Government Minister Maurice Williamson behaved in a boisterous fashion in the VIP area during the Australia-Italy game on Sunday, according to a witness.
But oddly, Maurice Williamson has received support from a very unlikely source; bipartisanship at its finest; read on:
General secretary of the National Distribution Union, Robert Reid, said he was behind Mr Williamson throughout the international in the VIP area on Sunday.
"He was jumping up and down and gesticulating …we all like to give it to the Aussies and he was doing that as well," Mr Reid said.
He described Mr Williamson's general demeanour as colourful but not offensive.
"There were Australian Rugby Union people there," Mr Reid said.
Mr Reid said he saw Mr Williamson's fellow cabinet ministers Jonathan Coleman and Wayne Mapp in the VIP area.
"They were not jumping to their feet, calling out and gesticulating as much as Maurice was. I'm no Maurice fan. He was boisterous. It certainly was not offensive behaviour," Mr Reid said.
He did not hear Mr Williamson swearing.
Maurice Williamson will probably be quite chuffed to have his behaviour described as colourful. He's one of Parliament's better debaters, and we always enjoy his contributions to the General Debates on Wednesday afternoon. But it seems as though rumours of swearing, and of walking out when Australia gained ascendancy over Italy have been somewhat inflated, as Australians are wont to do. In short, it's an anonymous beat-up.
So; that mystery has been solved; now we can look forward to a resumption in the rugby today. Samoa makes its tournament debut this afternoon in Rotorua against Namibia, and Tonga takes on Canada in Whangarei. To complete today's action, Scotland plays Georgia tonight in Invercargill. And once Russia and the USA clash tomorrow in New Plymouth, we will have seen every team in the tournament.
Doubtless the fans will turn out in big numbers today, especially to the matches involving our island neighbours. And doubtless there will be plenty of boisterous behaviour which is great; we've been known to be a bit that way ourselves. As long as things don't get offensive, everyone will have a great time; and isn't that what we all want to see?
14 comments:
"F****** cheats!"
Classy.
Meanwhile, John Key describes one of Australia's foremost rugby writers as a "gossip columnist".
Classy.
Oh Robert; you just don't get it to do. Even a union leader (no friend of the Nats) says that Williamson's behaviour "certainly was not offensive".
Still; keep up doing Phil Goff's bidding for him, and Bill English's 2002 record will surely fall!
What do you think of Key's dismissal of the rugby writer as a "gossip columnist" Inv2.
You comment on sports regularly. Don't feel a comradeship with this sports writer? Key is habitually quick to play the man, attack the person isn't he!
"Gossip columnist"
Classy!
I endorse John Key's comments Robert. I have blogged a number of times of my opinion that Greg Growden is Australia's best rugby writer, and that's what he should stick to. This was a tacky piece of gossip which has been shown to be unfounded.
Inv2 agrees Greg Growden is a gossip columnist.
Classy.
Not quite Robert; what I said was that Growden is Australia's best rugby writer, and that should stick to what he's good at. But yes, I endorse Key's "gossip" comment, and even Guyon Espiner has just admitted on Breakfast that it was a beat-up, noting the irony of a union leader siding with a centre-right Minister. Ypu seem to be the only one who is out of step.
Classy.
Keys -"It's worth putting a bit of perspective on this, this is an unnamed gossip columnist reporting a theoretical unnamed minister in a gossip column.''
"I endorse John Key's comments Robert"
"Not quite Robert"
You are funny Inv2.
And confused.
Who is Keys?
But FWIW Robert, you've got it completely wrong, and Key's comment makes sense. When he says "this is an unnamed gossip columnist reporting a theoretical unnamed minister in a gossip column.", Key is referring to the source of the allegation, a person by the assumed name of Jeeves upon whom Growden's story relies.
Here's the link to the offending column, and the crucial extract:
According to Jeeves, our snout in the official box, one of the invited guests got really carried away, especially after Italy troubled the Wallabies early on.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/minister-for-bad-manners-gets-stuck-into-australia-20110912-1k61y.html#ixzz1XrtQfNxl
Has that spelled it out clearly enough Robert? Read the other stories in Growden's column, and you will see it for what it is; a rugby gossip column which reports on such earth-shattering events as Quade Cooper's urine test and "Loony comments" from South African coach Peter de Villiers.
Lighten up Robert; that Key Derangement Syndrome you suffer from doesn't seem to be going away.
You are a hypocrite INV2. You give RG shit about his angle and yet your unhealthy and frankly pathetic obsession with Goff and the left is way way way way worse. And you are an anonymous christian which is way way way way worse x10.
They'll know we are christians by our love by our love yes they'll know we are christians by our looooooveee!
Thanks for your concern Kumbaya. You might note though that it was Robert who turned this into a thread about John Key, as he is wont to do.
As for Phil Goff; I try to restrict my comments to his behaviour, whereas Robert has among other things described John Key as a "loon", criticised his speech, and regularly mocks Gerry Brownlee for his bulk. But I will take your words on board, and check my eyes for planks before commenting on the sawdust in others' eyes.
According to Jeeves, our snout in the official box....
"Has that spelled it out clearly enough Robert?"
IV2, the Don Quixote of the south does not do clarity.
Haha, Key sure knows how to indulge in a little sledging, which is part of his appeal to us kiwis who grew up with trans-Tasman sporting rivalry as part of our culture.
It seems Growden is able to take it his stride and is backing his source as being reliable. Williamson would seem to be the obvious one to point the finger at, but on balance I'm thinking Growden's source has embellished the story.
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