Mt Albert - Melissa Lee no show leaves candidates grey

With the nominations declared the field is going to look rather grey following Brent[sorry - it's Duncan] Garner's slaughter of Melissa Lee on tonight's TV3 news. People at the candidate's meeting tonight at the Owairaka Primary School didn't get to see her - she had other business. She's had a lot of that recently. Her campaign consists of avoiding the media - and now avoiding public meetings too. Garner was merciless. But not quite enough for anyone to feel sorry for her - considering it has all been self inflicted.

The meeting was as grey as the candidates. All the colour was from the audience of the usual mob. There were more than a few familiar faces. There were a small contingent of Greens and a larger but vocal bloc of Labour supporters in the hall as well as media. Te Atatu MP Chris Carter was hovering as Shearer's minder, and I think Meg Bates was there too and probably some anon from the Standard.

No candidate shone, none stood out. They were solid on policy, but unexciting.

The community board had convened the meeting, but no one had any real fixed views on exactly what the future mix of Council should be. Russel Norman might not have known it at the time but he basically recited all the lines that Rodney himself has been using in describing what the local-council split might look like. It's because Russel doesn't know what his preferred option is either. No-one did. Shearer went on about the Royal Commission, but as John Boscawen tried to point out through the interjections the commission's report would have kept the councils as super-community boards with up to half a million - the antithesis of community.

I wasn't there at the start of the meeting so maybe I missed the talk about the Waterview connection decision. I got more about the motorway chatting to a community board member who - it transpires - used to own the house I'm in. Talk about local.

The chairman, a community board member, said he had huge problems with the appointment of "Mr fix it" Grant Kirby being appointed to the Local Govt. Commission. Kirby was a pro-super city lobbyist. I heard him on RNZ this afternoon pleading his professionalism and saying he is in favour of a mixed at-large and ward system.