One for the bucket list

Russia recently published a list of New Zealanders banned from entering the country.

- BILL RALSTON

It included former Labour stalwart and Stuff columnist Josie Pagani, and NZ Herald columnist and former National Party apparatchik Matthew Hooton. It’s probably the only time those two have ever been linked as being on the same side on any issue.

Labelling the blacklisted Kiwis as “Russophobic”, the Russian Foreign Ministry warns it will continue to update the list with the names of those New Zealanders who are banned from entering Russia “indefinitely”. This adds to an earlier blacklist that featured the names of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro and Parliament’s 120 MPs, as well as key defence and security personal, in response to sanctions imposed against Russia.

Phil Goff will be delighted to see he is now banned, as it will head off any attempt by the government to make him Ambassador to Russia as a reward following his retirement as Auckland’s mayor.