Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

Welcome to Backwater Bay... if you believe a certain airline that has snubbed us. Forget the fact this region is the fastest growing in the country, or that Tauranga is poised to become the fourth largest city in New Zealand.

Because according to Jetstar, we don't rate. They are flying into tin pot corners such as Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth and Palmerston North, but haven't joined the dots and pointed a plane at Tauranga.

Incredibly, the airline apparently didn't see opportunities for growth here.

Jetstar, are you receiving? What part of 'fastest growing region” does not spell 'opportunities for growth”? Switch on your radar and take a look around this place. It's taking off, unlike your market intelligence.

If ever a region was in need of airline competition, choice and service, it is the Western Bay of Plenty. Plus we are even handier for Rotorua travellers with the opening of the new Eastern link.

Fortunately, a couple of other air services see the potential. SunAir already zips in and out between here, Ardmore and Whitianga.

And in breaking news, North Shore Air, plans to fly here from Dairy Flat, check out the exclusive story on p3.

At least someone in the industry with the good sense to see the Bay of Plenty potential.

Wave goodbye to democracy
The flag finalists: The rags we would be choosing from, if it wasn't for the fact that most people don't want to change the flag. Therefore, according to my reasoning, these should not be described as the flags most people want, but more accurately they should be called 'the four flags most people don't want”.

It's been an incredibly polarising subject, the flag. But one thing it has achieved, the country is having a long and passionate debate about ourselves, what matters and how we want to be perceived by the rest of the world. Sure, that debate is probably not worth $26m, but it is interesting to see so many people venting... many surprise me at the depth and passion in their arguments.

Veteran music commentator Winston Watusi even ventured beyond his brief, with this impassioned ranting:

'So are flags old news by now? Probably.

I do know this ridiculous circus increasingly makes me ready to abandon my will to live.
But, really, what were we expecting, when we have the following...

A Prime Minister who insists on two costly referenda at a time when the population
clearly doesn't want them and thinks they're too expensive.

A panel made up of politically chosen ‘well-known' Kiwis as opposed to designers, constitutional experts or anyone who actually knows about flags.

So really, what were we expecting other than four half-assed ‘brands'? Forget timeless significance, let's put a Silver Fern on everything because... well, John Key and Richie McCaw like it. Forget whether there should be something, you know, symbolic, meaningful or lasting about a flag. Please don't vote for any of these new corporate brands – a flag should be more than that. The government has its massive electoral distraction up and running; the more we argue the happier they'll be. Let's not get stuck with one of these rotten designs as well.”

(The rest of his column, back on subject, is later in this edition in our What's On section, pg 34).

Lowe blow?
Graham Lowe was wrong to describe Labour MP Jacinda Ardern as a pretty little thing. These days of PC awareness means you can no longer go around calling people by the incorrect labels.

What Graham should have said was: Jacinda is Smoking Hot.

Because there is little doubt that Jacinda, regardless of her political abilities, is one foxy sheila. And it will be a sad day in hell when the heterosexual men of this country can't pay a compliment to a member of the fairer sex, without the PC clobbering machine reaching out for a limp-wristed bitch-slap.

First up on the Outrage Bandwagon was Labour MP Grant Robertson, complaining on social media that he's 'sick to death of the ignorant, sexist bullshit that my friend and colleague Jacinda Ardern has had to put up with in the past few weeks.”

Well goodness, imagine that. MPs sneering and leering in Parliament! As if that is something new. I've seen Grantie doing his fair share of sneering and no doubt leering, although maybe not at the girls.

Parliament is well known for its rude antics and this is all par for the course.

Robertson burbles on… 'Jacinda, I want to acknowledge you for what you do, who you are and how you carry yourself.”

Well Grantie, we are also impressed with Jacinda, and especially how she carries herself. That's the whole point of the attention she's been attracting. Doh.

Should all politicians be devoid of any sex appeal or attractive qualities to the opposite sex? Is there some unwritten rule that says all politicians must be frumpy, dowdy, short and boring and that only TV presenters, pop stars and the weather girls are allowed to be drop-dead gorgeous?

The country would be run by a bunch of Helen Clark clones.

Grant, I suggest that in the future, if you have any enlightening thoughts for the men of this country that you just whisper it to your bedfellow. Or, in the immortal words
of another leerer and jeerer: 'Zip it, sweetie.”

New-look Sun
Alert readers will be stoked to see a new-look Weekend Sun this edition.

After 15 years as your favourite newspaper we have tweaked, groomed and generally made more awesome your free weekend read.

PLUS we bring you the first new Life+Style fortnightly lift-out supplement, featuring the best of life and living in the Bay.

Check it out in the centre of this week's paper.

The Weekend Sun also goes full-on digital today, with a dedicated website for weekly community news and events, social pictures, competitions and a heap of interesting stuff. See it at www.theweekendsun.co.nz

This runs alongside the leading-edge hard news website, SunLive, the region's breaking news service and the most read news provider in the Bay.

We'd love to hear your feedback and story ideas on the new features. Enjoy!