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Opposition's policies on, and opposition to, the Employment Relations legislation. It was a big issue that was reported comprehensively. But it is much more difficult, because the media is much less interested in Opposition members than they are in Government members. Secondly, because you don't have access to the same press resources you used as a Minister. I had two press secretaries, so I could always get more information - whereas I have to do most of the work myself now, or use the Opposition's press office - I think it's four press people for 39 MPs, which tends to clog the resources. My ability to get to the media in that respect is nowhere near as great.

Rebeccah: Have you found the Internet to be effective in spreading your ideas and thoughts to the public? Max: Yes, very much so. My own web site, of course, but in addition to that, when we ran the campaign against the Employment Relations Bill, we primarily used the Internet to reach people. We got a list of about 60,000 businesses in NZ and we posted out a pamphlet to all these companies. We asked people who wanted to be kept advised on what was going on with the Employment Relations Bill to let us know what their email address was. We now have an email list of around 10,000 people.
In addition to that we established a web site, called www.dinosaur.org.nz which was explaining what was happening with the Bill. This was hugely popular. We kept it simple - some sites are very complex and full of stuff - with a pretty direct message. We are using the Internet much more than we ever did in Government - and even more successfully than the Government has. They tend to take a passive view of things, just put information up on the web site and don't try and reach people much beyond that. We've done the passive bit, here's the information, but we've also aggressively gone out and invited them to respond. I guess for that campaign, I must have had four or five hundred direct emails to me - which I have always answered directly.

Rebeccah: What do you do in a typical week?
Max: Let's start with Tuesday. Normally on a Monday night I try and have dinner with the family. Later, Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning, I fly to Wellington. On Tuesday, we have several meetings in the morning to plan for the week. We have Caucus - that's when all the National Party members of Parliament meet together. We do that on a Tuesday morning from 10 am to 1 pm., when we exchange views and establish what our position should be on particular issues. Tuesday afternoon: well, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday there's always an hour of questions in the House. Everybody goes down for that, and sometimes I'll ask questions. And after that you're involved in the Parliamentary process - passing legislation etc. We work through to 10.30 pm on a Tuesday.
Wednesday, there are Select Committees in the mornings, and the House in the afternoon through until 10 or 10.30. The same on Thursday again until 6 pm; then I'll either come home or because I'm a senior spokesman I tend to catch a plane somewhere else in the country. I talk to people, go on visits, give speeches, get involved in local press work wherever I am. If I don't have to be elsewhere in NZ on a Friday, I'll be here in the electorate, talking to people. On Saturday I'll hold clinics, not as often as I used to. On Sunday I'll try and have a bit of time off - do the garden. On Monday I'll be off somewhere else around the electorate of the country. So that's the sort of work takes place in a Parliamentary week.
When we're not sitting in the House - in what's called a recess - it's generally around the country, talking to people. There's a lot of travel involved. I can tell you that the last thing you want to do as a Member of Parliament is going travelling. If I had an option, I'd rather be home with my family.