LAWYER GETS BACKLASH AFTER ATTACKS ON PETERS

Young lawyer Jordan Williams poked the hornet's nest and promptly got stung yesterday.

Mr Williams, the former "Vote for Change" campaign spokesman, put out a press release expressing his disappointment at the MMP Proposals Paper from the Electoral Commission and also attacking NZ First leader Winston Peters – twice.

His target bit back, issuing his own statement three hours later entitled: "WHY DOES JORDAN WILLIAMS EVEN BOTHER," and accusing Mr Williams of having an obsession with him.

PRIME IN LINE TO PICK UP BACK BENCHES SERIES

Back Benches looks set to live on after the demise of TVNZ7 with NZ On Air committing funding "in principle" to the programme running on Prime.

NZ On Air spokeswoman Gina Rogers said the agency was having talks with Prime about its financial contribution to the show.

It also wanted a shorter season than the planned 50-episode series for next year. Parliament sits for only 30-odd weeks a year, but Back Benches does a New Zealand summer tour.

Ms Rogers said NZ On Air wanted to see Back Benches work. "We'd be really excited about its return."

YET ANOTHER ADVISER DECAMPS FROM PARATA

Education Minister Hekia Parata has lost another adviser – Correspondence School (Te Kura) chief executive Mike Hollings, who lasted about two months.

He was seconded to Ms Parata's office after she was engulfed in a political storm in May over the proposal to increase classroom numbers. After backing down from the proposal, she changed her team.

Three private secretaries left and her ministerial adviser went to work for Prime Minister John Key.

Mr Hollings was seconded for two years, but an Education Ministry spokeswoman said he is to return to Te Kura.

MESSENGERS' JOBS GO AS SNAIL MAIL SLUMPS

Three of Parliament's familiar faces have had their last day shuttling about the complex.

Parliamentary Service said yesterday that three messengers had finished work on Friday, the victims of a global shift away from snail mail to greater use of email.

Some messengers are still on the payroll, but a Parliamentary Service spokeswoman said there had been a 44 per cent decrease in mail volume during the past decade, reflecting a "migration to digital media".

- © Fairfax NZ News