David Shearer

Wellington, May 20 NZPA - Labour's Mt Albert by-election candidate seems to have had enough of the media attention his National Party opponent is getting -- even though it is nearly always bad news.

"We should move on," hot favourite David Shearer said tonight.

"I'm out there talking about local jobs, the Waterview motorway and the Super City...that's what people want to talk about."

In terms of media coverage, National's Melissa Lee is way ahead of Mr Shearer, Green Party candidate Russel Norman and ACT's John Boscawen.

But it hasn't been the sort of publicity she wants. Multiple blunders have seen her mauled at public meetings and in an interview with TV3 last night she lost the plot on Auckland's new local government structure.

Ms Lee was out today trying to get her campaign back on track and ran into more trouble when Auckland University students heckled her and passed a motion branding her a racist.

Auckland University Students' Association (AUSA) quickly distanced itself from the motion, passed at a forum attended by the candidates.

"It is not yet official AUSA policy," said association president Darcy Peacock.

"Policies approved by the student forum are submitted to the student executive for discussion and further approval."

The racist connection comes from a spectacular mistake when Ms Lee said the new motorway planned for Mt Albert would divert criminals from South Auckland.

She had to apologise and explain she wasn't referring to all South Auckland's residents, just criminals.

The June 13 by-election will fill the seat vacated by former prime minister Helen Clark.

It has been a safe Labour seat for 63 years and National never seriously expected to win it.

But Ms Lee's poor performance has caused Dr Norman and Mr Boscawen to both claim it is a two horse race, with different horses.

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