A signed transcript of a parliamentary exchange in which New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called a political rival an “arrogant prick” raised more than NZ$100,100 (US$63,250) for charity when bidding closed yesterday in an online auction.
“Can’t say I expected this,” Ardern posted on social media after what she described as her “faux pas with the old mic in parliament” raised the sum for New Zealand’s Prostate Cancer Foundation.
A microphone picked up Ardern muttering the insult, aimed at political opponent David Seymour, following a heated exchange between the pair during a parliamentary session last week.
Photo: AFP
An exasperated Ardern was overheard saying “he’s such an arrogant prick,” as she retook her seat after answering a barbed question from Seymour, leader of the ACT Party.
Seymour petitioned the speaker of New Zealand’s parliament to get an apology from Ardern, which meant her comment was entered into the official record, known as the Hansard.
Seymour came up with the idea of joining forces for a good cause and they both signed a copy of the transcript, which was framed before being auctioned.
“The interest was greater than anyone dreamed,” Seymour said in a statement, after having told reporters he had only expected the transcript to reach a fraction of the winning bid of NZ$100,100.
Ardern also “thanked everyone who placed a bid” and praised Seymour for being “a good sport,” a compliment he reciprocated.
“When I suggested this to her, she immediately agreed,” Seymour said. “I have been blown away by the kindness of bidders who are helping pricks everywhere with their generosity.”
RARE EVENT: While some cultures have a negative view of eclipses, others see them as a chance to show how people can work together, a scientist said Stargazers across a swathe of the world marveled at a dramatic red “Blood Moon” during a rare total lunar eclipse in the early hours of yesterday morning. The celestial spectacle was visible in the Americas and Pacific and Atlantic oceans, as well as in the westernmost parts of Europe and Africa. The phenomenon happens when the sun, Earth and moon line up, causing our planet to cast a giant shadow across its satellite. But as the Earth’s shadow crept across the moon, it did not entirely blot out its white glow — instead the moon glowed a reddish color. This is because the
DEBT BREAK: Friedrich Merz has vowed to do ‘whatever it takes’ to free up more money for defense and infrastructure at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty Germany’s likely next leader Friedrich Merz was set yesterday to defend his unprecedented plans to massively ramp up defense and infrastructure spending in the Bundestag as lawmakers begin debating the proposals. Merz unveiled the plans last week, vowing his center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Social Union (CSU) bloc and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) — in talks to form a coalition after last month’s elections — would quickly push them through before the end of the current legislature. Fraying Europe-US ties under US President Donald Trump have fueled calls for Germany, long dependent on the US security umbrella, to quickly
Romania’s electoral commission on Saturday excluded a second far-right hopeful, Diana Sosoaca, from May’s presidential election, amid rising tension in the run-up to the May rerun of the poll. Earlier this month, Romania’s Central Electoral Bureau barred Calin Georgescu, an independent who was polling at about 40 percent ahead of the rerun election. Georgescu, a fierce EU and NATO critic, shot to prominence in November last year when he unexpectedly topped a first round of presidential voting. However, Romania’s constitutional court annulled the election after claims of Russian interference and a “massive” social media promotion in his favor. On Saturday, an electoral commission statement
Chinese authorities increased pressure on CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd over its plan to sell its Panama ports stake by sharing a second newspaper commentary attacking the deal. The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office on Saturday reposted a commentary originally published in Ta Kung Pao, saying the planned sale of the ports by the Hong Kong company had triggered deep concerns among Chinese people and questioned whether the deal was harming China and aiding evil. “Why were so many important ports transferred to ill-intentioned US forces so easily? What kind of political calculations are hidden in the so-called commercial behavior on the
RSS