Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

Labour MP Phil Goff is the latest target of protest group People Power NZ. The secretive group have claimed responsibility for an attack on Goff's Mt Roskill Electorate office, in what they say is a continuing protest against the Electoral Finance Act.

People Power described Goff as the "Labour-Leader in waiting", and a champion of the controversial legislation... "It is a mystery to us why the citizens of Mt Roskill would continue to vote for a local MP who actively restricts their freedom of expression".

Phil Goff (Labour) lost his seat to Gilbert Myles (National) at the 1990 elections, largely because he was closely identified with the neo-liberal reforms of Roger Douglas, in particular his support for deregulation and free trade.

Goff reclaimed his Mt Roskill seat in 1993, and was part of a group in 1996 that unsuccessfully tried to encourage Helen Clark to step down as Labour leader. He is seen by most political commentators as the leading leadership contender for the party, especially following the Parliamentary exit of Steve Maharey, and bad boy antics of Trevor Mallard.

People Power claim Goff is rarely in his electorate, and has a "tried and tested trick of getting one of his electoral lackeys to park his van in a Mt Roskill street, attach a sign that reads “visiting Electorate – back in 5 minutes”, when all the while Mr Goff isn’t even in the suburb at the time!"

* Scoop: Mt Roskill Electorate office makes it “Strike 3"