Wednesday, November 14, 2007



We're paying him for this?

It's fairly well-known that National's Bob Clarkson doesn't exactly like being an MP. I thought however that despite that, he'd at least bother to turn up and do his job. But apparently not:

According to the wonderful TheyWorkForYou website these five quotes have been Bob Clarkson’s scintillating and sum contribution to parliamentary debate since 21 August:
  • (17 Oct 2007) Interjection : “Bureaucratic!”
  • (10 Oct 2007) Interjection : “Tell us the end of the story.”
  • (19 Sep 2007) Interjection : “Force?”
  • (22 Aug 2007) Interjection : “A bit like the Labour Government.”
  • (21 Aug 2007) Interjection : “Yes, I did, actually.”
That's 19 words in 21 sitting days - less than one word a day. And for that, we pay him $110,000 / year?

Though, to be fair, Clarkson did get to ask a question today - but as Toad points out, this is his second for the year. And its not like he's been doing much else - he's issued only three press releases. Again, why are we paying this man?