Editorial - Politicking

Over shifting sands and treacherous waters, local elections are upon us and the politicking is in full flow. WildTomato must of course maintain absolute neutrality, standing aloof in Olympian detachment.
The same goes for me personally, but I do wonder what makes someone want to enter the thankless world of politics. You endure endless abuse, average pay, the absolute impossibility of pleasing everyone, no privacy, and every time you go for a quiet beer someone asks you to fix their drains.

Then there are the appalling ways in which your career may end. Most probably you will be unceremoniously dumped at election time. Having spent three years biting your tongue while listening to voters and their endless litany of drainage drivel, the ungrateful wretches turn around and vote you out!
Or scandal will hit: while eating your jam and toast you pick up the paper to find your sexual predilections, fondness for illicit substances, gambling habit or, better still, all three splashed across the front page. So you must behave well in public and behind closed doors, forever more. Yet you will always wonder when that long-forgotten dead baby/stolen identity/passport jape will jump out to consign you to the scrapheap.
And let’s not forget the long-suffering family who must grow up in the glare of publicity. All children get bullied, but entering politics guarantees to put the kids in the firing line. There really are a lot of sacrifices to be made to get ahead in politics.
The flip side is the recognition. Journalists hang on to your every word, everyone wants to talk to you and, for better or worse, you matter. With this comes a warped and twisted sort of respect which leads people to mistake you for a plumber, but you receive respect nonetheless.
For all that I knock politicians, the truth is that I can see the appeal. It’s the thrill, the challenge of making things happen, all wrapped up in the warm fuzzy glow of do-goodery. Someone has to make sure the drains keep draining, so we should probably be grateful that these characters are prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to do so.
So who is going to win our local elections this month? Nelson’s Mayoral contest seems finely poised between incumbent Kerry Marshall, and councillors Rachel Reese and Aldo Miccio. While in Marlborough and Tasman Mayors Sowman and Kempthorne are so far ahead in the polls they could ease back in their council chairs dressed in full mayoral regalia, crack open the champagne and pull out the cigars. But I couldn’t possibly comment.
Jack Martin
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