Voters over Lee, says rival

Labour's David Shearer. Photo / Richard Robinson

Labour's Mt Albert candidate, David Shearer, says he is pleased people in the electorate are "over Melissa Lee" and talking about "the real issues".

Party leader Phil Goff yesterday formally launched Labour's campaign for the June 13 byelection at Mt Albert's Rocket Park, attended by about 50 supporters and MPs including Chris Carter, David Cunliffe, Maryan Street and David Parker.

Mr Goff said Mr Shearer, a United Nations official, brought to the electorate extraordinary advocacy skills learned from a lifetime working on behalf of others.

The launch was in stark contrast to National MP Melissa Lee's a day earlier. It was indoors and the media were not invited.

"We are focused on issues, supporting the community on the Waterview motorway, representing the community's voice on the future of the Super City and listening to their concerns about the economy," Mr Shearer said of the fight for the seat vacated by former Prime Minister Helen Clark.

He said voters he met yesterday had got over Ms Lee's comments about the motorway keeping South Auckland criminals away.

Yesterday, Ms Lee said the reason she didn't want the media at the launch of her campaign was that it came on the back of a "bad week" and she wanted the event to be one where she could talk to her supporters away from the cameras and reporters.

"It was quite hard for me and it had also been hard for my supporters as well, with all the bullshit in the media," she said.

Ms Lee said crime and housing featured highly among concerns of voters, and when it came to the issue of the motorway, "most people just want to get on with it".

Ms Lee, a journalist originally from South Korea, was expecting strong support from overseas-born electors, who make up 40 per cent of the electorate - but Mr Albert resident Ganesh Muneer says many Indian voters have turned against National for "shafting" its 2005 and 2008 candidate, Ravi Musuku.

"Ravi would have given us Indians a representative in Parliament," Mr Muneer said, "and I think National did not do their sums right when shafting him for their Korean candidate, who is already in Parliament."