Thursday, November 09, 2006

Lame ducks

High excitement in the last 24 hours as the Americans got their voting underway. Was a strange experience seeing the results come through on the news around 2pm in the afternoon! As you might expect MT was glued to the coverage with his usual brand of commentry - all I was wondering what what would President Barlett have done in this circumstance. I was advised that he would probably say something pithy in Latin and head off to plan his presidential library. Can't see bush doing the same somehow.

Back in NZ politics, the big vote this week has been whether to raise the drinking age from 18 to 20 years of age. It was voted down but the Government have announced a review of sales of alcohol to young people (whatever that might achieve). Like the UK the youth drinking culture is pretty much the same although I'd say that there is more drink driving here which is much more dangerous to the wider public. The big campaign about drinking behaviour here promotes drinking as an issue for everyone and it's not the drinking but the way we are (cut to lots of pics of party debris at home or 30-45 year olds staggering around at work parties).

The NZ Governnment are sitting again this week (they seem to have loads of recesses here) and my Minister is on the hop. We're busy putting together a truth framework for him to help him get his facts and figures straight.

After today it will all be a distant memory as we head off (in a smaller plane that I know I will rather be riding in) to the magical land of Marlborough Sounds. Lots of opportunities for photoblogging coming up.

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