Analysis: Tim Shadbolt has undoubtedly contributed positively to Invercargill. As the city’s mayor for 26 years, he promoted the deep South with quirk and energy that typified the finest qualities of the region’s citizens.
But in recent years many in Invercargill have been worried by some of Shadbolt’s behaviour, and in last year’s local elections he was soundly defeated by his former deputy and voted out of office.
Reports this week that Sir Tim and his partner have been lobbying his former council colleagues to immortalise his contribution with a ratepayer-funded statue have only underscored the impression for many that Tim Shadbolt is no longer suited to serious leadership.
Advocating for your own statue is a bit like baking your own birthday cake or choosing your own nickname. Even if it’s good, it’ll never have the same kind of resonance or meaning as if someone else did it for you.
Furthermore, in a country that values modesty and a certain understatedness in its heroes, campaigning for your own statue seems an excellent way to disqualify you from getting one.
But for a few exceptions, there’s good reason New Zealand erects so few statues of living people. Eden Park has its bronze cast of former All Black flanker Sir Michael Jones, depicting the ‘iceman’ diving with the ball in the opening game of the 1987 World Cup.
Hamilton has its Riff Raff statue, inspired by the Rocky Horror Picture Show and depicting Richard O’Brien as his iconic character.
But neither of those individuals campaigned for their depictions, and dare I suggest they likely felt more than a bit embarrassed at being immortalised so.
In the political realm, erecting one’s own statue often has more sinister undertones.
Although no one is suggesting his leadership style was anything akin to a Central Asian autocrat, Sir Tim’s efforts to have Sir Tim immortalised reminded me of a recent self-immortalising installation by Turkmenistan’s leader.
Unlike Turkmenistan, I’m not sure Invercargill’s council coffers would extend to a golden statue of Sir Tim, riding a horse, atop a mountain of white marble 23 metres high. Still, it’d be a unique attraction!
Instead, Invercargill’s new mayor has noted the city’s history of memorialising its former leaders by naming public facilities in their honour.
Rather than a statue, the obvious difference in naming a swimming pool or a park for Sir Tim Shadbolt is that the facility might be more directly enjoyed by Invercargill’s citizens. This option would also come in a lot cheaper than the reported $100,000 quote for a Shadbolt bronze.
Sir Tim deserves to have his contribution to Invercargill acknowledged and celebrated.
But his undignifiying wish risks further tarnishing the contribution he so wants memorialised.
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