OPINION: I always enjoyed my chats on REX to the ousted minister of Ag Damien O'Connor, so I'm pleased his F-off moment has disappeared from the media radar quicker than Jerry Brownlee getting to the front of the line at McDonald's for a two Big Macs $10 deal.
Maybe Damien's take 'no shite approach' is what the Labour government needed more of during their reign of woke terror.
Speaking of woke, how is it that a 501, sent packing from Australia, finds himself as an All Black fanboy in Paris? Seriously, this is right up there with Jacinda's gang handout.
And just on the rugby, the World Cup decider. the grand finale for Sam Whitelock, Aaron 'Nugget' Smith, Richie Mo'unga and, of course, coach Ian Foster! Stranger than fiction, right? I mean who wrote this script? Mind you if the All Blacks lose, based on history, the actions of Mark Robinson and NZ rugby will have a degree of vindication because we don't do second. Not now, not ever. Apparently.
Anyway, back to Damien O'Connor, as a rule, the former West Coast MP generally always fronted, even when his personal views must have been a million miles from those of his party. But all this begs the question, how on earth could the one time climate change denier Maureen Pugh hand out such a thrashing to O'Connor in an absolute Labour bolt hole, like the West Coast? Dear oh dear. That's like Colonel Sanders turning on chicken.
It proves the disdain for Labour, driven by the former Prime Minister who bolted for the hills before the rest of the world cottoned on to the mess NZ is in.
And don't get me started on COVID. She was late to shut the borders, and then tried to take credit for 'moving fast'. Absolute rubbish. So, it's back to the drawing board for Labour, a two-term government thanks firstly to Winston Peters - and then a bunch of South Island farmers who were terrified of the greens.
Well, Farmers, you've had a dollar each way, time now to let the new regime settle in. And with the likes of newcomers Andrew Hoggard and Suz Redmayne in the house, you have some strong and experienced farming voices.
And it's better being at the table, than 'on the menu'.
