Mr Kirk opposed to Mr Anderton’s bid for Sydenham

Press, 11 July 1983, Page 3

Mr Kirk opposed to Mr Anderton’s bid for Sydenham

The member of Parliament for Sydenham, Mr John Kirk, yesterday expressed opposition to the possibility of being succeeded by the president of the Labour Party, Mr J. P. Anderton. Mr Kirk announced bn Saturday that he would stand down at the next election.

He said that he planned to follow a business career in tourism, ski-ing, and corporate promotion. “My heart has not been in the job for some time now, and I feel duty bound to see my organisation well represented in the next Parliament.

“A person cannot do more than one job at a time, therefore I am making a choice without pressure or coercion,” said Mr Kirk. He had no argument with the Labour Party or anyone in it, and said that he would remain a party member and support his replacement. When he heard that Mr Anderton might consider offering himself for the Sydenham nomination, Mr Kirk said his reaction to that was “quite anti.”

“If Mr Anderton wishes to nominate, it vzill not be with my support and definitely with a great deal of hostility from Christchurch,” said Mr Kirk. “I did not consider when vacating my seat that the president would consider coming from Auckland to enter Parliament through Christchurch,” said Mr Kirk. He said it was “pretty hard” to get the Labour Party at large to understand someone who was seeking reelection as president “jumping at the first opportunity there is in a far-flung electorate to enter politics.” “There are plenty of good local candidates who will be offering themselves for

selection and it would appear they would be up against the party machine from head office if Mr Anderton chooses to nominate. “While I accept he has a right to nominate, the history of the situation and the need for party unity should really strait-jacket any president of the Labour Party into not wielding the presidential stick to obtain a seat in Parliament,” said Mr Kirk. “Christchurch has had in recent times two imported members and both have settled down very well. A third person in that category plus extra problems of being president of the party would be more than the market could stand. “I make this statement in the support of any local candidates who will nominate but feel they will be unfairly disadvantaged by a current president of the party entering the race. “It would seem common sense to me that the president should want to be president and to do that job. It would also seem common sense that he should have dismissed an interest in

Sydenham from the word go. It is time local candidates had their opportunity unfettered by head office pressures.” Mr Kirk said he had indicated that he would support the next candidate for the electorate but made the comments about the presi-

dent on the basis that the need for the statement should never have occurred. Mr Anderton had also offered himself when Mr Frank Rogers, the former member for Onehunga, had died.

“It is he (Mr Anderton) who said at the time of the possible by-election over the Quigley affair in Rangiora that he would not seek a seat in the South Island, so one wonders what’s happened to change that,” said Mr Kirk.

On his possible successors, Mr Kirk said that Mr Wes Cameron would be the front runner “at this stage.” Mr Cameron, aged 53, has been a member of the Federation of Labour executive since 1977, president of the Canterbury Trades Council since 1974, and secretary of the Canterbury branch of the Meat Workers’ Union since 1973. He confirmed from Nelson last evening that he would be accepting his nomination. and had no intention of withdrawing if Mr Anderton entered the race. A Labour Christchurch City councillor, Mr H. A. Clark, indicated last week that he would also seek nomination for the Sydenham seat. But Mr Kirk said last evening that Mr Clark had “zero possibility” of becoming a member of Parliament. The chairman of the Canterbury regional council of the Labour Party, Mr G. R. Lomax, said that he was not surprised that Mr Kirk would not be standing again.

“I was aware that he had other business interests and he had dropped several hints in the past that this type of thing might have been on his mind,” said Mr Lomax. Mr Kirk’s electorate chairman, Miss Jeanette Weastell, said that she had been aware for several months that Mr Kirk might not seek nomination for Sydenham. “I know that the Labour Electorate Committee will accept Mr Kirk’s decision, and wish him well his future plans,” she saiS.