Howzat for some action from Nats
On a sunny day at a cricket stadium the National Party’s caucus was hardly going to be stumped about what to do over lunch.
Leader Judith Collins wasn’t brave enough to hit a few wickets herself, saying that activity was reserved for people who can bowl “over-arm without making fools of themselves doing it”.
“I will, however, applaud should anyone do something fantastic,” she said as National MPs hit out at Wellington’s Basin Reserve yesterday at the start of the two-day retreat.
Collins warned MPs not to fall for the Government’s “bait” — instead Chris Luxon fell over an overzealous batting move.
The former Air New Zealand boss took a tumble attempting to play the ball backward square-leg.
National was supposed to have the retreat in Whangārei but opted to shift it to the capital after the Northland Covid community case.
It was a decision welcomed by Chris Bishop, National’s Covid Response spokesman and co-captain of the parliamentary cricket team, who also has a long history with the stadium.
His great-great-great-grandfather Edward Dixon arrived on the ships at Petone Beach between 1838 and 1856 and every summer Bishop sits beneath his ancestor’s memorial clock.
Bishop was among the MPs keen to get out on the green over lunch.
Housing spokeswoman and Wellington Central local Nicola Willis and education spokesman Paul Goldsmith and finance spokesman Michael Woodhouse also took advantage of the sun.