TV Broadcaster in trouble - again.

Broadcaster Paul Henry's done it again - this time, offending Australian audiences with remarks about asylum seekers while hosting a morning TV show.

Henry was commenting on news reports that the Australian federal government would pay households up to $A300 a week to accommodate asylum seekers to help deal with increasing numbers of arrivals.

"If this is all about saving money you could broaden it out. Why not criminals? Not murderers, but low level criminals," Henry said

"The jails could be smaller and you could put them in homestay situations ... The mentally ill could go into homes."

But it was Henry's next comments - that putting an asylum seeker up in a linen cupboard for $300 a week was "a good idea" - that have him in the firing line.

"You'd want to get the linen out, wouldn't you? Otherwise (inaudible) 'oh, these sheets are dirty. Ergh'," Henry said.

He continued: "'Don't ask. These towels... (sniffs) oh no, don't ask. We've got someone living in the linen cupboard kids, just don't go in there'."

His co-host, Andrew Rochford, said on air that Henry had taken his comments a step too far.

Henry has since been criticised on ABC's Media Watch programme, which said his "sick" comments were "enough to (make you) lose your breakfast".

"Henry's been imported from New Zealand specifically, it seems, to kick Australian television's political correctness in the goolies," Media Watch said.

"What's sicker still is that Henry's bosses at Ten will be delighted that their struggling little breakfast show has featured on Media Watch. If they'd had any shame, they wouldn't have hired him in the first place."

Henry, who joined the new Australian show's team earlier this year, is no stranger to controversy.

As host of TVNZ's Breakfast he drew criticism for comments suggesting former Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand was not a real New Zealander, and his ridicule of Indian diplomat Sheila Dikshit's name, which led to his eventual resignation.

A little while ago, Mr Henry was creating all sorts of chaos here in New Zealand. Some of us who enjoyed his strange humour and risque wit, were quite disappointed that he had stepped over the line and as a result was banished - it meant that he took up a position in Oz and now, having overstepped the proverbial mark (yet again) is likely to face even more criticism and find himself unpopular even with his die-hard fans! Oh Paul - sometimes it's just better to shut up!!
Dis al!

Wanganui Chamber Orchestra

The Wanganui Chamber Orchestra gave a concert at one of the fancier retirement villages on Mother's Day. Originally a chamber orchestra with a couple of  'blowers' like oboes and flutes, this concert saw the importation (from Wanganui Brass) of trumpets, a trombone, a couple of clarinets and a percussionist who made a drum kit sound truly orchestral!
The selections were really audience-friendly and contained a medley from West Side Story and some well known favourites from the Leroy Anderson compositions which had some glorious foot-tapping rhythms and terrific 'big band' sounds for the brass.

The Classical part of the programme was the ever popular Peer Gynt Suite (Grieg) and the overture from the opera Titus by Mozart.

The author, being a pianist, has had playing in a real, dinkum orchestra on her bucket list for ever, so now we have a big tick next to that entry! Needless to say, it took some serious practising and plenty of concentration to finally do the job, but I can honestly say it wasn't as difficult as I had always imagined it to be and was great fun! Hopefully, there will be many more such concerts to look forward to in the future!  Dis al!