Hi. I’m Simon Smythe and I’m a politician.
I first suspected I might be a politician when I tried to solve a problem with a bunch of other people’s money. And subsequently wasn’t very good at it. In fact, my need for control at other people’s expense was actually making things worse. Of course I denied it at first. And no matter how much money I would force people to pay, the problems still largely remained. There were just enough moderate changes being made made to create the illusion of something being done.
I have now come to realise that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the epitome of insanity. But when you’re making a fairly decent living from the problems you’re not addressing it’s very easy to keep deluding yourself that you’re doing the right thing. Especially when approximately 70% of the eligible population is validating your existence every three years. And you’re telling yourself and everybody else the other 30% is just lazy and irresponsible. So after many years of being given far too many chances, only to let everyone down again and again, I finally understood that the first step towards recovery was going to be admitting I was the problem.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know that the unquestioning belief in (and exaltation of) a glorious parliamentary battle arena where voters are apparently represented by shameful displays of name calling and pompous witty retorts we call “the democratic process” is a thinly veiled unjustifiable rationalisation for the oppression of others by wielding trumped up questionable opinions about how they should definitely be living their lives, exacted in the most impersonal way possible. And it doesn’t even work good.
So I urge you this election for everybody’s sake. DON’T VOTE 2017.
I’m sorry for the late notice about this meeting. We would love it if you could make it. See below for details. This is put on by the Hataitai Residents Association.
Dear Rongotai candidates,
You are cordially invited to attend our Meet the Candidates meeting on Sunday 3rd September at the:
Evans Bay Sea Scouts Corps rooms
393 Evans Bay Parade.
The speeches will start at 2pm and the meeting will finish at approx. 4pm.
The format will be: you are given 3 minutes each to talk, and there will be question time after all the candidates have said their pieces. The question time will be followed by afternoon tea and mingling. We expect a healthy time to be available for questions and answers, and so we ask you to prepare your elevator pitch to fit within the time, and have efficient change-over between candidates to facilitate more Q&A time.
We usually have a healthy turnout of Hataitai, Roseneath and Kilbirnie residents, and from further afield depending on when their meetings are. Weekends are often more convenient for people than evenings.
Feel free to bring fliers and other campaigning material for people to take home, there will be a table at the back of the event centre for this. But we respectfully require you to remove any remaining material while we pack up at the end of the meeting, please.
If you have any questions about format and audience, please contact me, and I will try to find out the answer!
Hi Simon, I am also inviting you to a Meet the Candidates Meeting, this time on Tuesday 5th September, 7.30pm at St Anne’s Hall, Emmett Street, Newtown. The Newtown Residents’ Association are the hosts and Patrick Morgan will be in the Chair.
These meetings for the Rongotai Electorate are something of a tradition with our Association; I hope that you will be able to come and speak to us. The formal part of the meeting will be followed by supper with the opportunity for less formal conversations.
Patrick is gathering up ideas for ‘hot topics’ for candidates to address, and before the meeting we will let the candidates know what to expect in that regard. Please let us know if you are able to come.
Hi, I’m also inviting you to a ‘meet the candidates’ evening. This time at Owhiro Bay Kindergarten Wednesday 6th September 7-8.30pm. Candidates will be given 5 minutes to speak and then the floor open for questions. One of our kindergarten teachers, Timmy Porter, will be MC. We would be delighted to have you there.
Best wishes,
Fiona Shearer
Hi Simon,
In the lead up to the election, The Wellingtonian has asked residents in each electorate to tell us what they believe is the most pressing issue in their area.
For Rongotai, the main issue identified was transport/traffic congestion between the airport and the city (59% of respondents on Neighbourly).
As part of our coverage, we invite you to respond with what you would do to address the issue (in 150 words or less).
Additionally, if you could supply your preferred profile photo, it would be appreciated.
I am working towards a midday deadline on Tuesday, September 12.
Any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Kind regards,
Ruby