So Paul Henry, the Greens are 'a bunch of wowsers” because they bring some rationality, some commonsense or caution to the debate on opening the Rugby World Cup to the full force of the beer barons and hospitality industry?

No doubt Metiria Turei and James Shaw will need a stiff drink after hearing you have withdrawn what little support you had for them.

And no doubt Henry's contempt will reflect in the next Colmar Brunton polls.

Unfortunately Paul, or fortunately, your opinion does not shape public opinion. That in itself is a small mercy.

Firstly David Seymour's pitch to have licensing hours relaxed for the Rugby World Cup was nothing short of a cheap populist one.

The fact it may now have Government backing is a PR coup rather than doing a service for the electorate.

Can anyone tell me why rugby has such sway in this country? Why can laws be changed or bent for the sake of a sports fixture? And what of the precedent? What say I want to go to a bar to watch netball, football, darts or any other sport New Zealand engages in in the northern hemisphere in the future and is broadcast
on TV?

What makes my need any less important than a beer-swilling rugby supporter?
Will rugby supporters really arise at 2am to watch rugby and start drinking? And will those who've been up partying all night be in any condition to watch 80 minutes of rugby? What does it say about New Zealand that it can't watch a sports tournament without having a belly full of beer?

Then Mike Hosking, more flapping gums for hire, chimes in.

'The Greens are anti-fun wowsers.” I can imagine Hosking climbing into his designer jeans at 1am before climbing into his 2012 California Convertible Ferrari and heading off into the bars to slug Lion Red with other barflies. But he knows what's good for the rest of us.

We complain about the damage alcohol does to this country, then throw open the floodgates on the back of something so trivial.

'Wowsers” Paul and Mike, you may like to rethink.

A Wellington, Tauranga