Ex-All Black, MP standing for Lakes council

Grahame Thorne
Grahame Thorne
Former All Black Grahame Thorne has been nominated to stand for the Queenstown Lakes District Council.

Mr Thorne (64) moved to the Lakes district in 2008 and lives at Gibbston.

He played 39 games for the All Blacks, including 10 tests, and was the National member of Parliament for Onehunga from 1990 to 1993.

Recently, he has been hosting a TV cooking show, Thorney's Cooking Canterbury.

Mr Thorne, a former Auckland and Nelson councillor, said originally he had no intention of standing, as he was cynical about local body politics, but he had been urged to stand by others in the community who believed he had something to offer.

He had a "few gripes" - such as being "anti the airport selling to Auckland", the fact his rates subsidise tourism and also concerns about development leading to ghettos.

"I never thought I'd be standing for council again ... . but this is one of the most fantastic places in the world - we don't want to ruin it."

 

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