It seems Tim Shadbolt has been successful in his campaign to reverse education cuts for the Southern Institute of Technology, securing more than 6 million dollars. Whether or not he has been successful in his tacked on assault against the Electoral Finance Bill remains to be seen.
Shadbolt’s conduct however has raised some perplexing questions. I can understand his campaigning to secure SIT funding, he would not be representing his local constituents if he didn’t – however, I fail to see how that particular issue gives him a mandate to campaign against the EFB. Local council elections are not usually fought along party political lines, National politics are quite distinct from local body.
More worrying however was his reaction to his own council’s (perfectly legitimate) motion which ensured he could not use council funds to finance his private crusade. It seems that the loony left have a real problem with misappropriating public funds. We all remember the workers party photocopying scandal, an incident much closer to home. Shadbolt’s claim to “Bring down the government” and “Make tactical decisions in the field of battle” reeks of a bygone era of picket lines, colourful police squads, and violence.
It seems that this old dog, refuses to learn new tricks.