Campaign diary: TV beats the pub. Yeah right

Thirst-quenching election fever

It seems that even the brewers of Tui beer are getting into the election spirit with less than a week to go until polling day. The company has added its distinctive black and orange billboards to those of the political parties who are busy touting for last-minute votes. But the billboards come with a sting in the tail. "Forget the pub. I'll be glued to the TV on election night. Yeah right".

And the winner is ...

There were good-natured jeers when Minister for Auckland Issues Judith Tizard won the raffle at a Labour fund-raising dinner in Newmarket last week. But cries of "draw it again" slackened when the ebullient Ms Tiz said: "I've been buying raffle tickets for the Labour party since I was seven, and this is the first time I've ever won anything."

Out-of-date

National's Epsom candidate Richard Worth seems to have his dates a tad confused. As he drove through the streets of Parnell yesterday in a car adorned with blue balloons, the MP reminded shoppers via a loudspeaker to make sure they got out and voted on election day - November 27. One shopper who charitably thought she may have misheard him was surprised when he repeated the mistake at the next intersection.

A Dear Helen letter

Wellington anti-GM campaigners plan to erect a giant portrait of Helen Clark on the side of a boatshed in Evans Bay today. It will be accompanied by a billboard that reads: "Dear Helen. If insurers won't take the GE risk, why should we?". A spokesperson said the campaign aimed to highlight their concerns about the lifting of a moratorium on the release of GM organisms. It would point out that insurance companies were refusing to insure against GM accidents.

They said it:

"Frankly, I'm the only Waitakere candidate who isn't prepared to bullshit the electorate" - National MP Marie Hasler speaks about Alliance claims its candidate is polling ahead of her.

"Vote Act for a bonfire of regulations" - Act leader Richard Prebble sets Government legislation on fire in a rubbish bin at Parliament.

Where the leaders are:

* Helen Clark launches Project K in Lower Hutt.

* Bill English spends the day in Wellington.

* Winston Peters campaigns in Tauranga.

* Green co-leader Rod Donald launches the party's education policy in Hamilton; colleague Jeanette Fitzsimons campaigns in the Coromandel.

* Richard Prebble talks to students and holds a public meeting in Auckland.

* Jim Anderton appears on breakfast television before campaigning on the North Shore.

* Laila Harre talks to Conservation Corps students in Devonport and campaigns in Waitakere.

* Peter Dunne heads to Dunedin for the day.

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nzherald.co.nz/election

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