Rodney's slack attendance at Parliament was on Close Up last night, and this morning is on both Stuff (Hide under fire for sashaying from Parliament) and the Herald (Hide defends dance defection) websites. Both point out that Rodney has been in the House for only three of the last ten sitting days - and usually for only for Question Time, at that. Worse, last night he (and therefore ACT) missed the biggest vote of the year: the annual Budget confidence vote. His excuse? That the government would have won anyway. Despite this, he still claims that he has "put Epsom first", and that his constituents have never had a better or more hard-working MP.
Yeah, right.
While it is true that other MPs are also frequently absent from the House, none of them matter nearly so much. Rodney is ACT's sole representative at the moment (Heather Roy being off learning to play with guns), and the only person capable of casting its votes. When he's not there, ACT as a party vanishes from the political scene. You'd expect him to take this responsibility seriously - but instead he's off dancing.
Meanwhile, Rodney has a press release today trumpeting his Local Government (Rating Cap) Amendment Bill. Strangely though he doesn't mention that he's deliberately had the bill deferred for the last month, so he has time to tango.
Rodney's Close Up interview can be viewed here. He's started talking about himself in the third person, which is never a good sign.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Rodney repeats his talking points here.
I/S the best thing about your link to Rodders' blog is the tongue down the back of the trousers comments by Barclay & Finkelstein. They obviously go elsewhere to display their intellectual credentials. Most intelligent comment: "Is Krystal single"
ReplyDeleteACTs vote simply doesn't matter this time around. Like it or not there is no combination of blocks that allow it to decide the majority.
ReplyDeleteOK, it could if Jim voted against Labour, but I'm pretty sure the coalition agreement forbids that.
Everything else the party needs do seems to be covered, so what's the big deal? If ACT had a 3rd MP their vote would matter and they'd have someone sitting to cast it. If you want ACT to vote, vote ACT.
tuss, the point is that Rodders makes a big song and dance about the poor standards of personal integrity of MPs (accepting perks, baubles and what not from the public purse) and here he is gallivanting around the countryside wiggling his arse for publicity. How about some personal accountability from the perk buster?
ReplyDeleteYour tone towards Roy suggests you don't approve of her joining the territorials. Is that the case?
ReplyDeleteDuncan: Only to the extent that I regard a desire to play with guns as being a slightly dubious character trait. But then, others would say the same about Gaming.
ReplyDeleteTussock: well, I guess the opposition as a whole just shouldn't turn up to vote then - after all, if they're going to lose, then why bother going through the motions?
ReplyDeleteThe fact that we're paying Rodney to go through the motions seems to have escaped him.
All the naysayers here need to get a grip.
ReplyDeleteFirst, Rodney is raising money for charity which is arguably a role of a MP.
Second, he is away for a few days out of three years. Worth was *there* for a few days out of three years when studying for his PhD.
Third, Rodney works harder in one week than most MP's do in six months. That is quite obvious.
Fourth, where was the criticism when Georgina Beyer, that transsexual icon, decided to swan off and dance for a few weeks. You were strangely silent there. Or are you just hypocritical?
Finally, I could not end without quoting Rodney from his blog. There simple facts escape all of you. But don't let that stop you spreading your filthy muck around.
"I must say it’s quite something to be missed: a few days away from Parliament (Epsom Tuesday and Christchurch today) and it’s a nationwide story. There are MPs who have missed months and their absence is never noticed. Gerry Brownlee said on Close-Up that Parliament’s a lot quieter with me away and they are getting more “business” done. I think that’s a compliment.
Anyway as I said to Susan Wood I have learnt more in the last three weeks getting around Auckland and the country than I have in the last three years sitting in Parliament. It’s important for MPs to get amongst people and learn from them and Dancing with the Stars has been a marvellous way to meet a large cross-section of New Zealanders."
So from this it is evident he is doing his job you twits.
Right on gooner. Thanks for your support. Hey, have you seen my new dancing partner:
ReplyDeletehttp://rodneygrub.blogspot.com/
Gooner: again (since I seem to have to keep pointing this out to people), when Georgina Beyer was away, it did not stop her whole party from voting.
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the problems here. Rodney is a party leader, and he has responsibilities to ensure that the views of his party (or alternatively, his voters) are represented in Parliament. Instead, he's farting around like a backbencher, and talking about how nothing done in the House matters. Which begs the question: if it doesn't matter, why the hell is he there?
Wanks harder in one week than most MP's do in six months. That is quite obvious.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Get a grip.
Its so nice that you are so concerned about the fortunes of ACT. How awfully kind of you.
ReplyDeleteRodney is looking after the concerns of our party. Look, we are on less than 2%. This is helpful to the party. However it is nice that a party on less than 2% can still cause so much angst from you guys...
Means we must be doing our job :)
Clint, your party is not on 2% or less. It is on zero according to TV1 last night. If that's looking after ACT's concerns, I think you guys ought to try wilful neglect!
ReplyDelete