The day I nearly killed Winston Peters by accident

October 24th, 2017 § 0 comments, Add the 1st

Back in 1999, as a young keen photog working on my first book, I wrote to Doug Kidd (Speaker of the House of Representatives) seeking permission to photograph MP’s sitting.

I had to don suit and tie to drag camera equipment and tripods into the Speaker’s Gallery.  Some Minister’s of Parliament played up to the obvious arrival of a photographer.  I also carried a heavy bag of medium format Bronica equipment, on which this photo was taken. BUT, then an event that still haunts me today happened…..

The Day I nearly accidentally sconed Winston Peters. The year was 1999.

The Day I nearly accidentally sconed Winston Peters. The year was 1999.

As I finished and turned to leave, I shouldered my heavy medium format camera bag.  The shoulder strap ripped off and the bag landed heavily on the handrail, teetering, before falling forwards to my feet.  It could’ve gone the other way, and fallen 20 feet onto Winston Peters.  It would have sconed him and probably made a thorough job of it.  My blood ran cold as I headed off.

I sometimes wonder how things could’ve been different today.  OSH hadn’t taken root then, so accidents were still happening in NZ; some could have even seen this as a good accident.  One thing for sure would’ve been the publicity my book could’ve got – ‘the book that floored Winston’.

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