Image pays off for North Shore's naked politician

By WAYNE THOMPSON

Billing herself as the "naked politician" and using sexy posters, 18-year-old Paula Gillon set out three weeks ago to win a seat on the North Shore City Council.

Along the way, the Birkenhead student won a bevy of admirers, lost five billboards showing her happily posing in underwear and blue tulle, and fended jibes from some women candidates accusing her of using her sex to grab attention for her election campaign.

But her bold campaign paid off on Saturday, when she learned that Harbour ward voters had chosen her as one of their five councillors, ahead of 19 other candidates.

Only a few months after leaving school, Ms Gillon is to be one of 16 members of the city council who will steer a $250 million annual budget for the next three years.

She may also have created local body history. Ms Gillon believes she is the youngest person to be elected to a New Zealand city council.

Candidates must be 18 by the time nominations close and her 18th birthday fell only two weeks before the deadline.

At her Saturday night victory party, Ms Gillon seemed unrattled by the prospect of helping to run the country's fourth most populous city.

"I know what I'm getting into. I've been a youth representative on the Birkenhead-Northcote Community Board this year.

"It's been a huge learning curve for me. I've seen that some of the meetings can be long and boring but others can be good and interesting."

Ms Gillon said she also faced months of hard work at her studies - she left school mid-year to do university papers in politics and history, and hopes to enter law school next year.

On top of that, she is trying to cope with an overseas media frenzy brought on by her novel campaign.

The BBC has called her and a top American men's magazine, Stuff, has suggested a feature.

"I'm not too sure about that ... it's bikinis and cars."

Her father, Alliance MP Grant Gillon, said he was "absolutely proud" of his daughter.

Standing for council was her idea, and so was the form of her campaign, he said.

One of her two brothers, John, designed the campaign website, which was particularly popular with New Zealanders living overseas.



Her slogan was a play on television's Naked Chef.

"Politicians are not trusted. With [Jamie Oliver], it's his ingredients that are naked - not him, so my ingredients are out there for all to see ... honest, reliable, caring, trustworthy, responsible.

"I think campaigns can be fun and you have to let people have a laugh. Not enough politicians smile - they are too petty and self-obsessed.

"A lot of young people did not know what the election was about, and I know young people have voted because I was standing."

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