Key surprises girls preparing for formal

Prime Minister John Key campaigning with Hekia Parata for the forth coming by election, Porirua. Photo / NZPA

The teenage girls of Porirua were primping and preening in preparation for their school formal when Prime Minister John Key crashed their party in his first attempt at campaigning for the Mana by-election.

The by-election, to be held in November, was forced when Labour MP Winnie Laban announced she was leaving Parliament to take up a job with Victoria University. She will make her valedictory speech on October 12 and was expected to resign soon after.

Labour's candidate, former press secretary and television political reporter Kris Faafoi, will run against National's Hekia Parata, who stood unsuccessfully in the seat in 2008.

Emily Piper, 18, and Fehella Brown, 17, of Aotea College, tried to hide when they saw Mr Key in the North City shopping mall in Porirua today.

Ms Piper said they had just had spray tans in preparation for their school formal tomorrow and were embarrassed to be caught without makeup on.

Mr Key seemed unfazed, asking the girls about their plans once they finished the school year.

Ms Piper said she'd probably go to university and would consider voting for National in the upcoming by-election.

In a hairdressing shop in Cobham Court, another Aotea College student Sasha Silva, was also in mid-formal preparations when surprised by Mr Key.

Her Mum, Emma, was concerned he would ruin her daughter's hair.

Ms Silver was just worried no one would believe her tomorrow when she said the Prime Minister had done her hair.

Mrs Parata said National had a strong record to run on and she was well known in the area.

"I'm a girl from Ruatoria. I've worked hard to get where I am now, and I don't do runner up."

Education and the economy were the important campaign areas for her, Mrs Parata said.

Mr Key said the economy, especially the GST increase and income tax cuts on October 1, Transmission Gully and law and order were the main issues raised by people in Porirua today.

While National was the underdog in the electorate, it was making in-roads into traditional Labour territory, he said.

"I think we can do quite well here."

Labour leader Phil Goff and Mr Faafoi were also in Mana this morning, visiting Corinna school in Waitangirua.

Mr Goff said Labour was not taking the by-election for granted.

Mr Faafoi was a role model for the young people of Porirua and had taken to campaigning well, he said.

"He was pretty good on the other side of the cameras actually."

- NZPA