Victor finds it hard to relax

By EUGENE BINGHAM

WELLINGTON - Even in victory, Labour's Marian Hobbs was not sure she could relax yesterday.

"Richard [Prebble] is a wily old sozzle," she said of her Wellington Central opponent. "I'm still cautious about those special votes."

Most believed she need not worry, she said, but after weeks of going head-to-head with Mr Prebble in a tough campaign, accepting that it was all over was not going to be easy.

Ms Hobbs' 1100-vote, election-night win over the Act leader was being hailed as a symbolic victory for the centre-left over the centre-right.

The race went down to the wire, with supporters for both candidates waiting until 2 am yesterday to find out who had won.

Then it was not until the cold light of day that Mr Prebble conceded defeat, waiting until the pair were interviewed on radio.

The result leaves Mr Prebble as the only leader of a party in Parliament without an electorate seat, as well as with the dubious record of losing both Wellington Central and Auckland Central.

He said he had always seen himself as the underdog, despite being the incumbent. Redrawn boundaries had disadvantaged him, and the result was disappointing because he enjoyed being a local representative.

Mr Prebble warned Ms Hobbs not to get too comfortable.

"I wouldn't advise her to unpack her suitcases - this seat has had five MPs this decade."

Ms Hobbs said she already had work to get on with as MP.

"I feel very comfortable in Wellington Central. I'm rational and I'm not a leader of a political party coming here to make a point or play games. I'm here to do a basic job."