Disinterested or simply tired of little being done for people who live in the east. Mentioning the word election seems to be a conversation stopper.
An elderly man on Hampshire St in Aranui gazes blankly for a good five seconds after being asked who he would be voting for.
He says nothing. Is he confused or terrified? We will never know. He then heads off on his walking frame, nervously glancing backwards to make sure he wasn’t being followed.
Others on Hampshire St approached by The Star are in a similar frame of mind. They have nothing to say.
But not all in Aranui are muted by the election word.
Outside the Eastern Pharmacy on nearby Pages Rd is Gary, last name? He says it “didn’t matter.”
A self-described anarchist, the 58-year-old said he had voted only once in his entire life.
“Even then it didn’t really matter because I scribbled abuse on it to say leave me alone and give me my doll,” he said.
It seemed as though he had lost faith in the process.
“Every election is the same, they always make these promises and they never happen.”
Further along Pages Rd, is Deborah Cameron, who has lived in Aranui for 12 years. She planned to vote – for Lianne Dalziel.
“There is an old saying, better the devil you know than the devil you don’t,” she said.
But she challenged Ms Dalziel to do more for the community.
“We could use some rubbish bins by the bus stop so I would stop finding crack and synthetic packaging at the bus stop all the time.
“I was sitting at the bus stop one day and there was a guy cracking away on his pipe, I told him to stop and he just sort of grunted and then proceeded to fondle himself in front of me,” she said.
Further along Pages Rd James Pryce was walking his dog.
He agreed to talk politics at his house.
Sitting in his front garden, he spoke of the lack of interest in politics in Aranui.
“It’s 50/50 if people around here vote,” he said.
In 2016 local body elections, 22 per cent of the 25,700 people living in the Burwood Ward voted, while in the Coastal Ward 21 per cent of 24,700 people living there voted.
The Central Ward received the lowest voter turnout with only 14 per cent of 24,200 residents voting.
Mr Pryce was not sure who he would vote for but would not be voting for anyone associated with the National Party.
“I actually don’t know anyone, but I am most likely to vote for someone to do with Labour.”
Further east in New Brighton, Samantha Fay is walking along Seaview Rd with a pitch fork. She had just finished gardening.
“Minto,” she says quickly after being asked who she would vote for. “He is most in line with my political views.”
Ms Fay said there was a mood for change across New Brighton.
She thought there was a feeling around the community that it had been “abandoned” by the city council and “left to decay.”
“I’m not as grumpy as some other people are, I’m not sure if anyone else would have done more than her [Lianne Dalziel]. I think a lot of people take it personally because she [Lianne Dalziel] is from here.”
She was not particularly fond of Darryll Park, saying he was a bit too “flash” for her liking.
“He talks a big game but I don’t think he understands how council works, I don’t think he is going to save $100 million by getting rid of community barbecues. It is all well and good to be making promises but you have to have the evidence to back that up.”
At a major mayoral debate earlier this month, Mr Park said he would need to cut $100 million over three years from the city council budget in order to achieve his fundamental campaign promise of zero rates.
When asked how he would do this he said he would look at cutting community funding, such as neighbourhood barbecues.
However, Ms Fay thought his ties to the Crusaders could give him a chance.
The Christchurch businessman who co-owns Fat Eddies, Original Sin and Kong with Oxford Tce kingpin Max Bremner is also a member of the Crusaders’ board.
Leray Ozanne has lived in the east for six years. Mr Minto will get her vote.
“He seems to be genuinely concerned for the environment, he is always for the environment and the people,” she said.
Ms Dalziel had “done nothing for the east” in her six years as mayor, said Ozanne.
“In six years, I have probably seen her half a dozen times and I think there are plenty of things that need to be done that have not been addressed.”
She said Mr Park would be her second choice.
Annie Moore of New Brighton said Mr Park was her first choice.
“To me, he is a businessman and our area needs to be focused on good management, we need a wrecking ball and a revamp. Lianne Dalziel does not really care about the area,” she said.
“I think there is a mood for change. From the people I have spoken to, they said she [Lianne Dalziel] has no vested interest. I think we deserve much better, I think we have been the most neglected area in the whole of Christchurch.”
Christine Harms of South New Brighton said: “Anyone would be better than Lianne.”
She thought Mr Minto would be a “great option.”
However, she didn’t like Mr Park because “he is too conservative.”
She was a fan of another mayoral candidate Adrian Schönborn.
“Adrian said out with the old and in with the new. He is sick of all these promises and the stuff I have heard him say sounded reasonable.”
Phillip Cossar of Parklands was enjoying a cycle ride in New Brighton when pulled aside for his thoughts going into the election.
He wasn’t sure who he would vote for but it would not be for Ms Dalziel.
“The council under her [Lianne Dalziel’s] leadership has not done enough for the east. There are too many unrepaired roads while at the same time they are building million-dollar archways on the other side of town,” he said.
Jono Jones of New Brighton said he was “pretty keen to vote for anyone who would fix the roads.”
Marek Christensen who works in New Brighton and lives in Linwood said he did not plan to vote for any of the mayoral candidates.
“None of the mayoral candidates do it for me. I would like to see Lianne Dalziel gone but no-one is going to come close.”
Andy Tzoumais is backing Ms Dalziel.
“I’m thinking I will probably vote for Lianne Dalziel again. I think she has done pretty well for the east,” he said.
Craig Ennis, was loading pine cones into his car, when The Star approached.
He thought Ms Dalziel had done “a fair job” and he said he was glad to see Mr Minto running again.
But he wasn’t a fan of Mr Park and said he would not be voting for him.
“Anyone can charge $11 for a beer and think they are a businessman,” Mr Ennis said in reference to Mr Park’s part ownership of Christchurch bars.
