A problem facing political journalists is finding something fresh to say, the operative word being fresh. For example, a bad policy can only be condemned so many times.
Thus, something like the Uffindel nonsense, namely he being booted out of school aged 16, is given World War 3 treatment. I doubt the public share this despicable shock-horror beat-up being promoted by some bored journoes. This sort of vile journalism explains the reluctance of people to put their hand up for public office, evidenced by the lack of candidates for the forthcoming local body elections.
Here’s a suggestion for journoes. Why not show the human face of our MPs? For example, list their recreational interests to give the public a view of their human side.
Take Jerry Brownlee, in his younger days a noted pole vaulter. I’m told he’s now given this up and substituted the hop, step and jump for his week-end recreation.
The Greens could be a problem as apart from the nasty little turd Ricardo Menendez March, it’s hard to imagine any of them partaking in physical activities. Menendez March however, not so. No problem envisaging him pixie dancing with like-minded chaps. Mind you, the Greens leader James Shaw absolutely screams line-dancer, so too Labour’s David Parker.
The Nats deputy leader Nicola Willis is a keen skate-boarder, this a family tradition, her parents Shona and James both being outstanding exponents in their younger days.
Nanaia Mahuta’s recreational interest is obvious, namely competitive volume eating.
I don’t know if she’s still at it, but Judith Collins took up boxing a couple of years back, perhaps influenced by Joseph Parker being her nephew. A bout between Judith and say Willie Jackson would be a big draw-card although perhaps wisely, I suspect Willie wouldn’t be in it.
Stuart Nash and Melissa Lee are both enthusiastic deep sea divers and so it goes.
Then there’s hobbies. The Greens Eugenie Sage reportedly has a 3000 strong beer label collection, Andrew Little is an established authority on 18th Century Moldovan pottery, Chris Bishop a keen ballroom dancer and Speaker Trevor Mallard, by all accounts, a highly capable poet.
It would certainly be a refreshing change were one of our political writers to detail MPs recreational interests and show their human side.
13 Comments
There are no jurno’s in country I’m sure of that
Still laughing – tem minutes after reading. A classic Sir, thank you.
I would have picked Little as the ballroom dancer, he dances on the head of a pin all the time.
Explaining = losing.
They would be better occupied taking the politicians to task about our youth crime problems. Another success for our world-leading Youth Justice System: Yeah right. After 12 months home detention for being involved in Grace virtue’s death this Teen convicted for the death of Grace Virtue is back in court on robbery, theft charges. https://www.stuff.co.nz/…/teen-convicted-for-death-of…
The downside of acknowledging historical injustices is that we have built up a whole new industry, that provides multiple excuses for some people to blame everyone except themselves, for bad parenting and poor life decisions. We have produced a generation of parents who have not provided their children with discipline and basic moral boundaries. These young offenders then use all the excuses about historical injustices, poverty, poor parenting and upbringing to blame everyone except themselves for their poor life decisions. If all this was true, and they are forced to turn to crime; why don’t all our refugee immigrants turn to crime? They come to NZ from war torn, poverty stricken countries, have often led terrible lives, and start here with nothing. But instead of moaning about the past, and blaming everyone else for their problems, they take advantage of the opportunities here. They value hard work and education. Their children and grandchildren become professionals like Doctors, Lawyers, and successful business owners. Their example should make our lazy, whinging, blaming Kiwis be ashamed of themselves. Maybe these young offenders and their hopeless parents need a 3 month stay at a really poor Indian village, on a rubbish dump, where you scavenge to survive? Perhaps they would then realise just how well off they are in NZ, and the opportunities available here, and stop blaming everyone else for their poor life decisions?
I imagine Thomas Coughlin might have been a first class netballer before she transitioned to a man
Yes. This is a good idea. It will help humanize Political figures and also allow people to see who has a well rounded life etc. One thinks of Schwarzenegger and his collection of antique Bible’s, or that he was the driving force behind the special Olympics etc.
The thought of a pole-vaulting Jerry Brownlee is quite beyond words.
Jerry Brownlee pole vaulting! Ahahahahaaaa! Too much! Stop it before my sides split!
Love this idea Sir Bob! What immediately springs to mind with Mahuta is the old saying “Built for comfort not for speed”
Lizard People do not have a ‘human’ side!
Well,this is news to me.I thought their hobbies and endeavours were directed at stuffing up the Country.
I saw these wrods on Cactus Kate’s blog.
“Do not treat me as a messiah because I am not, do not build me into a demigod because I am not, and I don’t want you to praise and to cheer me because if you do you unwittingly start travelling down that same dangerous road we have in recent years. I don’t want yours or anyone else’s adulation because I think the state of this nation is too serious for us to play those sort of political games but please praise, cheer, shout to the heavens your enthusiasm, your fervour, your faith not for me not even for the party but for its principles its philosophy and its policies and together in the name of freedom and prosperity we can win this election”.
If New Zealand ever needed that man it is today.
I thought I heard that Ma Hooter was also involved in projectile vomiting, but I made a mistake.. it was the spectators.