Political career beckons for Oliver

Anton Oliver has been approached by National and Labour Party representatives about a possible political career, but first, the former All Black captain just wants to find a job.

The 34-year-old said yesterday in Dunedin he was interested in politics - both at local and central government level - because he was interested in "effecting change".

However, both he and the "relatively high-up" party members who approached him agreed he needed on his curriculum vitae some work experience.

Asked how many jobs, apart from professional rugby player, were on his CV, Mr Oliver laughed and made a circle with his fingers.

"I need a job," he said.

Next week, he plans to leave his cottage in St Bathans to fly to London for an interview with several banks and energy companies, although he admitted it was not the best time to be looking for work in the United Kingdom.

Nor does it appear to be the best time to remain in New Zealand.

Mr Oliver, who returned last year to care for his mother, who had breast cancer, in Blenheim, said he was amazed by the proliferation of dairy farms throughout the South Island.

He was exasperated by the country's fixation with trying to catch up with Australia and said intensive dairy farming was not the answer to future prosperity.

"It is not good for our image.

"New Zealanders are living in this fictional world where we are clean and green . . . we aren't."

While praising the country's farmers as being "innovative" and excelling in a competitive global market with no subsidies, he called into question their right to water.

"Water is there for all of us."

An advocate for slow and measured growth, Mr Oliver said he had been labelled "anti-progress, anti-community or anti-New Zealand" for his stance.

However, the "strong voice" of the farming sector, Federated Farmers, was never critiqued, he said.

Despite his "green" credentials, this Oxford University graduate with a master's degree in environmental policy, who gave his high-profile opposition to the proposed Project Hayes wind farm, said his politics were "economically right and socially left".

While outspoken on environmental issues, Mr Oliver offered no comment about the appointment of former All Black and Otago coach Laurie Mains as deputy chairman of the Otago Rugby Football Union, nor did he feel comfortable commenting on Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium.

He could not recall the last All Black test he watched and said it was sad to see the continual decline in Otago rugby.

The rot had set in during the introduction of the professional game.

Since hanging up his size 13 rugby boots for good, barring a possible return for the annual St Bathans versus Becks game on September 1, he said he had never felt better.

He had lost weight from his chest and neck and demonstrated how he could now move his head 180 degrees, a far cry from his days scrummaging for Otago, the Highlanders and the All Blacks.

Besides securing a job and fulfilling travel ambitions, another goal was to return to New Zealand when fellow front-rowers Carl Hayman and Andrew Hore announced their retirement.

"I want to burn my boots with them - head up to the high country with some accelerant and a shotgun."