Second Chch man seeks National post

Press, 24 April 1986, Page 5

Second Chch man seeks National post

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington

A Christchurch businessman, Mr Brian Shackel, yesterday confirmed his candidacy for the presidency of the National Party. This brings to three the number of candidates. The others are a Christchurch solicitor, Mr Neville Young, and a Hawke’s Bay farmer, Mr Hamish Kynoch. A former president of the Manufacturers’ Federation, Mr Stan Duncan, withdrew his candidacy. He now plans to seek the chairmanship of the Otago-Southland division of the party. Mr Young, chairman of the party’s CanterburyWestland division, is the front-runner at this stage, but Mr Shackel’s candi-

dacy adds another dimension to the campaign. He does not have the record at the top level of the National Party over the years of either Mr Young or Mr Kynoch. Although a party member since 1958, his background is as a branch chairman in the Fendalton electorate and as a member of the Christchurch business house appeal committee. Mr Shackel, who is 53, and married, with two children, has made his reputation as a businessman. Having started as a retail butcher in 1957 he now runs his own business and investment company. Mr Shackel is pitching his campaign in the party at those who want a busi-nessman-manager as president rather than

someone with a higher profile background. He also seeks nomination to National’s annual conference from the three North Island divisions of the party — Auckland, Waikato and Wellington — rather than his home base of Canterbury-West-land, which is expected to nominate Mr Young. There are no obvious candidates from the northern North Island and it is mainly in that region that Mr Shackel is spending his time and lobbying for support. He is promoting himself as a person with new ideas rather than scarred by the party battles of the past. “National has a strong organisational structure but it needs leadership and management skills to make it work,” he said.