanaka police station, and waited with police until medical assistance arrived.

Inglis said it was important to try engage with people in this kind of situation, rather than turning away or being afraid of saying the wrong thing.

"To engage can be quite frightening for people in those situations, because they're not sure what's going to happen. It was fortunate he came along and made the effort to stop and see what was happening.

"He's done a really good civic job of taking the time to engage, and talk him into coming with him and away from a dangerous situation, and then buying him some smokes and food to calm him down."

Inglis said the result would have been "very nasty" if the man had not been talked down.

He said in general people sometimes had demons to fight after a night of New Year's revelry.

"It quite often happens on New Year's day after a night out of drinking. It's not unusual to get depressed, or have relationship problems."

He said there had been speculation that Walker had been arrested after he was seen getting into a police car.

"But he was actually doing a very good deed."

Walker and Tipu's wedding will be held at special events centre The Port Molyneux School at Kaka Point just south of Balclutha, with about 120 guests including 15 National Party MPs.

Walker's family has strong roots in Balclutha, but his heritage is Scottish and Walker, 33, will be wearing a kilt as he watches Tipu, who is 28 and Maori, walk down the aisle to a chorus of bagpipes.

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