Dumped MP heeds call to watermelon weeding

WELLINGTON - Weeding watermelons for $8 an hour will be a new job for former New Zealand First MP Tutekawa Wyllie this summer.

The former Te Tai Tonga MP has not yet decided what to do after losing his seat in the November 27 election, but he is not ruling out a return to politics, despite saying on election night that he would "sooner be on the bottom of a Canterbury ruck."

Mr Wyllie said he was not sure if he would stay with NZ First. He had been in charge of organising the Maori wing of the party.

"I haven't made my mind up yet. I haven't decided what I'm going to do," he said.

"I've got a job in the new year weeding watermelons for eight bucks an hour. So I'll do that for a couple of weeks.

"It's a whanau business and I just wanted to help out since I've got some spare time."

He was also doing up a house in Gisborne that he had recently bought and moved into.

"I miss the [parliamentary] work but not the rubbish that goes with it. Life goes on."

Mr Wyllie, who worked on Maori fisheries issues, said he might also return to that field. - NZPA