Chamber cancels leaders meetings

Lack of membership support has forced the Otago Chamber of Commerce to end its political leaders series.

Just one leader - Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei - got to speak to chamber members this year.

Leaders who will now miss out include Labour leader Phil Goff, who was scheduled to speak tomorrow, Act New Zealand leader Don Brash (next Wednesday), United Future leader Peter Dunne and either of the Maori Party leaders.

Progressive leader Jim Anderton was scheduled to appear on November 3. Prime Minister John Key has been invited but has not yet responded.

Attendances at some of the meetings in the past three elections have been low and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters once criticised the chamber for not ensuring more people attended his session.

Chamber chief executive John Christie suggested many reasons why the response to the meetings by members had been low.

But in the end it came down to disinterest.

"There's a lot going on. The Rugby World Cup is full on and there seems to be a lot of reluctance by people to have anything to do with political leaders."

Some firms in Dunedin had stopped their workers from attending, citing company policy about attending any political meetings during work time, he said.

Other members had expressed their satisfaction with the way things were going.

The lack of interest was not a reflection on the leaders; it was more the public not being interested, Mr Christie said.

The chamber still intends to run its meet the candidates meetings before the election.

University of Otago political scientist Bryce Edwards said it was disappointing the series had ended but he could understand that people were not interested in political leaders.

"If I was a normal citizen I would not bother going to see Phil Goff. Apart from political geeks like us, people are not interested in political leaders."

The Rugby World Cup could have had an influence on people but it probably more reflected how boring the election campaign had been so far.

Mr Goff was due to speak at the University Union tomorrow, but the last week of semester could mean numbers listening to him was reduced, he said.

Dr Edwards compared that to the visit by former prime minister Helen Clark to the university during the last campaign, where she was treated like a rock star.

Current political leaders would not come across as being prepared to have "genuine, proper discussions", he said.

"We already see them on television and don't expect them to be real beyond that. They have spun lines on everything."

dene.mackenzie@odt.co.nz.