One of our local hostelries is the Backbencher Gastropub, just across the road from parliament.
It is famous for a number of puppets of famous politicians that it has up on the walls. Some have been around for years, but others get updated regularly to suit whatever is happening in the current political climate, and to take account of new faces. They unveiled four new puppets last week – the PM; the leader of the opposition; David Seymour, the head of ACT; and Chloe Swarbrick, one for the highest profile Green MPs, she of the “OK Boomer” comment that went viral last year.
It’s traditional for the represented MPs to be present at the unveiling, and they are always good sports about it as far as I know (at least in public). I think Chloe must have had a wry smile to herself when she heard she was going to be embodied in this way. I remember a few years ago when she was first voted into parliament. It was around 9 o’clock on a Friday night, and a group of us were having dinner at the Backbenchers. You have to understand that in the weekend, that end of town just dies. There were very few people out and about, and we were one of the last tables eating, when in came Chloe with a bunch of young friends. Clearly they were mates and she had taken it upon herself to show them a good time in her new city. She asked for a table but the waitress said apologetically that the kitchen was closing and it was too late for food. She and her friends were gobsmacked – having come from Auckland they must have been astounded that a pub should close so early on a Friday – but she took it really well. She thanked the waitress and they left. I felt really sorry for her. I wonder if she was thinking about that night when she was making her speech at the unveiling?