isn't the fourth estate supposed to have a commitment to the truth?

I shouldn't watch Close Up, should I? But I did and saw the lamentable "live reading" carried out by Kevin Cruikshank last night. He was "talking to" Samantha Henderson in order to reassure her grieving mother and step-father.…

And if journalists are aware that mud sticks and…

If you want to scream at education standards , scream at the slowing down…

After reading that J Rough man yesterday, I moved on to better things that did not make me angry, but now it's been mentioned, would like to say. What a jerk.

Where's Jay Pryor when you need him?

You're correct – the setting for DHC's article is a student led conference, otherwise known as a parent-teacher conference. The schools I've taught at have had them pre-National Standards – but as part of the National Standards all schools are required to report to parents twice a year in…

Correct me if I'm wrong but the student led conferences that DHC took offense at are nothing to do with National Standards ?

They appear to have been widely adopted after the Assess to Learn (Atol) Professional Development Programme for teachers ?

Tonight, Paul Henry hosts 50 Year of TV News.

TVNZ up to its old tricks again putting it on at the exact time as the far superior Prime series.

Yes quite right Sofie.

There are lots of reasons for chanting while marching, sure you have a message you want to get across – yelling "Amandla!" in '81 didn't mean much to most NZers at the time, but to South Africans with their brand new television system it meant a…

Not just the article, but the comments after all made my brain hurt.

So much of teaching makes my head and heart hurt, I wonder how long I can continue to do it.

But on Tuesday I sit down to do the same mid-year…

And you can guess who decides what is "respectable" or "sensible" or "reliable" or "well-presented".

Just listening to Mediawatch's item on this, does that mean Willie and JT or honorary old white men? :)

And, Roughan, if you want to talk about "lack of quality control" in our Parliament, the…

To Chinese eyes, the scruffy-haired man in the suit would surely not have embarrassed himself and them…

Re that Bill allowing police to stand for local government. It was actually a law change under the previous government (about 3 years ago I think) that took that ability away from them.

I note that there is a currently serving member of the force on the Roskill Community Board,…

covering off Harry Duynhoven's arse

fair point – and for a pretty poor ROI

I think you'll find the Herald will rediscover it's enthusiasm for defending democracy from attack when Labour is next returned to power, and will do its best to highlight abuses of urgency by the filthy socialists.

By 'democracy' you probably mean ad revenue.

My brain hurts.

Yes, but think of the children!
⸮

Meanwhile DebhillCone finds that the insanity of nationally "standardizing" on a 5 year old is quite cold and heartless so she logically blames the nasty teachers union and the crazy militants who teach our children.

What an appallingly awful piece of writing...

certain Mr. Andrew Harris, a business advisory partner for chartered accountants Grant Thornton. espouses..

Mr Harris could mix metaphors for his country.

Only it's likely they never will – because they are better than that.

Was covering off Harry Duynhoven's arse (and purely coincidentally, I'm sure, avoiding a by-election nobody really wanted) a constitutional crisis of such severity the Electoral Act had to be amended under extreme urgency?

I don't know about…

It's certainly going to hard to credibly cry foul (however justly) if the next Labour-lead Government decides to grab that shabby precedent with both paws.

I think you'll find the Herald will rediscover it's enthusiasm for defending democracy from attack when Labour is next returned to power, and will do…

Re that Bill allowing police to stand for local government. It was actually a law change under the previous government (about 3 years ago I think) that took that ability away from them.

And if my memory serves, that was the most contentious (and heavily submitted on) part of the…

Re that Bill allowing police to stand for local government. It was actually a law change under the previous government (about 3 years ago I think) that took that ability away from them.

Prior to that they were free to do so and I recall, from my Chch days,…

Think you could also argue that for all the sound and fury, the protests against the '81 Tour did not hasten the fall of apartheid by a single day, let alone stop The Tour.

Wasn't there a documentary not too long ago where John Minto was thanked for his role…

I notice the pale burghers of Howick managed to get the name of the new super-city ward they were part of changed from Te Irirangi to – you guessed it – Howick.

I realise the discussion's well and truly moved on from this (dear God, more than a week ago!),…

Have a coherent position, backed…

Thank you possum. :) I will wait for you with bated breath

...not 1080 I hope...

(ok it was a stretch, works better aurally)
;- )

The Norman Conquest...

I should note that I'm still not entirely sure what I think about it all…

Have a coherent position, backed up with facts and numbers. "Free Tibet now!" is not a coherent position.

Neither is "two, four, six, eight, we don't want your racist state" a particularly coherent statement of the slightly more complex arguments around sporting contact with apatheid-era South Africa. Think you could…

I should note that I'm still not entirely sure what I think about it all ...

Neither am I, to be honest.

Me neither, but I do always expect a consequence for my actions especially if it goes against the grain.(hell one only need write something that pisses Craig off…

JR Pereira said yesterday that the proposed "Pacific skilled employment programme", which stands to get the $4 million, dates back to a 43-page proposal…

I should note that I'm still not entirely sure what I think about it all ...

Neither am I, to be honest. Nice thing about PAS is that there's always an argument or two floating around you may ultimately find unconvincing, but can't dismiss out of hand.

Who knows --…

Absolutely which is why Trev wanted to make his point.He knew what the outcome would be, but it would piss Gerry off. :)

OMFG... and I've got to say this again, Russell Norman's the one being an irresponsible toss-pot not only "abusing" his position but bringing Parliament into disrepute? Hell,…

Out there in the real world, he didn't achieve that. It looked like he was trying to harness the event for his personal profile.

No point re-stating what Russell has said, which was all good, but yes, this is what I wanted to express.

But are we crticising him for…

OTOH,

See, you're dammed if you do and you're dammed if you don't. Whatever he did, because Key didn't like it, the rest followed suit with condemnation, and it spreads real quick like.

Seems to me Norman is more than capable of 'dealing with the complexity of the issues', and therefore this was a wasted opportunity. Is it that hard to imagine a better use of his privileged access than this?

Well possibly. But are we crticising him for not having thought out…

Can you suggest something "complex" a protestor with individual access to that area could do, that would also attract TV and other media attention during the 60 seconds of the visitor's entrance?

Culture-jamming in some form or another.

It involves mayonnaise, a whole lot of radishes and an old copy of Popular Mechanics. You don't want to know.

I actually did recently obtain some old copies of Popular Mechanics. They're choice as.

Would you tell us what it might be?

Sure.

Stand out there with your whole caucus. This is a longstanding Green Party policy — why weren't they all there?

Stand back a metre. You'll still be in shot, along with your signs/flags/whatever. It would be quite a powerful statement to…

Can you suggest something "complex" a protestor with individual access to that area could do, that would also attract TV and other media attention during the 60 seconds of the visitor's entrance?

Actually, yes.

I think it's not at all important, in terms of what has arisen out of it. The right to protest should not be dependent on making perfect sense, or dealing with the complexity of the issues.

Hmm, how do I do this without saying 'but'?

Seems to me Norman is…

a matter that requires the House to be put under urgency. Again.

I understand from Idiot/Savant's previous posts about this that it silences the opposition by eliminating a Members Day (on Wednesdays) where MPs other than the government ones might get to put forward legislation. And this lot have done…

I wonder if journalists have generally come down fairly hard on Norman because two of their number have just been hit very hard by the Speaker for doing what he is said to have done after he picked up his flag — pursuing someone through Parliament, shouting at them.

My…

TBF, that's posted under humour, sport on Red Alert.

It's filed under: "Holidays, events, legislation, sport, urgency".

And it's Russell Norman exposing New Zealand's…

Hey Craig, what number is Radio live on the dial?

In Auckland: 100.6 FM or 702 AM. Think they also do a live audio feed through the website, but that's not entirely reliable the times I've tried it out.

Safe? Um, not dissing you for your view but what do…

Just because things are complex, sometimes political leaders need to try and make them clear, which they can do by coming back to principles.…

I'd suggest Goff is a pragmatist of which allows him to see both sides without damming either. He seems the one held more accountable in this now, when the Nact Party seem to be floating.

Oh, you sure of that Sofie — 'cause I'm really feeling the love for Key…

My question was more whether he had privileged access to the scene, and whether that had any bearing on the situation.

Well that's a valid question. I don't know the rules very well, but I'd be surprised if what he did breached any rules of parliament in any serious way.…

I wonder if journalists have generally come down fairly hard on Norman because two of their number have just been hit very hard by the Speaker for doing what he is said to have done after he picked up his flag — pursuing someone through Parliament, shouting at them.

Perhaps…

I think it's not at all important, in terms of what has arisen out of it. The right to protest should not be dependent on making perfect sense, or dealing with the complexity of the issues.

I agree. My question was more whether he had privileged access to the scene,…

I'd suggest Goff is a pragmatist of which allows him to see both sides without damming either.

This might be great if he was a mediator, but he's supposed to be the leader of a major political party.

Which requires complexity, but it seems to me that this instance requires…

This is important, and why the whole thing left me wondering what he hoped to achieve.

I think it's not at all important, in terms of what has arisen out of it. The right to protest should not be dependent on making perfect sense, or dealing with the complexity of…

I've been surprised by how many people I'd have expected to be somewhat sympathetic have bluntly scorned Norman

Well I would think that a protest, (as stated in the Oxford English Reference Dictionary),being 1) an expression of disapproval or dissent and 2) to declare solemnly or firmly..... or action…

"Free Tibet now!". Not separate statehood, I presume (which would lose in Tibet on a democratic vote amongst its present population). Although I suppose "Greater autonomy and more religious freedom for Tibet, now!" is a bit of a mouthful.

This is important, and why the whole thing left me wondering…

Is it really that bad to uphold the right to protest but offer the opinion that Norman was being a bit of a dick at the time? Even if you think it's not true, and as you note, protest often needs to be annoying.

The problem (in general) I have…

But then again, when I consider it, John Key is a rank amateur politician, a multi-millionaire…

think Norman would be getting less public scorn if the PM or other top people (Phil Goff) had shown a couple more testicles and said "I don't agree with his protest, but he was perfectly entitled to be there" or similar.

Which isn't that far from what he did say…

Three parts ignorance, one part authoritarianism, with a twist of malice.
Grind down, repress, then lock in a shipping container of ice.

neither shaken, nor stirred,
just mixed up...

Anyway, here's some John Cale.

suddenly I am side of stage at the Gluepot... Bliss!

I wouldn't be keen to see that, especially given the grovelling nature of the apology already offered.

I found the apology appalling.

The rules should be:

Anyone has the right to protest about anything.
Protests by their nature will cause minor disruption and annoyance, which is OK. Small price to…

Look here.

Thanks. Heaps.

Hmm, I might have to check with my friendly bootlegger on that one.

Look here.

This attempt to fly the New Zealand flag has not been the first attempt by terrorists to challenge the One-China policy. Foreign forces are thought to be behind the incident, because New Zealand has always been a part of China, and because its people…

I was just listening this weekend to the bootleg of Cale at the Gluepot in 1983, which still sounds compelling.

Hmm, I might have to check with my friendly bootlegger on that one. He was good at the Bruce Mason last year (or was it 2008?)* but didn't play my…

Anyway, here's some John Cale. It's page 9, and Wednesday is the new Friday. "The Chinese envoy was here, but left."

Would that make it a Chinese envoi, then?

Anyway, here's some John Cale. It's page 9, and Wednesday is the new Friday. "The Chinese envoy was here, but left."

Okay, Friday will really be free-for-all Friday this week.

And yeah, what a lovely performance. I was just listening this weekend to the bootleg of Cale at the Gluepot…

Norman may have broken one of parliament's rules or ettiquettes. I don't have a problem with that, protesters should push boundaries and break rules, it's about challenging systems. If he's broken a rule or law he should be sanctioned for that.

I wouldn't be keen to see that, especially given…

I would hope. I don't know what a right winger could shout at Obama

"Taxation is theft!"

Lyndon:

And I'll repeat here that a 'Don't Tread on Me' flag was spotted at yesterday's ETS protest.

Who says the Teabaggers are unique to America?

China, which isn't a particularly healthy democracy.

But they're not even pretending to be one.

From what I saw, Rod Donald's 'protest' was wholly more dignified, and probably more respected (and respectful) than these theatrics.

Anyway, here's some John Cale. It's page 9, and Wednesday is the new Friday. "The…

I don't know what a right winger could shout at Obama

Stop stealing 20 billion from BP? Something about communism taking over health care? I'm guessing it would sound silly.

"go back to Kenya"

And I'll repeat here that a 'Don't Tread on Me' flag was spotted at yesterday's ETS protest.

The chances of any of them making everyone happy at a particular time are pretty slim, and people popping up to protest about issues are the sign…

Although, I have to say that that example is faulty

That example is faulty because "go back to Kenya" is not to the right wing what "Tibet independence" is to the left, I would hope. I don't know what a right winger could shout at Obama – I try not…

Well, yes I think I do, but will grant the turn of phrase was unhelpful. (And a self-inflicted dip in the Kiwibog and Your Views sewer didn't help.)

Phew, glad to see that. Because I was going to point out that you recently teed off on someone here who used…

But frankly, it seems perilous to even discuss that.

Oh please do, Russell, but since you brought up that Dim-Post thread could the discussion also involve those of us who don't regard invoking the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as a discussion-ending trump card?

And I'm personally getting tired of…

Far out. Really? You really wanted to compare what Goff actually said to excusing a rapist, Craig?

Well, yes I think I do, but will grant the turn of phrase was unhelpful. (And a self-inflicted dip in the Kiwibog and Your Views sewer didn't help.) I'm glad that we've become…

Three parts ignorance, one part authoritarianism, with a twist of malice.
Grind down, repress, then lock in a shipping container of ice.

In Australia, the Componded Collins is known as the Sir Joh.

"Compounded Collins" would be a great name for a cocktail.

Three parts ignorance, one part authoritarianism, with a twist of malice.
Grind down, repress, then lock in a shipping container of ice.

Of course Dr Norman has the right to protest. Indeed, once he regained his flag, he followed the official party inside the Beehive corridor, his cries of "you might suppress freedom and democracy in China but you can't do it here" echoing around the official…

What compounded Collins for me

"Compounded Collins" would be a great name for a cocktail.

As you were.

What happened was unacceptable, and the apologies embarrassing.

But ... did Norman gain his up-close-and-personal position there by virtue of being a Member of Parliament? Is there any protocol traditionally…

Mind you, Judith Collins is known to become quite cheerful when people talk about government human rights breaches.

BTW, am I having an auditory hallucination or did I just hear Judith Collins allege Russell Norman assaulted a police office on Morning Report?

Bill English has run the same line, a disturbing development of this governments favourite Natasha Fuller offensive play – manipulate the evidence and blame the victim.…

I think you'll find that Phil is not part of the government.

Granted. I find myself wondering on any given day if he's leading a competent opposition acting as an effective check and balance in a democratic legislature.

Give these types an inch and they'll viciously thrust their groin into some hapless goon's knee

I love rugby league too.

Perhaps, he just dropped it, and they helpfully picked it up before he assaulted them?

Heh. I'm reminded of Joe's observation upthread:

Give these types an inch and they'll viciously thrust their groin into some hapless goon's knee.

Society isn't free, that was just a physical example of it.

Russel Norman's behaved like a child since he roughed up (yes, if you watch the television footage closely, it's his hands shoving people aside to retrieve the Tibetan flag) security personnel outside Parliament.

OH MY FREAKIN' LORD...

Can she not see the OBVIOUS point ?

Note her own word RETRIEVE...…

But surely the point of protest is to provoke, to confront and to agitate. The goal is be so confronting as to affect change. That's what marks protest as a tactic different from diplomacy or negotiation. To ask a…

When my children were little and ran to me telling tales of sibling bullying, my first reaction inevitably was, what did you do to cause your sister's wrath?

Russel Norman's behaved like a child since he roughed up (yes, if you watch the…

John and Phil: Tomorrow, could you guys try not to make me thoroughly ashamed of my government?

I think you'll find that Phil is not part of the government.

So, were you thinking Phil Goff would find a spine with a pair of balls attached?

It's for reasons like this that I vote Green. They may have a couple of anti-science policies, but at least if they say they have principles, they'll most likely still have them when it's…

He doesn't really have the courage of anyone's convictions, least of all his own.

What would those be?

Labour leader Phil Goff said there mistakes on both sides.

"The Chinese security guard had no right to seize the flag from Russel Norman. There is an absolute right of peaceful protest…

Dr Norman said Mr Key's apology was "degrading", while Mr Key defended it that "it's unacceptable that a dignatory of that level can't enter the building without their integrity being compromised".

Integrity: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness – yep…

Colin Espiner comes down on the side of Russel Norman being out of line.

Colin Espiner's sanctimonious twaddlle yesterday is out of step with the Press Editorial today which backs Russel Norman's right to protest, and that the Chinese were in the wrong (and…

Think he'd have written a slightly different column if Chris Carter had gotten around Parliament with a phalanx of bitch-slapping drag queens to make sure the press pack didn't disturb his serenity with their uppity ways?

Or Shane Jones with a nosebleed-inducing harem entourage?

Yellow journalists caught on tape with…

Simple reason. He refuses to talk to any other media.

"PS: To the person who phoned 95bFM management pretending to be Herald editor Tim Murphy, threatening BSA action, after I'd been critical in a Breakfast-show phone interview of last Friday's Herald editorial declaring victory for National ... you're a dick."…

It'd make great television. I wanna see!

Hold my gold, bitch, Parliamentary Insecurity is getting Foxy Brown on yo ass... :)

... if Chris Carter had gotten around Parliament with a phalanx of bitch-slapping drag queens to make sure the press pack didn't disturb his serenity with their uppity ways?

It'd make great television. I wanna see!

Colin Espiner comes down on the side of Russel Norman being out of line.

Think he'd have written a slightly different column if Chris Carter had gotten around Parliament with a phalanx of bitch-slapping drag queens to make sure the press pack didn't disturb his serenity with their uppity ways?

Colin Espiner comes down on the side of Russel Norman being out of line.

in which he says...

The late Rod Donald maintained a silent but dignified protest against the Chinese when he held a Tibetan flag aloft at Parliament. He didn't make a scene.

well that's what Russel Norman…

Strange how none of the many cameras there – both still and TV – managed to capture the so-called attack, or the flag trampling.

What they did capture, though, was an MP behaving in a way…

Why hasn't a magazine like Metro run the (un)authorised story of the man behind the paper?

Simple reason. He refuses to talk to any other media.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully was critical of Dr Norman's action and last night told The New Zealand Herald that Mr Key had telephoned the most senior minister in the visiting Chinese delegation to apologise on Friday night.
He "conveyed his regret that there had been this encounter and expressed…

Key apologising to the Chinese

Ick. I feel dirty by association, and I wouldn't vote for him if he were the only candidate in an election with mandatory polling.

Going upthread a little, I've compiled the curious facts of the PEDA story and wondered what on earth is wrong with the Herald.

Editorially and in its opinion pieces the Herald has always been the mouthpiece of the Northern Club, not the National party. Of course, there has always a…

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully was critical of Dr Norman's action and last night told The New Zealand Herald that Mr Key had telephoned the most senior minister in the visiting Chinese delegation to apologise on Friday night.

He "conveyed…

That it happened on Parliament's grounds against a serving Member "complicates things".

Not in terms of the crime committed, though. There's no "Assault on a Member of Parliament" crime, or an "Assault within the precincts of Parliament" crime. It's complicated by the role of the Speaker of the House, but…

It's common assault, not attempted murder

That it happened on Parliament's grounds against a serving Member "complicates things".

The Police have taken a pragmatic view of the available time against the severity of the charges. It's common assault, not attempted murder. Get some fucking perspective before ragging on people who have severe constraints of time and law within which to operate.

Ah yes, you mean like the "pragmatic…

Of course we have freedom of speech in New Zealand, but that doesn’t mean we have to use that freedom of speech to cause offence to people, particularly to overseas visitors.

This is the "freedom of speech until it actually starts to mean something" theory. It's a little read footnote…

Do people actually…

Hah, brilliant follow-up from Danyl:

DPF is in the habit of linking Danyl's satire more often than not. Wonder what the Kiwiblog types will make of that one...

Danyl on the police announcement of insufficient evidence to investigate:

Dude's on fire right now.

The demonstrator’s behavior posed a threat to the security and dignity of the delegation, and far exceeded the boundaries of the freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

Give these types an inch and they'll viciously thrust their groin into some hapless goon's knee.

When Bush the lesser addressed a…

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has been severely reprimanded by Chinese Ambassador Zhang Limin for exercising poor judgement when using his Ministerial credit card, the Chinese Embassy announced today.

Previously Prime Minister John Key has defended McCully’s $2000 laundry bill and high alcohol expenditure but the…

When the delegation arrived at the entrance of the parliament building in Wellington Friday noon, it was hostilely harassed by…

Really anything could have happened out there: all the police had to go on was TV footage from both networks, photographic evidence, parliamentary security cameras and dozens of eye-witnesses including members of the DPS. How Dr Norman’s flag went from…

You'd think if the Chinese security were working properly with the local DPS, that…

Hear hear! If only we had a different PM. :)

Heh... I don't know if the sight of Phil Goff performing trade-based anilingus would be much of an improvement.

The Chinese officials should still have not touched Norman’s flag or person, but you do wonder if Norman was trying to get them to do exactly that by advancing on the Vice-President.

I thought Parliament abolished the provocation defence, but…

Fuck Laura Norder — that stupid Commie Russell Norman deserved everything he got from his comrades, and more. Common assault is A-OK as long as you think the person on the receiving end is a cunt.

One or two points for the Prime Minister:

1) The Diplomatic Protection Squad and Parliamentary Security are more than competent to address any legitimate "safety and security" concerns in Parliament's grounds on the part of visitors.

We also…

"At the end of the day we will need to reflect on that situation and I guess in future ensure that both the New Zealander's right to express their view and protest is preserved but the dignitary involved doesn't feel their safety and security is compromised," he said.…

Metaphor. Being figurative. Or is that against your rulebook too Craig?

I know exactly what a metaphor is — just through that one is rather unfortunate and so disproportionate as to be rather tasteless. Your mileage, of course, may vary.

If anything it's worse, because it demonstrates a disdain for…

Seem the yellow media's feeding frenzy has started to blow back on them.

Do hope Mister Speaker is going to be equally hard-arsed with Xi Jinping's "entourage", and make a public statement that nobody has the power to assault New Zealand citizens going about their lawful and legitimate in the…

Deputy mayor Gary Troup says the attempts to discredit the integrity of the mayor and council staff are dragging Manukau into the "political gutter".

"We wouldn't be…

Except that that snapshot accounts for $1m, not $4.8m. Where's the other $3.8m gone, exactly? It's not in that picture.

It's the part that says the funding commitment lasts until the 2013-14 Budget.

This is from the media release from Budget day:

The Budget provides $4.8 million in operating funding…

Idiot/Savant has a snapshot of the relevant Budget line to show that's a bald-faced lie.

Except that that snapshot accounts for $1m, not $4.8m. Where's the other $3.8m gone, exactly? It's not in that picture. I would be very, very hesitant to say that English is lying, or corrupt, or…

...it is strongly supported by the Ministry of Pacific Islands Affairs. So why are Pacific officials from MPIA and the Pacific Affairs Minister all taking their time…

See also here, where JR Pereira claims to have a "government mandate" to represent the PI community in the Super City transition, and gives unusual accounts of his dealings with govt ministers.

Fiery stuff and great to see a writer laying out so fully her own connection to the story.…

Criticism of a politician, however unfair or unfounded you think it is, is no more like a racist murder than it is like a gang-rape.

Or, for that matter, criticising Pope Benedict's shameful role in the Catholic Church's institutional history of enabling clerical abuse and obstructing criminal investigations [[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/03/world/europe/03church.html|is abso-fucking-loutely…

Nope – if you want to spend public money (in what sounds like a perfectly defensible local cause), then that's not private information.

Couldn't put it better myself, Sacha.

True. It's not exactly unusual or unprecedented though. The MPs' expenses pile includes manifold, and recent, occasions where other individuals present…

The chair of the Pacific Radio Trust, Tino Pereira, is the brother of JR Pereira, founder of PEDA.

See also here, where JR Pereira claims to have a "government mandate" to represent…

That worked out well for him.

Well, yes. OTOH, Thomas Moore lost his position, and ultimately his head, for being rather too insistent in proffering advice to Henry VIII that he really didn't want to listen to. :)

PEDA latest: English now appears to be calling Te Heuheu either a…

One would think this ought to be a slightly bigger story than it is. Surely there's a minibar angle in it somewhere?

Hah!

refused, for privacy reasons, to say who he entertained that night.

Nope – if you want to spend public money (in what sounds like a perfectly defensible local cause), then that's not private information.

I'd expect the same if he was entertaining a table of property developers, wouldn't you?…

One would think this ought to be a slightly bigger story than it is. Surely there's a minibar angle…