Dumped and 'condemned'

By ROSALEEN MACBRAYNE

ROTORUA - Dumped cabinet minister Max Bradford was left feeling like a "condemned man" after his mauling by district councillor Steve Chadwick in the Rotorua seat.

Mrs Chadwick, who becomes Rotorua's first Labour MP for 39 years, has gone one step further than her husband, John, who ran for Labour in the seat six years ago when it was held by Paul East.

Mr Bradford's paper majority of 5505 was demolished as Mrs Chadwick stormed to an election-night lead of 4779.

"I am delighted I am the MP who sent Max Bradford east," Mrs Chadwick beamed, after the Minister of Defence, Tertiary Education and Enterprise and Commerce conceded defeat about 12.30 am yesterday.

There has been lingering ill-feeling over Mr Bradford, who wrested the Rotorua candidacy from Mr East, the MP for 18 years, in a bitter battle after he had been left without a seat by the 1996 MMP boundary changes.

The new MP is a 50-year-old nurse and midwife who was named Stephanie by her parents but who has been known as "Steve" or "Stevie" since she was two.

Mr Bradford, an opponent of MMP, can count on his 15th placing on the list to return him to Parliament.

"In some ways I feel like a condemned man," he told a hardcore group of about 50 supporters on election night in Rotorua. "I fundamentally disbelieve in MMP."

A subdued Mr Bradford had seen the writing on the wall before the election outcome was known and spent time consoling disappointed party workers as the night wore on.

He blamed his defeat on boundary changes rather than on his role as the architect of unpopular energy reforms or his high-profile scuffle with a university student during the campaign.

"In some campaigns you just can't fight the tide. I have put a lot of effort into this community, but in the end it doesn't count for much."

Labour has not held the seat since 1960, when Ray Boord lost it by 358 votes to National's Harry Lapwood in an upset in that year's election.

In contrast to National's strained election-night gathering, a spirited haka greeted Mr Bradford when he arrived at the jubilant Labour camp at Ohinemutu to congratulate Mrs Chadwick.

"This is bicultural New Zealand at its best," Mrs Chadwick said later, as she praised the support of her husband, who has Tuwharetoa and Ngati Kahungungu ancestry.