"The local body elections in Invercargill will be a prime example of "celebrity" politics, says a university lecturer. "
That's a discouraging start, given that the photo that accompanies the story is of me. However, the author, Kimberly Crayton-Brown goes on to say,
"One Southland candidate who bucks the trend is Robert Guyton, who has been nominated for Environment Southland.
Well-known in environmental circles but not a "celebrity", and not a politician, Mr Guyton said he would be a good person to vote for because he did not have any "vested interests".
I'm grateful that Kimberly made the distinction. From a lengthy phone interview last night, Kimberly extracted this quote about why I'd begun my campaigning-on-a-bike in at Environment Southland HQ,
""I thought it was good fun to start my campaign on my bike outside Environment Southland itself," he said.
"That's where I intend to end up."
Sadly, or perhaps thankfully, the photo has not made it online, but I'm happy with it and it's got to be good for my campaign.
I'm excited too, about the serendipitous offer from Doug Bath of Gladstone Cycles, to park my bike in front of his high visibility bike shop, right at the traffic lights on North Road, when I'm not riding it.
I bought my bicycle from the shop and it just seems right!
Thanks Doug! (I'll 'do something' on the cycle shop soon, because it's so good!).
2 comments:
Sounds like your celebrity status is but a vote away, Robert...
Do councillors automatically become celebrities Shane?
I was talking with Radar while he was down here and he said that he often has to go past garage sales, farmers markets and the like, where otherwise he'd like to stop and browse, because he'd be swept into a maelstrom of talking and signing etc.
Celebrity.
They can have it.
For all that, I'm going to put in my best effort towards winning a place at ES.
No point to a half-hearted effort.
Post a Comment