But he doesn't have to. Next time you find yourself watching Parliament TV by accident, spare a thought for Duncan Webb. ", I wasn't convinced but Ms Marcroft was insistent and eager to point my search in another direction. Smaller parties are usually seated in the curved rows at the other end of the Chamber, which are known as the cross-benches. Nova Scotia: 11. Newfoundland and Labrador: 7.

"If you really needed to go to the toilet, it's a real squeeze getting out.". He was right.

"I think the worst seats are way up the back because you're so far away from the action. Who was from NZ First and in the aisle? She linked to a Youtube clip of an MP stumbling off his perch while speaking.

It's difficult to attract attention if you want to get the call and you're pretty much a spectator at that point. "But I suppose this set up is a bit different because the stage is more -" Mr Smith was about to change the pricing areas but I cut him off. But I didn't want the easy answer, I wanted the truth. These MPs represent 64 general electorate seats and seven Māori electorates.

So I'd suggest he change his name to Arnold Aardvark.". They don't call me the Acting Deputy Assistant Political Editor for nothing. The other 49 MPs are selected from the party lists. Close to the speaker and on his good ear side and at risk of falling in the aisle.". This system can be traced back to the "Model Parliament" of 1295.

That's what it's like for the low-ranking MPs on sitting days.

That's the wilderness.". Speaker Mallard is partially deaf in his left ear and doesn't always hear objections on that side." For MPs low on the list, that's 651 hours spent sitting in a seat that is, by all objective measures, pretty terrible. There are 31 MPs occupying "that backbenchers' block" who would have to squeeze by someone on their way to the bathroom. I'd already written the NZ First joke in my head and I wasn't going to let him ruin it. From the backest of benches to the front row of the opposition - a VIP - Mr Dunne knows them all.

"Anyone towards the back but not quite the back, right in that backbenchers block there."

Mr Webb's assigned seat is his own childhood bedroom, is what I'm trying to say. If you're on your own ... it's a loneliness thing, in a way.". Trevor Mallard's inability to hear in one ear became a problem during questions around who called the Prime Minister a stupid little girl. I didn't know how anyone could do it.

In the 52nd New Zealand Parliament there are five parliamentary parties represented by 120 MPs. "Not being able to smoke a joint didn't spring to mind when I first got your message but I suppose you're right. He had the worst seat in parliament. Manitoba: 14. There are so many issues facing the nation but one rises above them all. He was firm in his response.

Mr Smith knows how to price a seated arena. I set off into the wilderness, jumping over logs, ducking under gorse, entering new dimensions, before finally getting to Duncan Webb's seat. So by that logic, the worst seat had to be on the side of the government, Stanford confirmed. A surprising defence from Ms Marcroft, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Members of parliament spend a lot of time sitting in their assigned seat in the debating chamber of New Zealand's House of Representatives. The debating Chamber of the House of Representatives has an individual seat for each MP. New Zealand First won 9 seats, which put them in the position to give either National or Labour the …

Madeleine Chapman goes on a quest to find the worst seat in the House. In fact, even though I am the lowest ranked on the Labour List who got into parliament, I get to sit way above all of the other backbenchers.". In 2018, there are 93 scheduled sitting days. "Everyone pays for their tickets but these ones were probably given for free to friends of the band.". Smaller parties are usually seated in the curved rows at the other end of the Chamber, which are known as the cross-benches.

There can only be one and I was determined to find out. "You get to listen to all the gossip from all the National Party MPs who essentially forget that you're there. I called Jenny Marcroft, ninth on the list at NZ First and occupying the farthest corner behind the stage, to give her the news. I felt pretty special compared to my teenaged siblings who weren't allowed to drive yet but then we got home and I had to go to bed while everyone else watched a movie. Northwest Territories: 1. Nunavut: 1. You won't see him (don't be silly), but he'll be there, working hard in the darkness, hoping to one day rise up and out of the worst seat in parliament.

His seat is in the back row with the sergeant-at-arms on one side and two empty seats on the other. The good news is, the only way to go is up. I chose Erica Stanford.

And he knows which ones sucked the most.

In 2018, there are 93 scheduled sitting days. Sincere condolences to Duncan Aardvark-Webb, you officially have the worst seat in the House. I finally knew what it was like to work in politics. "But these ones here are unsellable because they're behind the stage," Mr Smith went on, circling the six seats occupied by NZ First list MPs. It was a good question and one that needed answering. These are the Act Party, Green Party, Labour Party, National Party and the New Zealand First Party.

The easy answer would be to say that Ross has the worst seat. I assumed she meant "heckle the Government" because she is part of the Opposition. Finally someone mentioned the social implications of an upper bowl seat. Duncan Webb occupies the worst seat in the House. Every con I presented, he turned into a pro, like a true politician. The bowtie had spoken. And it's better to be in a pair. First, here's the seating plan as at 17 October 2018. Legend. When Campbell Smith saw Mr Webb's seat, he was horrified. All their seats are bad but I needed one to represent them, much like ... a politician ... represents ... their electorate.

These MPs represent 64 general electorate seats and seven Māori electorates. Mr Dunne had some life changing advice for Mr Webb. Yukon: 1. Right at the back? "There's still a row of people behind me so I don't look like I'm right at the bottom of the list." "Yes that would be the absolute worst seat, I think. "My seat is awesome for numerous reasons.". I had finally found the worst seat in parliament. Seats by Province or Territory . There was a trend forming among politicians with crappy seats: denial. "Anyone in NZ First in the aisle. It was an accidental roast from Mr Smith but I snatched it gleefully.

Copyright © 2020 MediaWorks TV - All Rights Reserved, By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Access and Privacy Policy. Quebec: 78. Labour Party The New Zealand Labour Party (Labour Party) has 46 members of Parliament, 17 elected from the party list and 29 electorate seats. "In the event of an earthquake I'm first out the door.". What are the NZ First List MPs if not friends of the one man band that is Winston Peters? "These ones will be taken by VIPs," he said, circling the front benches. Main article: 2017 New Zealand general election The final results of the 2017 election gave National 56 seats, while Labour and the Greens combined had 54 seats. Or rather, down, as in, come down out of the shadows where you currently sit. Not able to smoke a joint because you're next to the cops?

She had the worst seat in parliament. So I found someone who no longer had to.

"I can heckle the Opposition during question time and not get pulled up by Speaker Mallard because he can't see or hear me." I visited Mr Smith at his office in Morningside and presented my venue. So whose seat is not just bad, but the actual worst? It sounded like he was describing Duncan Webb's seat. ", He wasn't going to admit to even having a bad seat, let alone the worst one, and was quick to offer an alternative.

I called Mr Webb to once again share the bad news. No neighbours?

I told him there was a Labour MP sitting to the left of the speaker, in the last row, next to the sergeant-at-arms and two empty seats. Of everyone in the room, those in the first row would be most likely to get face time - a meet and greet - with the Prime Minister or the leader of the opposition. Surely she had no rebuttal. Alberta: 34. He has staged festivals like Big Day Out and Auckland City Limits, as well as put on tours for the likes of Sol3 Mio. By convention, MPs of the main Government party sit to the right of the Speaker, with the largest Opposition party on the left-hand side. "If you sit there, you're the first person to be moved when someone's not there. "He's got a shit seat. I had spent days, weeks, years on this and all it got me was right back to the beginning. New Brunswick: 10. …

"They might be part of packages where you get a ticket and a meet and greet." You can spread out and lounge.

"So where's the stage?". The New Zealand Parliament is consciously modelled on the Westminster system of parliamentary representation, developed in the United Kingdom. Peter Dunne sat in a lot of seats throughout his political career. Prince Edward Island: 4. He's on the wrong side, he's alone, he's got the cops sitting beside him so he can't even have a joint while he's watching.". Jenny Marcroft. Mr Webb is the Labour MP for Christchurch Central and the only MP in government who sits on the same side as the Opposition. Back MPs and Electorates. She's also smack bang in the middle of the row. That front row, from Winston Peters to Megan Woods, Paula Bennett to nathan Guy, that's Gold Class.

By convention, MPs of the main Government party sit to the right of the Speaker, with the largest Opposition party on the left-hand side.

", He was relentless in his defence. It's a prime sitting spot. Credits: Newshub. It's that recent because it had to be updated with Jami-Lee Ross's move to the naughty corner. "Seats are on a seniority basis and for new MPs it's alphabetical. "What is really good about my spot is the Prime Minister walks past me every day as she leaves the House and I always get to say hello. So I almost always sit up in the main block, right behind Jacinda [Ardern]. Why? The seats are arranged in a horseshoe shape. And she wasn't done. "The worst seating is right at the back, opposite the speaker. Very hard to make an impact from there.".

Essentially, under Sainte-Laguë, the Electoral Commission starts with 120 seats, looks at the votes, and sees that the Lions won the most seats, so allocates them one seat.

British Columbia: 42. Madeleine Chapman writing for The Spinoff.