News Jaya

Backbenchers was a lot of fun last night

I was at Backbenchers last night. I haven’t been for a while but decided to go, not even knowing who was on the panel. Parliament was out as members day finished early

It was one of the best ever- so many MPs. There were at least 25 MPs, mainly Labour, but every party was represented apart from Dunne and Anderton. Best comment of the night was when Hone Harawira - in the audience at the time a few metres away from me - was handed the microphone asking for his views on putting the H in Wanganui. His response:

Shane was just telling me that spelling Wanganui without an H is like Cunliffe without a T

David Cunliffe was just behind him. Shane Jones arrived just before the programme started. The pub was in hysterics. It's an old joke, but I think that’s the first time that has been said in any media – let alone live on TV. Backbenchers is broadcast live by TVNZ7. Not sure what Cunliffe thinks of having his name spelled Cunliffte...

Anyway the place was packed, although it started thinning out after 10.30pm. The good thing about Backbenchers is no matter what political stripe you are, everyone gets on. I'm sure I saw Victoria University student president Jasmine Freemantle having a good chin wag with Sir Roger Douglas – their politics are poles apart.