Where’s my The great family? mayo P7 giveaway
P15
ASHBURTON
www.guardianonline.co.nz
Wednesday, Aug 13, 2014
Since Sept 27, 1879
Retail $1.50 Home delivered from 95c
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
Gibson rues Shylock comment BY SUSAN SANDYS
SUSAN.S@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Rangitata candidate Steve Gibson is rueing comments he made on social media which have become part of an increasingly dirty election campaign period. In the wake of Winston Peters’ “two wongs” joke and the John Key-effigy burning incident, Labour’s Mr Gibson suffered a bad case of foot-in-mouth when he referred to Prime Minister John Key as Shylock. “When I discovered my error I was mortified,” Mr Gibson said yesterday. The 48-year-old Timaru dad hit national headlines and had his leader David Cunliffe giving him his last warning this week, Mr Cunliffe adding if there were any more such incidents it would be a matter for the party council to deal with. Mr Gibson referred to “Shonky Jonkey Shylock” who he described as a “nasty little creep with a nasty evil and vindictive sneer” in a comment he made on Facebook. He explained yesterday he
had meant it in the context of a dodgy deal, as it ran with a photo of the cupof-tea deal between the then Epsom candidate for ACT John Banks and Mr Key in Auckland in 2011. He had been completely unaware of its anti-Semitic connotations. Shylock is a Jewish character out of Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. Mr Gibson said in terms of racial diversity he was himself “inclusive”. In his first ever media interview, with the Guardian shortly after his appointment in April, Mr Gibson said he hoped to engage new immigrants as new voters. He estimated about 800 of about 3000 in the district were now residents, so were eligible to vote. Yesterday he said he was planning to be back on the campaign trail in Ashburton on Saturday. He wanted constituents to meet him for morning tea at Nosh at 10.30am or Kelly’s for lunch at midday. He would be meeting people in the streets around the town’s CBD that afternoon. • Also see editorial, P10
Plastic fantastics in demand The Trust Event Centre may be forced to return to plastic cups if their more expensive faux glassware doesn’t stop disapFULL STORY P5 pearing at a rapid rate. Ph 03 307 7900 to subscribe!
Weather: High 11˚ - Overnight -2˚ Page 26
Puzzles: Page 25
Television: Page 27
Family Notices: Page 26
www.guardianonline.co.nz