To whom it may concern:

My name is Adam Holland. I ran in the Ikaroa-Rawhiti by election held on 29/6/13 and received 15 votes. I'd like to formerly announce that I've selected myself as an independent candidate for the 2013 Christchurch East by-election on a platform of donating the entirety of my parliamentary salary to the region if elected.

Thank you for your time.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell:
On What John Banks And Nick Smith Have In Common

The defence that John Banks has been offering to the charges of electoral fraud – that he didn’t read the document he signed, and therefore lacked the necessary criminal intent – is a fairly standard example of political business as usual.

At a time when political power is being centralised downtown in the Executive, responsibility is being re-located to the suburbs. The Beehive seeks to operate as a blame free, shame free environment. At all times, plausible deniability is to be maintained.

Being able to put distance between the Minister and the actions/outcomes/political fallout of policy is not simply the last desperate resort of scoundrels, but the first resort of the foot soldiers in ministerial service... More>>