John Kirk chosen to run lottery

Press, 15 July 1987, Page 15

John Kirk chosen to run lottery

PA Auckland The bankrupt former member of Parliament, John Kirk, has surfaced in the civic life of Waitemata at the helm of a community care lottery for West Auckland.

His emergence caused some consternation for the ruling Tim Shadbolt team.

But Mr Kirk, who fled New Zealand in 1984 while still the independent M.P. for Sydenham and left debts of $284,023, says he is enjoying the chance to be involved in a form of government again. “It is quite good to be associated with a local authority. As an M.P. I worked with local bodies and Government departments and I think it gives you some valuable experience,” he said. But the son of a former Prime Minister, Mr Norman Kirk, is quick to dismiss any hint of a shift to the political arena.

“I am not here on a political basis.” Mr Kirk is employed by the West Auckland Community Care Trust to market tickets for its fundraising lottery. The lottery

idea came from the council, which acts as agent for the trust. The lottery promoter is John Patrick Associates, Ltd, where Mr Kirk worked for more than a year. He said he was caught up in the spirit of the lottery and gladly took the chance, on leaving John Patrick, to finish the job for the trust. But while Mr Kirk was keen, his appointment caused the controversy weary councillors to shift uneasily in their seats. The chairman of the parks and community development committee, Cr Peter Furze, said they were concerned about Mr Kirk’s track record and the political implications of being associated with him.

Mr Kirk was adjudged bankrupt on July 30, 1984. In 1985 he was extradited from the United States to face charges under the Insolvency Act, for which he served a sentence of periodic detention. “The Labour supporters among us were particularly worried and they still are because of what happened with the Labour

Party,” Mr Furze said. Mr Kirk was suspended from the party in 1983 after making allegations of “jack-ups” in candidate

selection. The chairman of the civic and public relations committee, Mr Stan Blanch, agreed that Mr Kirk’s presence was a sensitive issue. “To be honest there was an enormous reaction against him having anythhing to do with Waimata City.” In spite of the misgivings, the councillors remained open-minded and willing to give Mr Kirk a chance.

“He has proved to us that he is doing the job well and putting in much more time than he is being paid for. And that is all we have concerned ourselves with — the results.”

Mr Kirk said he expected raised eyebrows and, to some extent, adverse reaction when he settled into the new job. “But people here have been very kind to me and I find they are prepared to listen.”