Rival personalities vie for Christchurch mayoralty

Christchurch mayoral candidates Jim Anderton, left, and Bob Parker during a recent Grey Power meeting in Christchurch. Photo / Simon Baker

It has been billed as a fight between the smooth-talking showman and the wily old political veteran.

But neither Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker nor the man trying to take his job, Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton, care much for those labels.

"I'm sorry that I had a past that involved me on television. If some people find that difficult to take, well so be it," said Mr Parker, the former host of This is your Life, with just a hint of exasperation.

"So I can give a good speech - that's a negative? The fact that I can stand up and speak and convey an idea, or speak in an appropriate manner for an official situation - surely that's a positive thing. And remember, that's just part of me."

Likewise, the less flashy Mr Anderton considers the tag of wily old veteran a stereotype.

"There are urban myths around; you get lumbered with them. The myth that has a ring of truth to it is that I was an absolutely ferocious campaign organiser, fundraiser, analyst of elections. And this [mayoral] campaign is well organised. I've got hundreds of people [working on the campaign] - and a lot of them young, that's the nice thing about it."

At 57, Mr Parker says he is "far more relevant" than his 72-year-old rival. Mr Anderton reckons his snappy-dressing opponent would do all right if his oratory was matched by his actions.

"The problem is the message is hopeless."

It is Mr Anderton's message, it seems, that is getting through to the Christchurch voters in the build-up to the local body election on October 9.

An online poll published in June was a painful reality check for Mr Parker's performance as mayor, giving Mr Anderton 46 per cent support for the mayoralty compared with Mr Parker's 21 per cent.

The most recent poll, conducted last month by The Press in Christchurch, showed Mr Anderton still held a healthy lead with 50 per cent support, compared with 31 per cent for the incumbent. However, 57 per cent of those polled were still to make up their minds.

Mr Parker is trying to put on a brave face, saying he is still positive about his chances. But the polls have forced him to confront hard lessons.

"This is my first term as mayor of a major metropolitan [city]. Certainly, the media scrutiny has reached levels that I don't think anybody in local government could have imagined, even five years ago. We have to learn to handle contentious issues in a better way."

Asked about his strong position, Mr Anderton quotes from a favourite country and western song: "There'll be time enough for counting when the dealing's done.

"In my lifetime, I have seen politicians and campaigns lose from what is said to be an impossibly advantageous position. If anything good or bad can happen, it probably will."

But the question is, how much does Mr Anderton, who is already leader of his own political party and a member of Parliament, really want the job?

He admits freely that he is standing against Mr Parker as a last resort because the city's political left was unable to find another serious contender.

"I'm [standing] because a hell of a lot of people think someone should do it, and no one else will. And I've drawn the short straw.

"What it shows is I'm not kind of crazy about having the mayoral job as such. There's nothing in me that says, 'I want to be mayor.' What the hell have I got prove here?"

Mr Anderton's intention to remain the MP for the Christchurch electorate of Wigram while serving as mayor has been criticised fiercely by Mr Parker, who argues the country's second-largest city deserves more than a "part-time mayor".

"As a ratepayer, if I'm unsuccessful in this thing, I'm not happy that I'll be employing a part-time mayor. And if I was one of the folk out in Wigram, as a constituent, I think I deserve better than a part-time MP."

Mr Anderton says the job of MP will last only until the next general election and he is more than capable of performing both roles effectively. He says he has rather savage work habits. "I have 17-hour day work habits. You will not find even my worst enemies who say otherwise."

Mr Anderton says he is standing against what he sees as the Christchurch City Council spending ratepayer money behind closed doors, such as the purchase of the Ellerslie International Flower Show.

"And here we are, the Garden City. That's our brand. But we have to go to Auckland to get somebody to come down here, pay three million bucks for the honour ... to run a flower show. What does that say?"

Mr Parker said Christchurch had been crying out for a major garden show and since being brought south, Ellerslie had put more than $30 million into the local economy.

THE MAIN CONTENDERS:

THE INCUMBENT: BOB PARKER

* Age: 57.

* Place of birth: Christchurch.

* One term as Christchurch mayor.

* Former mayor of Banks Peninsula District (now absorbed into Christchurch City), former television personality and host of This is your Life.

THE CHALLENGER: JIM ANDERTON

* Age: 72.

* Place of birth: Auckland.

* Leader of the Progressive Party

* Former Cabinet minister and Deputy Prime Minister, and the longest continuously serving member in Parliament.