Well, it's the silly season and they can be forgiven - but are the ideas that have been floating around the corridors of sour over the past 24 hours all that silly?

School kids are, from next year, going to get NCEA credits for getting their driver's licence. That caused a bit of a chuckle around the place but it has the support of the Beehive of course and Labour is on board with it, mainly because they say it was their idea in the first place.

When you think about it, it's not silly.

If the idea of kids leaving school with something that could appeal to a future employer iss the ticket, then at least a driver's licence is a start and for a number of bosses it would be in demand.

Getting a licence is part of the learning process, so why not give them a few credits for applying themselves? And hopefully the roads will be a bit safer as a result.

The other idea that's caused a few cupped hand sniggers is the petition from Waikato school kids to have a day's annual holiday to commemorate the New Zealand Land Wars.

Labour likes it but John Key says if it becomes a reality then another holiday would have to be sacrificed. The most popular choice for that day would be the Queens Birthday, and why not? It's not even celebrated on her birthday anyway, meaning it's just an excuse to dole out a few gongs.

The mirth on that prospect though came from Luigi Peters who was asked for his position on the prospect. In his usual avoidance tactic, using the Royal "we", he said his caucus has yet to take a position on it. When pressed further, he said, with all due respect (which means he's got none at all) he's not about to make decision like that on the hoof.

Now the other silly (or in reality) stupid news out of the corridors was the spy boss from the SIS telling us some Kiwi women have been heading off to Syria to become jihadi brides. Little future in that.

But the woman that John Key clearly believes has got a big future is Paula Bennett, who's consciously shed power suits for sun frocks. So who better to appoint as our Climate Change Minister where she can sidle up to the big wigs and have her picture taken at international conferences?

It's seen in some quarters as Key anointing her as his potential successor. It's hard to envisage this bubbly Westie fitting the Prime Ministerial bill though. Certainly that would be the view of Judith Crusher Collins!