children

Well, after yesterdays post on the wasted vote, the Electoral Commission released data today noting that
three-quarters of us cannot correctly identify both parts of the threshold from a short list of options and that a quarter of us, generally older voters, think the electorate vote is most important in deciding the party make-up of parliament. Yes, old people think they are electing a government still. Someone needs to tell Grey Power and their mates that MMP is about electing a Parliament, not a Government.

Meanwhile Helen Clark had dinner with Lions spin doctor Alistair Campbell to see if he had any tips on how to win an election. I wonder if Miss Clark told Mr Campbell what a great tackler Tana Umaga is, and that has won some fair play awards.

If you go along to Brian Tamaki's "A nation under seige "tour, you won't find out about the nation under seige. All you will hear is Tamaki's negative four point plan: The Government is evil, a radical homosexual agenda, the media is witchcraft, and the retreat of religion. No wonder even Destiny Church members don't know what Destiny's policies are.

And as far as NZ First announcing today that the party will be conscience voting on Bradford's anti-smacking bill, well, I blogged that fact two weeks ago Perhaps Simon Collins needs to read some blogsWhile I'm at it, did anyone notice that the majority of the court cases on Section 59 of the Crimes act don’t actually consider if a parent was "justified in using force by way of correction towards the child, if the force used is reasonable in the circumstances". Since when have juries discussed the circumstances of the discipline and whether it is correction. They tend to use one barometer: reasonable force. No wonder it has to be looked at - but not the way Sue Bradford is proposing.

Never mind, Simon, who I worked with in the City Voice days, has written a good story here stating that the first ever Children's Commissioner, Dr Ian Hassall, has attacked both National and Labour for policies of sending mothers back to work too soon. He suggests appointing a Cabinet Minister for Children. Gee, lots of them don’t even have children. Who do you think will be a good candidate? Surely not Clark, Cullen, Maharey, Wilson, Carter, Hawkins, Dyson, Hobbs, King. Hodgson, Burton, Tizard, or Mallard….. Nah, they`ll probably choose David Benson Pope, he's had some experience with children.