Comments on: Live blogging from Backbenchers

By: Backbenches « jarbury.net – Realistic Surreality

Backbenches « jarbury.net – Realistic Surreality — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:06:22 +0000

[...] a very nice dinner we came back and met up with a few friends. Rather strangely, I managed to end up live-blogging for The Standard on the whole event, which was an interesting and fun experience – although [...]

By: jarbury

jarbury — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:32:46 +0000

Can Melissa Lee put her foot any deeper in her mouth:

A low income audience in the Mt Albert by-election campaign was infuriated when National candidate Melissa Lee today told them she was paid only $2 an hour.

Ms Lee is well behind in the polls after a series of gaffes and ill-judged comments virtually eliminated any chance she had of taking the Labour-held seat.

Appearing in a candidate’s debate in front of members of the Unite union, Ms Lee was asked how she would survive on the minimum wage of $12.50 an hour.

“I think I am currently on $2 an hour,” Ms Lee replied.

Ms Lee appeared to be joking about MPs’ long hours, but it did not amuse the audience of low wage earners.

Ms Lee is paid $131,000 a year and is entitled to $14,860 in expense allowances, as well as $24,000 in accommodation benefits and free travel.

A worker on the minimum wage working 40 hours a week earns $26,000 a year and, if they have children, are entitled to Working for Families assistance.

From here

By: StephenR

StephenR — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:41:16 +0000

You don’t need to hear anything at a cricket game though do you. Whatever butters your toast jarbury, but politics is diminished when people go to create/experience an atmosphere IMHO – doesn’t seem conducive to ‘debating issues’ or ‘informing the voters’ an’ all that.

By: jarbury

jarbury — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:45:52 +0000

Is the pub in Wellington called “The Backbencher” and the programme called “The Backbenches”?

And I was blogging from a pub

By: Rich

Rich — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:19:50 +0000

I read that as “The Backbencher” and assumed he was blogging from a pub.

By: jarbury

jarbury — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:57:32 +0000

For the atmosphere!

When one goes to a rugby or cricket game they probably don’t follow it quite as well as would be possible on the TV at home. After all, no commentary to help them along and (if there’s no easily viewable giant screen) no endless replays to see what happened.

Yet people still go, and in many ways it is better live than on TV.

It’s like “why go to a rock concert when you get better sound quality on a CD”?

By: StephenR

StephenR — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:39:54 +0000

Sounds like a bloody farce – why would you go if you don’t want to hear people speak!?

By: exbrethren

exbrethren — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:36:10 +0000

Boscawen is a positively foul person. Easily the most repulsive MP, makes Garrett look charming.

By: jarbury

jarbury — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:43:13 +0000

Thanks. I’m glad people watching on TV heard a heck of a lot more than what I could hear sitting at the bar.

By: Hilary

Hilary — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:15:50 +0000

Arthur Richards – Is that what Melissa Lee said and got the prize for? Here we all thought she said Seddon which is obviously wrong.

By: felix

felix — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:36:13 +0000

Not sure when it gets posted but when it does it'll be here. Nice work btw.

By: jarbury

jarbury — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:29:45 +0000

Well that was fun, if a little tricky to hear anything.

Anyone have a link to the show so I can actually hear what was said?

By: felix

felix — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:12:55 +0000

Just like his regular blogging then?

By: felix

felix — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:11:39 +0000

“gosh when will she learn to shut up?!”

Saturday.

By: craig

craig — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:56:15 +0000

I think that it is funny that M Lee said that she would be the only candidate that would be in Government if elected. Clearly she doesn’t know the difference between caucusing with National and being in Cabinet (now being in Cabinet means you are actually in Government). But then if you use her line of ‘being in Government’ and lets say that she means she is in a party that forms Government, then so too is john Boscawen, as it is a N-ACT govt.

Once again lies from the M Lee Campaign….. gosh… when will she learn to shut up?!