I've been bumped off my flight, and for the first time ever, am sitting in a Koru Lounge, drinking free booze and bludging wireless net. Woop! 

My first thought was, i wonder which endlessly important person took my seat. 

I walked past Speaker Lockwood Smith when I came in, who then left when the flight I should have been on was called.

He has been doing a great job as Speaker. It's about time someone reigned in the appalling habit of refusing to directly answer questions in the House. As a member of the general public, i'd like to know the answer to some of those questions rather than get a series of point-scoring politics-playing comments. Ministers should be answerable to those who voted them in, and it's the job of the Opposition to ask those questions. So bravo, Lockwood, for changing the game. 

I find it wonderfully hilarious that he is taking the role of Speaker and creating theatre. His jaunty stance, his careful wardrobe choices (the red silk lining of his robes today was inspired), and his decision to re-route the Speaker's procession may be indulgent but shows that he is going to be one to remember. 

Being shackled to a student loan, however, i'm going to lump him with the blame for the student loan system. He may start on the road to redemption if he continues the great performance seen thus far as speaker. 

My intention for this blog was not to get all lefty. But hey, i grew up in Labour Lower Hutt, am still paying off my student loan, and have a BA. But i'm going to do my best to look at arguments from all angles, and i'll do my best to be diplomatic.

But as Mr Ellis down there pointed out, Nikki Kaye did an amazing job of winning Auckland central. Extra points for bringing fresh new ideas to the House. Yep, i just spouted one of those tired lines but it’s true - something needs to be done about engaging not only the youth vote but bringing new perspectives to the table so that different, hopefully effective ideas come to fruition. And it was about time Ms Tizard exited the building.

To be honest i’m surprised that JK doesn’t have a staff member responsible for his outfit selection. If I was Chief of Staff i’d delegate responsibility to the best dressed person in the office to weed out the bad ties in the Prime Ministerial wardrobe. 

I don’t claim to be anything other than an ordinary person, so like any ordinary person, when Kate Wilkinson gets up to speak, I think to myself ‘Oh, nice suit. Good choice. But the hair! Fluff! Get it under control! Product, product, product!’ and then am too busy mentally defrizzing her mane I can’t hear a word she says. Shallow, I know. I’ll also admit that the average person doesn’t watch question time, but they do see snippets on the news - and imagine the reaction would be similar. 

Isn’t it one of those researched things that us humans are really terrible because we instantly judge others on looks alone? How about I put myself out there, stick my hand up, and plead guilty? That doesn’t mean I won’t be friends with absolutely anyone I find entertaining and interesting.

To eat my own words, most anything that Key and his Cabinet do now to attempt to stem the crisis flow will look as if it has Obama all over it. Which is where the young’uns need a look in. Too bad they’re stuck on the back benches doing their time to earn a front seat. 

I'm going to apologise for not talking about the NZ big economic awesomeness plan that is announced today. My brain can't cope with reading the paper this morning. Sorry.

John Key wore the most heinous tie in the House for the first session of 2009. Vomit would be an accurate description. 

And is suit is much too banker - wide pinstripe on navy. Rodney Hide’s was even more obnoxious. In times of economic crisis, where the majority of blame is squared on the banks - i have fear in my heart seeing those banking suits on screen. 

Being able to watch the House on tv makes for an all new ability to assess tactics and structure. Behind JK we see three men. Men. In power suits. 

Behind Phil Goff is Maryan Street, Darren Hughes (cleanly shaven thank goodness) and Annette King by his side. It’s a well-orchestrated vision - women and a new generation. Just call me a youthful feminist.

Having said that, PG’s tie isn’t much better than JK’s. Orange is not his colour, but the suit is right. As soon as he opens his mouth PG’s experience is undeniable. His tone and intonation empathises with the victims of the Victoria bushfire tragedy in a way that JK’s fluffing never can. 

Having seen some of the Australian House yesterday, I have to say that the New Zealand debating chamber is miles more tasteful than its Australian counterpart.  

Simultaneously, Obama held his first prime time press conferene. His suit, tie and shirt choice - immaculate. Sober, perfectly cut, and perfectly fitted. That man knows his mind. He knows his lines inside and out. Oh, one can only dream to be so beautifully and captivatingly eloquent.

Just a quick aside to the cricket - whoever it is that is interviewing the two captains out on the pitch: WINNER suit. the wind is picking up the corner of his jacket and flashing us the most glorious snatches of fuschia silk, perfectly complimented by his blue tie, white shirt and another immaculate suit. HOT damn. I’m in love. I will always say: it is all about the lining. The lining makes a suit. Oh hold on. The shirt has stripes. Not so keen on the whole now, but still. that lining. oh yeah. 

Back to the first question time of the year...

Oh dear. Darren is wearing pinstripes too. Today, Nathan Guy has it on the button. Too bad all the lines coming from JK are tired. If Labour had cut taxes earlier, one would assume that we’d be in much deeper schtook with the economy.  

I’m undecided about Russel Norman’s suit. Obviously challenging the status quo with the light colour, which is good, but he needs to back it up and learn how to ask a coherent question.

Hmm all these patsy questions asking about concerns with levels of debt - one wonders if they’re trying to tell everyone that government debt is really scary (normally an approach of Labour’s) and so they will have an excuse if they need to cut spending over the coming months. Will be interesting to see how that one plays out. 

The moral of the story: now is not the time for pinstripes.