Treachery and corruption for festival

Some serious political treachery will be afoot as two colourful Southern Mayors slug it out for the key to Arrowtown, early next month, Arrowtown Autumn Festival coordinator Julie Hughes said.

The Arrowtown Autumn Festival will be the venue for an historic battle of minds and wits between Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt and Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin as they vie for ownership of Arrowtown.

The MacTodd Arrowtown Proposition on Friday 2 May will offer the two Mayors and their able teams a chance to woo the people of Arrowtown as they debate the age old quandary, should Arrowtown be affiliated with Invercargill or Dunedin?

Mayor Shadbolt has promised to take no prisoners and has not ruled out bribery in his persuasion arsenal.

"Let me in, let me in", growled Big Bad Mayor Tim. "We won't let you in, we won't let you in" cried the three little piglets from Dun-ee-did-din, "not by the Mayors on our Chinny Chin Chin". "Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down", cried Big Bad Mayor Tim, "unless of course you're living in gorgeous Arrowtown".

Meanwhile Mayor Chin is confident his assets are bigger.

"The world is our oyster, we'll be calling Tim's bluff,

And we're going to teach him that we know some stuff.

He may have his mixer and a sure Mayoral touch

But he'll need to sort out his throttle and clutch!" said Mayor Peter Chin

 

Attempting to keep both sides in line will be Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Clive Geddes, who will chair the debate whilst keeping a watchful eye on the questionable antics of the corruptible electoral officer.

“I’m anticipating some entirely dubious and devious tactics but my word will be final, although I could be open to persuasion. Rules are rules, unless I change them,” Mayor Geddes said.

The evening would end with an announcement by Mayor Geddes and the symbolic handing over of the key to Arrowtown to the winning Mayor.

Tickets are available from the Lakes District Museum or online at www.arrowtownautumnfestival.org.nz