Editorial: A man who served us well

Mark Dawson, Editor of Wanganui Chronicle

The news that Kerry James Borrows - aka Chester - is stepping away from politics prior to next year's General Election is not a great surprise.

The rumour mill has, in recent months, suggested such a move was on the cards and, after four terms in Parliament, the hardworking Whanganui MP still feels energised enough to head for fresh pastures.

The National Party MP has his critics - especially in the more Labour-inclined urban Whanganui - and that is something that comes with the job.

But both Whanganui - and New Zealand - have been well-served by Mr Borrows.

By natural inclination on the soft left of the National Party, he has resisted its hard line stances. Indeed, the Government's socialist policies of recent times suggest the party has moved toward him rather than vice versa.

Of course, all politicians carry a certain amount of ambition, and Mr Borrows wanted a major ministerial position and a place in Cabinet where the real power lies.

He did well as Minister for Courts and as Associate Minister for Justice, and might have hoped for a more prominent portfolio after National's 2014 election success. Instead, he was offered Deputy Speaker, something he took as an honour but also something that said his political career had plateau-ed.

He will be 60 next June, and John Key will be looking for fresh - and younger - faces to take into the election battle.

Mr Borrows has never been a showy politician or an attention-seeker. As I once wrote, he tends to hide his light under a bushel and much of his work in the constituency is on a personal level and goes unreported.

His work in the field of justice and particularly with regard to young offenders will be what best commends him.

And, of course, the accomplished amateur dauber still has to go and paint his masterpiece.