In the 52nd New Zealand Parliament there are five parliamentary parties represented by 120 MPs. Credits: Newshub. I'd already written the NZ First joke in my head and I wasn't going to let him ruin it. Madeleine Chapman goes on a quest to find the worst seat in the House. I called Mr Webb to once again share the bad news. He had the worst seat in parliament. She sits four rows back but not in the back row, and is within earshot of Mr Webb so has surely been spied on by the Labour MP. New Brunswick: 10.

"But these ones here are unsellable because they're behind the stage," Mr Smith went on, circling the six seats occupied by NZ First list MPs. These MPs represent 64 general electorate seats and seven Māori electorates. I felt pretty special compared to my teenaged siblings who weren't allowed to drive yet but then we got home and I had to go to bed while everyone else watched a movie. In 2018, there are 93 scheduled sitting days. By convention, MPs of the main Government party sit to the right of the Speaker, with the largest Opposition party on the left-hand side. Of everyone in the room, those in the first row would be most likely to get face time - a meet and greet - with the Prime Minister or the leader of the opposition. Speaker Mallard is partially deaf in his left ear and doesn't always hear objections on that side." "He's got a shit seat. "My seat is awesome for numerous reasons.". Back MPs and Electorates. Madeleine Chapman writing for The Spinoff. Sincere condolences to Duncan Aardvark-Webb, you officially have the worst seat in the House. He's certainly in the worst position - in every sense - of any politician this year. In the 52nd New Zealand Parliament there are five parliamentary parties represented by 120 MPs. A surprising defence from Ms Marcroft, but desperate times call for desperate measures. First, here's the seating plan as at 17 October 2018. New Zealand First won 9 seats, which put them in the position to give either National or Labour the … She had the worst seat in parliament. Prince Edward Island: 4.

It's difficult to attract attention if you want to get the call and you're pretty much a spectator at that point. ", He wasn't going to admit to even having a bad seat, let alone the worst one, and was quick to offer an alternative. No one will notice if you fall asleep.

"I can heckle the Opposition during question time and not get pulled up by Speaker Mallard because he can't see or hear me." It was a good question and one that needed answering. Close to the speaker and on his good ear side and at risk of falling in the aisle.". So I'd suggest he change his name to Arnold Aardvark.". "I think the worst seats are way up the back because you're so far away from the action. He stared at it in silence for a few moments. In 2018, there are 93 scheduled sitting days. Imagine if your job was to watch concerts at the Town Hall every day except your seat was behind a pillar. "Any seat on the speaker's left is great. Peter Dunne sat in a lot of seats throughout his political career. It sounded like he was describing Duncan Webb's seat. Duncan Webb occupies the worst seat in the House. "The worst seating is right at the back, opposite the speaker. Mr Smith knows how to price a seated arena. So I found someone who no longer had to. "Everyone pays for their tickets but these ones were probably given for free to friends of the band.". ", I wasn't convinced but Ms Marcroft was insistent and eager to point my search in another direction.
Right at the back? "Great for skipping out for a bathroom break but also dangerous when speaking."
Mr Webb's assigned seat is his own childhood bedroom, is what I'm trying to say. "You get to listen to all the gossip from all the National Party MPs who essentially forget that you're there. Members of parliament spend a lot of time sitting in their assigned seat in the debating chamber of New Zealand's House of Representatives. Saskatchewan: 14. I didn't know how anyone could do it. "These ones will be taken by VIPs," he said, circling the front benches. From the backest of benches to the front row of the opposition - a VIP - Mr Dunne knows them all. Yukon: 1.

All their seats are bad but I needed one to represent them, much like ... a politician ... represents ... their electorate. But then I remembered when I was seven years old and my dad would let me sit in the driver's seat with him and 'drive' the car. Or rather, down, as in, come down out of the shadows where you currently sit. I chose Erica Stanford. That's the wilderness.".

And it's better to be in a pair.

It's that recent because it had to be updated with Jami-Lee Ross's move to the naughty corner. Members of parliament spend a lot of time sitting in their assigned seat in the debating chamber of New Zealand's House of Representatives. The good news is, the only way to go is up. The seats are arranged in a horseshoe shape. I set off into the wilderness, jumping over logs, ducking under gorse, entering new dimensions, before finally getting to Duncan Webb's seat. And she wasn't done. I was Frodo and the worst seat in the House was Mordor. He's on the wrong side, he's alone, he's got the cops sitting beside him so he can't even have a joint while he's watching.". Smaller parties are usually seated in the curved rows at the other end of the Chamber, which are known as the cross-benches. Copyright © 2020 MediaWorks TV - All Rights Reserved, By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Access and Privacy Policy. Jenny Marcroft. Who was from NZ First and in the aisle? "There's still a row of people behind me so I don't look like I'm right at the bottom of the list." Manitoba: 14. This did admittedly sound like a good deal to me. And he knows which ones sucked the most. ", He was relentless in his defence. "If you really needed to go to the toilet, it's a real squeeze getting out.". You can spread out and lounge. "Not being able to smoke a joint didn't spring to mind when I first got your message but I suppose you're right. "So where's the stage?". Northwest Territories: 1. Campbell Smith is a talent manager and music promoter.

I called Jenny Marcroft, ninth on the list at NZ First and occupying the farthest corner behind the stage, to give her the news. There are so many issues facing the nation but one rises above them all. The other 49 MPs are selected from the party lists. It's a prime sitting spot.

I assumed she meant "heckle the Government" because she is part of the Opposition. This system can be traced back to the "Model Parliament" of 1295. They don't call me the Acting Deputy Assistant Political Editor for nothing. He was firm in his response. Labour Party The New Zealand Labour Party (Labour Party) has 46 members of Parliament, 17 elected from the party list and 29 electorate seats. For MPs low on the list, that's 651 hours spent sitting in a seat that is, by all objective measures, pretty terrible. Next time you find yourself watching Parliament TV by accident, spare a thought for Duncan Webb. Newfoundland and Labrador: 7. If you're on your own ... it's a loneliness thing, in a way.". I finally knew what it was like to work in politics. And someone was finally about to mention Trevor Mallard's hearing. "Worst seats in the house are those in the aisle," she said, as my head fell onto my keyboard. Trevor Mallard's inability to hear in one ear became a problem during questions around who called the Prime Minister a stupid little girl. Not able to smoke a joint because you're next to the cops?

… Quebec: 78. These are the Act Party, Green Party, Labour Party, National Party and the New Zealand First Party. Smaller parties are usually seated in the curved rows at the other end of the Chamber, which are known as the cross-benches. "If you sit there, you're the first person to be moved when someone's not there. Every con I presented, he turned into a pro, like a true politician. "In the event of an earthquake I'm first out the door.". Surely she had no rebuttal.

Seats by Province or Territory . She linked to a Youtube clip of an MP stumbling off his perch while speaking. "Yes that would be the absolute worst seat, I think. Alberta: 34. There are 31 MPs occupying "that backbenchers' block" who would have to squeeze by someone on their way to the bathroom.

Mr Webb is the Labour MP for Christchurch Central and the only MP in government who sits on the same side as the Opposition. British Columbia: 42. "But I suppose this set up is a bit different because the stage is more -" Mr Smith was about to change the pricing areas but I cut him off. So I almost always sit up in the main block, right behind Jacinda [Ardern]. Ontario: 121. No neighbours? But he doesn't have to. "Anyone in NZ First in the aisle.


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