Youth Parliament and Phil Goff

The Press has a good article on the Youth Parliament – sounds like it was a wee bit too scripted for some of the Youth MPs.

And I have had reports from a number of participants (keep e-mailing david@farrar.com) on stuff the media hasn’t noticed, such as the bullying of one participant by Phil Goff.

A Youth MP, Ed Brownlee, spoke in general debate and gave a speech about the war on terror and criticised Phil Goff’s decision to be photographed holding hands with Yasser Arafat. The rhetoric may even have suggested Goff and Arafat were fondling each other but hey it was Youth Parliament and general debate is about such robust speeches. I am told Darren Hughes was almost besides himself with laughter at the speech.

But afterwards at a function for MPs and Youth MPs Phill Goff came up to the Youth MP in question and spent ten minutes berating the Youth MP, telling him he was culturally insensitive etc.

It sounds like the Youth MP was rather effective, to get a personal dressing down from Mr Goff. It also sounds like Mr Goff is rather sensitive on the issue of that photo. May it be raised in many more general debates!