manukau mayoralty matters

theme music: in the neighbourhood

so the candidates are:
- Barry Curtis - incumbent, since the dawn of time
- Dick Quax - act-o big time, that guy who did that running thing
- Len Brown - otara councillor for years and years and years, labour
- Mike Padfield - don't know much about him but he has a moustache, just like Len and Dick... spooky

according to Act, Quax is going to win by a landslide - they allege he has all the support in east, and the implication is that that's all he needs. They seem to have forgotten about the rest of the city, (as people in Howick and Pakuranga tend to do) which is really quite a lot of the mayoralty voters...

Brown is apparently a no-hoper, as he won't get any votes in the east (remember, they're all going to Quax). While I'm not saying Brown is going to win the area, Act seem to be totally forgetting the fact that Labour won the party vote in Pakuranga at the last election. Sure, people don't vote so much on party lines for local body, but the Pakuranga Labour people are quite organised (i should know, i live with one of them) and Act and National weren't, in 2002 anyway.

Padfield is rather oddly promising 10% lower rates and 10% lower crime. Not quite sure how he's going to fulfill these, but good to see someone has the idea of SMART goals down pat.

Unfortunately I suspect Curtis will win again anyway, albeit with a reduced majority. maybe it's the lack of facial hair that'll make the difference ;-)