C8 MAINLANDER Saturday, December 3, 2011 THE PRESS, Christchurch Winston’s men ready to rumble

campaigns in the former Lyttelton electorate, and he became a city councillor on the Labour ticket in Two of Canterbury’s newest MPs will 1989. He took on unpopular jobs, be lining up behind Winston Peters leading the development of the Kate Valley regional landfill, and when Parliament is sworn in this being involved at the start of the Central Plains Water (CWP) month. They spoke to WARREN irrigation scheme (he now chairs the CWP trust). He set up the GAMBLE about their circuitous route Recovered Materials Foundation, which began kerbside recycling in to NZ First and into the halls of power. Christchurch. His sometimes abrasive style – he describes it as forceful – led one he resurrection of new office – lie on a slew of woman councillor to call him a Winston Peters was newspapers and mail, and next to a bully. He was shocked by that one of the few surprises box of playdough belonging to his description, but does admit to of the election. daughter, Olivia. being prickly at times. Typically, it was no She turned two on election day, ‘‘When people talk rubbish to Tmeek return. Peters stormed back but Prosser was not able to me I actually tell them that. I don’t to Parliament fuelled by that cup celebrate the occasion, and his do it with the intention of of tea and his own brew of fire and own success, with her and his upsetting people but I don’t see the charm. partner, Mel Francis. point in not engaging with them He brought seven MPs with Olivia and her mother left to be genuinely.’’ him, only one of whom, Barbara with Francis’ sick grandmother in After losing his position in the Stewart, has been an MP before. England a month ago, and being 2004 elections when the council The others include a former pregnant with the couple’s second seats were halved, O’Rourke television weatherman, a child means she cannot fly home thought he would slow down. He controversial former North Shore until after the baby is born in late had resigned his 19-year mayor, and two Canterbury men January. membership of the Labour Party who only joined the party last Prosser will fly over for the in 2003, dissatisfied with the year. birth, and in the meantime the direction of Helen Clark’s Denis O’Rourke, 65, and pair keep in touch through Skype. government. He kept his hand in a Richard Prosser, 44, between them He keeps the laptop pointed away range of companies, but admits to attracted only 1174 electorate votes from the kitchen which has feeling ‘‘lost’’ politically. in Port Hills and Waimakariri. become ‘‘an absolute bloody mess’’ He searched NZ First’s policies Both express no disappointment, in the month he has been baching Denis O’Rourke: ‘‘When people talk rubbish to me I actually tell them that.’’ Richard Prosser: ‘‘Life has been bit of a kaleidoscope.’’ Photo: GEOFF MEIN/FAIRFAX NZ on the internet, found they saying their campaigns were and hitting the campaign trail as Photo: DAVID HALLETT/FAIRFAX NZ matched his egalitarian solely focused on the party vote. far south as Gore. board of directors, and won a list in the Christchurch City Council philosophy, and joined at the High list rankings meant as the The 0.5-hectare lifestyle publicity for his qualification as a 2005 and for the Central Otago ranking of four. as a ‘‘no half-measures’’ politician. beginning of last year. election night results rolled in – property, 3km from Ashley, also master of the Japanese healing mayoralty two years later. When Parliament gets down to He was known for fiery speeches, O’Rourke campaigned across with NZ First staying rock solid on shows signs of neglect, but he has practice of reiki. He says he has His conversion to NZ First business next February, Prosser and an exhaustively-researched the city, undeterred by a $4000 6.8 per cent of the vote – their at least been able to tackle the long been interested in natural came after he covered Peters’ says he can make a difference, command of his subjects. He budget and turnouts of three or political futures were assured, at knee-high grass in the backyard, therapies as a complement to address to a Grey Power meeting even as a new boy in a party which claimed to have read every word four people to some of his 60 street least for three years. and promises the house will be in conventional medicine. He is a in Rangiora in the middle of last will not be part of any support in every council report. corner meetings, although he This week the pair joined other order before he tackles the bigger columnist for Ian Wishart’s year, and spoke to him briefly agreements. O’Rourke credits, in a reckons more were listening in new MPs on a two-day induction House. provocative Investigate magazine afterwards. ‘‘I’m not going there to eat my backhanded way, National prime from their homes. He was buoyed from Parliamentary Services Prosser says he does not lack where his ‘‘shock jock’’ style has ‘‘Listening to Winston’s speech, lunch. I might breathe through my minister Robert Muldoon for by a group of five young people about their $141,800-a-year jobs, for life experience to bring to rounded on targets as diverse as everything he was talking about nose for three months, but I’m not galvanising his political career ‘‘lucky to be 20’’ at one meeting including a mock question time in Parliament. He has been a the United Nations, man-made was what I had been writing about going to do it for three years.’’ when he was a young lawyer in and by the feedback he was getting the debating chamber. It will be photographic technician, barman, climate change and the for 10 years. Christchurch in the late 1970s and about the party and Peters. the first of many trips to engineering contractor, truck ‘‘corruption of our national moral ‘‘When I met him in person I got ❏❏❏ early 1980s. He is relishing the prospect of Wellington. driver, spent 10 years as a fibre’’. a very different impression to how ‘‘It was his [Muldoon’s] policies developing the party’s policy, viticulturist and winemaker in ‘‘Life’s been a bit of a he is presented on papers and At 65, O’Rourke is a year of divisiveness, incredibly particularly in the area of ❏❏❏ central Otago, and moved to kaleidoscope, really,’’ he says. television. He is painted as a flashy younger than his party leader, but oppressive regulations, absolutely economic development, and the Canterbury three years ago to His political pedigree is also showman and untrustworthy, but he says he does ‘‘not feel much awful economic policies which just cut and thrust of parliamentary The dining room table in work in the irrigation industry. He varied. His father David was a paid he struck me as very, very different than 45’’. drove the economy debates. ‘‘It [debating] is Prosser’s rural north Canterbury will soon give up his position as organiser for the Social Credit genuine.’’ ‘‘I have just as much energy, into the ground.’’ recreational for me.’’ home is a microcosm of his South Island business Party in the 1970s and 80s. Prosser joined the local NZ good health, and probably have got O’Rourke joined the Labour You also get the sense he can’t increasingly congested life. A development manager for After his OE, Prosser stood for First branch, and agreed to put his more drive,’’ he says. Party and ‘‘got stuck in’’. wait to get his hands on the parliamentary issue iPhone and irrigation firm Parkland. Social Credit’s successors, the name forward as a candidate. He Which is a powerful statement He was Anne Hercus’ campaign endless stacks of parliamentary iPad – part of the baubles of his Prosser has already attracted Democrats, in Central Otago in became a member of the party’s for a man with a reputation forged manager for one of her successful papers.

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