And could folks like Messers Mallard, Hide and Harawira exercise some damn judgement and wrap their heads around the idea that just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

Oh yeah sure.

In spite of the fact it was organised led and promoted by global communists, HART was all about racism.

Pull the other one Trev, its got bells on it.

Likewise Hobb’s pretense to care for ‘educating’ kids. Like most on the left, all she wants to do is figure out a way to indoctrinate them even more intensely than they are already.

Education will become a reality again in NZ only after it is freed from the death grip of the left.

..and that day is coming Trev.

We’re after you mate.

Just so you know it.

As I, and others, have asked previously perhaps you could explain exactly what Cultural Learnings of United Kingdoms for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of New Zealand you will be undertaking that would not be possible using modern telecommunications methods? Or are you one of these luddites that struggles with texting and dictates his posts through a “Media Liaison Officer” (or whatever your troughing assistant is called)?

i quite like that..

it has a certain ring to it..

phil(whoar.co.nz)

Thank you. This is a point I have been trying to tease out in this discussion. We tend to think of political parties as the public service equivalent of companies because that is our ready frame of reference.

So if I understand what you are saying:-
To Trevor Mallard (purely as an example you realise) Phil is not the leader in the traditional sense, setter of rules and arbiter of behaviour? Phil is only the Chairman of a rather large and unwieldy Committee which has some loose rules that members are expected to follow? (I can believe that as he only rules at the pleasure of the members) If they don’t there is not much Phil or anyone else can do about it?

Phil does not exercise leadership in the sense of being a mentor and trainer of the next generation of Labour political leaders or the selector of those likely to become spokespeople or (possibly) Cabinet Ministers and are thus worthy of extra input for the Party’s future good? Phil would (given the chance) bestow favour on a chosen coitere of loyal followers in a misbeguided effort to retain and prop up his own position regardless of the worth or value of the Party’s philosophy and its continuity of purpose?

Boy Chris you sure are one certain cynic – or have I got this wrong?

Mallard attempts a Hone.

Might work.

the trolls that live under DPFs bridge.

We’re called taxpayers Trevor, the people you answer to.

Mallard troughs during RWC.

Goff supports Mallard.

To David. Phil delegates the approval system for travel. That is why he wasn’t aware.

2nd There are no additional expenses hotel bills per diems etc

3rd Marian Hobbs was a very successful Principal at Avonside, was appointed to Wellington Girls and while we don’t always agree is a real education leader, recognised internationally, and to criticise her for being part of an anti racist group of which I was also a member of tells me something about the trolls that live under DPFs bridge.

..WTF !!?? Hobbs has a what role where ??..what a rort…..and I suppose the rugby game is a coincidence with your junket..
mallard you are parasite trougher…

But during what I used to regard as “normal work time” I will be focussed on meeting with academics, policy wonks and practitioners

..why cant you use email and tele conferencing for this ???….do us all a favour mallard and stay over there .

Graeme Edgeler:

If you want it gone then it’s a little unfair to claim that say Trevor Mallard would be getting both an increase in salary and travel. The holiday discount on airfares entitlement would be gone. It would be replaced with a travel entitlement linked to public interest for the overseas travel therefore narrower in scope than the current scheme.

I’m pretty sure I never mentioned Trevor Mallard.

At present, parties get money they can spend on travel for parliamentary purposes. MPs also get discounts on travel for whatever purpose they like. I’m suggesting keeping the former, and giving MPs a pay raise to make up for getting rid of the latter. DPF (and you?) are suggesting keeping the former, getting rid of the latter, giving MPs a pay raise to make up for the latter and giving parties more funds for the former, even though the pay raise has already made up for removing the perk.

Better still, I’d shout the indolent and odious oik Ure on the same basis, although in the case of the latter, I would hope he wouldn’t be lost to this forum. In fact, I’d even shout a seat for his photo of Kelsey, although he might have to give it a bit of a cleanup before taking it out in public (the picture as well).

With supporters like Big Bruv , who needs enemies?

So you think it is fine for National party MP’s to help themselves to vast amounts of our money out of some fucked up sense of entitlement?

I bet you would be screaming blue murder if Margaret Wilson had made these comments.

What you misunderstand is that MPs are not employees of their Party or Leader.

They are representatives. In terms of votes they all exercise the same vote and are equal. If you want to know what snouting would be created by allowing political leaders to award travel look at how current Speakers trips are allocated.

Our Perk defending bantam Speaker is wrong in principle to look at the recognition of seniority. The recognition of seniority (as others have observed) is going into the Ministry or getting a significant role like the Speakership. In a small Parliament the odds are that most MP’s in the two old Parties will have a fair chance of achieving this if they have any talent or skill. If they aren’t capable why would they receive more money for this simply because of being a long term non performer?

It would be a different matter if the Executive and its hangers on did not constitute one third of the Parliament at anyone time. Contrast this with the UK House of Commons where it is 100 out of 650 are part of the Executive. Few UK MPs ever see the Cabinet room and most never serve in the Executive. Its highly unlikely that a UK MP spends a decade in the Ministry.

Graeme Edgeler:

If you want it gone then it’s a little unfair to claim that say Trevor Mallard would be getting both an increase in salary and travel. The holiday discount on airfares entitlement would be gone. It would be replaced with a travel entitlement linked to public interest for the overseas travel therefore narrower in scope than the current scheme. Currently he can mix both rest and recreation with some element of looking at public policy and making or renewing contacts. Any rest and recreation as part of such travel in the in the future would be privately funded.