Happy Feet topic of final Parliamentary debate

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Thu, 06 Oct 2011 4:55p.m.

Green Party MP Gareth Hughes brought an emperor penguin stuffed toy, caught in a net, to Parliament today

Green Party MP Gareth Hughes brought an emperor penguin stuffed toy, caught in a net, to Parliament today

By Lloyd Burr

It was the last day of Parliament today and after a term that included the Pike River Mine Disaster, major seismic events in Canterbury and the effects of a global financial crisis, Happy Feet the emperor penguin was the final topic of discussion.

Green Party MP Gareth Hughes brought an emperor penguin stuffed-toy, caught up in a fishing net, into question time today as he spoke about fishing in the Antarctic, where Happy Feet lives.

The penguin arrived on Peka Peka Beach in June and was taken to Wellington Zoo after he became sick from eating sand and sticks.

His recovery was something of a fairytale and he was taken back to the Sub-Antarctic, fitted with a tracking device, on a NIWA ship.

But there was no fairytale ending, the tracking device fell off and the penguin’s whereabouts became a thing of gossip.

And it was Happy Feet’s whereabouts that was the topic of the final question in question time today with Mr Hughes using the story to question the Minister of Fisheries about the fishing practices in the area the penguin was released.

Mr Hughes asked “Is it possible that the country’s favourite emperor penguin Happy Feet was killed by a trawler?”.

Minister of Fisheries Phil Heatley replied, amidst an unsettled House, saying it was “highly improbable”.

“I can report that when Happy Feet’s transponder turned off, the nearest South Blue Whiting fishing vessel was 32 kilometres away,” he said.

Fellow National MP Paul Quinn then asked Mr Heatley if he did know the whereabouts of the penguin.

“I really want to,” Mr Heatley said, “I have heard it said that Happy Feet may have very well become a Happy Meal”.


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Comments

22 Oct 2011 09:24p.m.

cyril wrote:

HaHa well done Heatley. What is the goverment of this country doing discussing the supposed fate of a penguin when there is more important things needing there attention.

12 Oct 2011 11:32p.m.

Brenz wrote:

Thanks Gareth I was unsure as to who I would be voting for in this upcoming election. You've just won my vote.

12 Oct 2011 10:20a.m.

Diane wrote:

I agree totally with YSANN!!!! There are a lot of people who are more than compassionate than yourself about our world's animal popuation. Shame on you.

10 Oct 2011 04:20p.m.

Ysann wrote:

I've just wrote the following mail to "Mr." Heatley: Mr. Heatley! How could you trample like this on the feelings of so many compassionate animal lovers in the whole world? I really hope, you will not choke on a penguin feather or a fishbone one day because of your feeble-minded phrase of "Happy feet/ Happy meal". You seem to me like a callous image neurotic. With pitiful greetings from Germany Ann Contu

08 Oct 2011 02:04a.m.

Teresa RI USA wrote:

I echo your thoughts, Robin, well said. Heatley's comment was beyond ignorant. It was disgraceful, unprofessional, and a reflection of his idiocy and boorishness. I didn't appreciate his comment the first time either. Someone needs to stick a sock in his mouth and drop HIM in the Southern Ocean.

I do believe that Happy Feet is fine! Like Carina said, he made it all the way to NZ in the first place, he can make it back. When he was released, he was his healthiest and ready for the travels. My research has taught me that emperor penguins are great swimmers and spend most of their lives at sea. So he is doing what he was created to do!

Oh, and James, if the topic of a penguin bothers you, then why bother reading and posting?

07 Oct 2011 04:30a.m.

Robin CT USA wrote:

I for one refuse to believe anything bad happened to Happy Feet. He completed his mission (bringing some common sense to humans I hope) and was returned to "the anonomity from which he emerged". Hopefully one day we will receive a signal that he is safe, only one will be necessary. Anyway,
Mr Heatley, your Happy Meal comment sounds as ignorant today as the first time I heard it. Shame on you, protect what little there is left and think about what HF and this debate stand for. Your slap-happy remarks are less than impressive. Once it all is gone, there is no getting it back.

07 Oct 2011 03:59a.m.

James Gollan wrote:

Wow, what impressive debate, the economy is in the toilet, the Govt is over riding civil liberties,the PM showing that he is suicidal (throat cutting gesture) The free trade agreements are destroying the countries skill base and this dick head from the Green Party wants to discuss a freaking penguin

07 Oct 2011 01:59a.m.

Carina R wrote:

If Happy Feet has swiming whole way from Antarctic to New Zealand and ended up on Peka Peka Beach. I think this great Emperor penguin can swim back from where he came from. In fact he can dive over 500 meter deep. I wanted to see his visit to New Zealand, kind of message from all living animals on aria of Antarctic wish Happe Feet wanted to share to human. Fore a while he succeeded because he had the world's attention. We all know that global warming harms world so the life on north and south pool will changed so the life on these places can´t survive. I want to say that he was a real emperor of the world.