Backbenches 2 July 2014
Backbenches announces:
THIS WEEK ON PRIME TV’s “BACK BENCHES”: Watch Wallace Chapman, Damian Christie, the Back Benches Panel and special guests discuss the week’s hottest topics!
ON THE ROADS, AGAIN!: National pledges to spend $212M in a roading and construction package if they are back in Government after the September 20 election. The projects will be focused in the regions such as Otago, Gisborne and Northland. The $212M spend-up is on top of the $360M already pledged for regional roads. Is investing in roads just an election bribe or necessary to improve road safety and connect the regions with the larger cities? Is this just about roads? Will it be enough to bolster regional development? And what about alternative forms of transport?
OUTBREAK: A measles outbreak in Hamilton (80+cases) and Auckland (100+cases) while a few more have appeared in other North Island cities. The highly infectious disease has forced schools to postpone all sporting, cultural and academic events for the remainder of the term and there are concerns it could appear in the South Island. The outbreak may be been made worse by parents neglecting to immunise their children. So, do we need to make immunisations mandatory? Or should immunisations be required to attend school? Should parents on welfare have immunisation tied to their benefit?
WHAT GETS THE VOTERS OUT?: What gets voters to the ballot box? Is it parties? Specific politicians? Policies? If voters feel the election is a fait accompli-will they not bother? How do we get out the vote?
There are two ways to get in on the political pub action:
First, you can join the live audience in Wellington’s iconic Backbencher Pub on Wednesday, 2nd of July at 6pm. Filming begins around 6:15pm.
Or watch us that night on PRIME TV at 10:30pm!
Plus, Follow us on Facebook (BackBenchesTV) or on Twitter @BackBenchesTV.
Our Panel: Labour MP David Clark, National MP Joanne Hayes, and Mana Party Leader Hone Harawira.