Never was a person more aptly named...

Taken from the Massey University website; here are some notes on New Zealand "slaters".

Slaters belong to the order Isopoda, which is a part of the arthropod class Crustacea.

Slater bodies are heavily armoured with calcium carbonate and are quite rigid. The body is divided into three regions - head, thorax, and abdomen, but these are far less distinct than the head, thorax, and abdomen of insects. Overall, the body has a smooth, rounded outline.

Slaters are mainly scavengers. They are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of decaying vegetation, tree bark, rotting wood, etc. Slaters may also graze on fungi associated with decay, or consume dead animal matter, such as dead insects or larger animal carcasses.

Sounds like fumigation might be the answer.

Tonight's "Which PM" Quiz question.

Which Prime Minister, once said, "“Our military forces are an arm of government, just like the Department of Social Welfare, although probably less able to inflict widespread harm.” A Big Norm Award to the first correct answer.

On Leadership and Good Legislation

There was a time, not so very long ago, when our Government made decisions for moral reasons. They didn’t change laws and legislation just to improve their own standing or to avoid embarrassment. 

People and nations looked to New Zealand for leadership on difficult questions. They recognised our long and proud history in matters of social principle. From our ground-breaking Treaty to our refusal to deny our women the opportunity to vote; people understood what a New Zealander was.  They admired the stands we took against both nuclear testing and nuclear weapons. They saw the anguish that our nation went through when it came time to get serious about apartheid and they saw that the process made us stronger and wiser. People understood what a New Zealander was, and we understood what it meant to be a New Zealander.

Just a few hours ago, we again made an important decision based on the principles of fairness and inclusiveness but it was not lead by our Government. Somehow, in the maelstrom of MMP a few good women and men were able to raise themselves above the usual bickering and politicking to get something important done and make marriage an institution all can aspire to.

But there is no way we can claim to be leading the world here. For what it’s worth, we are leading Australia.

It seems the strength of our legislative agenda is to be dictated by Parliament’s version of a lucky dip, the Members Bills Ballot. 

Leadership must come from the top and not the floor.