Dame Susan Devoy: Politics prove hard ACT to follow

Strangely even after all these years I still get regular requests to do things for a whole variety of organisations and causes. I have been retired longer than I competed so it amazes me that I am still sought after. Ironically in my prime I was highly sought after and highly paid and now I am just highly sought after.
Great for the ego but not for the pocket. The requests vary from speaking, to donating items of memorabilia for auctions - and I can assure you the cupboard is bare - to recipes for cookbooks, a multitude of school projects and even the odd appearance on television, probably when all the current celebrities are unavailable.
But last week I was knocked for six by the latest request. A woman who shall remain nameless and I trust she won't be offended for mentioning this, rang and politely enquired as to whether I would be interested in standing in Tauranga as the ACT candidate. It seemed irrelevant that I wasn't an Act Party member but what the hell neither was Don Brash and it didn't stop him. She wouldn't have been able to see me fall about the floor laughing whilst I declined politely. I really wanted to say I wouldn't contemplate joining any party where its leader is the most morally bankrupt person in the country.
This was as nearly as amusing as when a few years back Sir Howard Morrison asked me to stand for the then newly formed Maori Party.
So, with the exception of the Green Party I now have been approached by every mainstream party in New Zealand. Actually I stand corrected I have never been approached by my fellow columnist to join NZ First, probably because I'm not affiliated with Grey Power yet.
So it got me thinking, I'm fairly convinced that my general attitude doesn't portray any particular political leaning.
My parents were staunch Labour supporters, hard working Kiwis who believed in the welfare system as a safety net not as a means of dependency as it is today. I wonder if they were still alive if that loyalty would have been tested ?
Yes I unashamedly supported Simon Bridges at the last election and for a young man with political aspirations he has and will continue to be been a fine hard working MP for Tauranga.
But I am not that naive to understand that all these approaches have nothing to do with my political beliefs or values but simply because I have a name and a profile and rightly or wrongly we all know that even if it doesn't equate to votes in the ballot box it will ensure there is more media attention than if Joe Bloggs put their nomination forward.
There is no denying that politics and some politicians are duplicitous. A cunning deceit that many would vow is required to be at the cut and thrust of politics.
In the throes of penning this I see that Bob Clarkson is lending his weight to the Act Party here in Tauranga, disgruntled at the Government's poor performance of the economy.
So things are getting interesting. And when the phoenix, namely Winston, rises from the ashes people will have some tough decisions to make. In essence it comes down to people asking themselves come November: "am I better off than I was three years ago ?
If the answer is no then we will ask ourselves who we blame for that - is it still Labour or have National's responses to issues failed us. The race is on, there is no escaping the fact the smaller parties will have a huge impact on the result of the election and for that reason we should reject the MMP proportional representation voting system otherwise we will be in the same situation that fringe parties with no public support, rather than the voters get to choose who will be Prime Minister.
It remains to be seen who the "kingmaker"will be this time around.