The harpies get their trophy but who, if anyone, has got the facts about the cause of the gender gap?

Who's next?

The harpies have triumphed.

More dismaying, those of them who would be outraged if a worker was dismissed for what he or she said – no matter how provocative the remarks – are crowing about the sacking of Employers and Manufacturers’ Association (Northern) chief executive Alasdair Thompson.

Their unseemly baying for blood reminds Alf of the hags who cackled their approval as the guillotine blade fell in the days of the French Revolution.

An ACT of ingratitude – we go out to bat for Rodney, only to have Douglas disparage us

Catching up with Australia would be great - but how far down has it gone already?

You would think the tossers in the ACT Party were grateful for the PM’s willingness to express his support for Rodney Hide as a Minister.

Not a bit of it.

As a consequence Prime Minister John Key has to smile sweetly and say he is unbothered by an ACT Party campaign that apparently portrays him with his head in the sand on economic matters.

On the other he is telling Parliament that Rodney Hide is a fit and proper bloke to be a Minister.

Never mind the abominably bad judgement shown by Hide when he wore a yellow jacket, took his girlfriend around the world at the expense of taxpayers, and encouraged David Garrett to become an MP to champion tougher law and order measures despite knowing about Garrett’s dodgy track record in the law and order department.

Alf can only say The Boss is a remarkably decent bloke.

Or a remarkably realistic one, more likely, who knows full well that without the support of ACT MPs in Parliament he becomes discomfortingly dependent on the ethno-centric Maori Party.

Stubborn silence – is this the accountability we could expect if Rodney (fat chance) became PM?

Alf agrees totally with the Herald’s John Armstrong, who has admonished Rodney Hide over his refusal to say why Heather Roy was given the heave as deputy leader.

Alf didn’t drop into the press conference where ACT announced nothing much more than what everybody seemed to know (he was busy dealing with a constituent’s problems with the bloody health system).

But he keenly watched Hide handle the baying media hounds on telly last night.

The information Hide volunteered, over and beyond the sparse details in his media statement , fell far short of what the taxpaying public is entitled to know, in circumstances that result in a Minister being replaced.

It was zero, plus zilch multiplied by zippo and it came to diddly-squat.

And it exposed Hide yet again as a bloke who preaches accountability but struggles to practice it.

When student union membership became voluntary, how many bailed out? Bloody near all, actually

The Labour and Green Parties have given us a strong argument for supporting Roger Douglas’s bill to get rid of compulsory membership of student unions.

It’s to be found in a story in the Herald today.

We learn that:

Parliament’s education and science committee is hearing submissions on the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill which would let tertiary students decide for themselves whether to join a student union.

The bill’s sponsor, Act list MP Sir Roger Douglas, argues that student unions are the only remaining area where the right to free association isn’t respected.

Individuals should be free to associate with any group they choose, he reasons, and the current law around students’ associations does not allow this choice.

Alf is attracted to this powerful point of principle. It’s called freedom of association.

Maori student leaders oppose freedom of association

(as dictated to Mrs Grumble)

Maori Tertiary students are opposing the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill and urge the National Party Caucus to support the status quo, according to Jacqualene Poutu, a big cheese in the National Māori Tertiary Students Association.

We may suppose this really means that Poutu and a few others will be opposing the Bill. There must be some Maori students out there who don’t give a shit, one way or the other, and some who would enthusiastically support Sir Roger.

Or for some curious reasons unknown to Alf, do all Maori students support the principle of compulsory membership?

Another ministry that wouldn’t be missed

The best question asked in parliament today didn’t pass muster with Mr Speaker, and hence was not answered.

It was raised during a series of questions and answers prompted by the Maori Party’s Rahui Katene, who asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage if it is Government policy to support the recognition of indigenous celebrations as being of benefit for all New Zealanders. And if so, why?

Good grief – see who’s on the “most trusted” list

Alf is seriously sulking over a survey that ranks Blue Chip’s Mark Bryers among the 85 most trusted people in the country.

Mark Bloody Bryers is the bloke who co-founded the company in which many Kiwis lost their savings, and who is facing a raft of charges laid by the Companies Office.

Another bout of litigation has been brought by 240 or so investors who claim their apartment sale and purchase agreements are void and they should not be forced to honour them, and that Blue Chip was deceptive and misled the investors.

And so on.

Sure, Bryers just sneaks in at No 85 on the most trusted list.

But Alf Grumble, hard-working and much-admired member for Eketahuna North, is not there at all.