Happy new year! If you’re lucky enough to be on a bit of a break overseas say ‘Hi’ to Prime Minister John Key for me, since it’s out of the country where he’s likely to be.
It’s no surprise Rodney Hide thinks John Key doesn’t do anything. Key has been out of the country for almost a quarter of his Government’s first year. From the day John Key was sworn in, to the end of the first Parliamentary year under his leadership, Key has been absent from the country for 90 days or 3 months – at least half of that on holiday.
This break our PM and Minister of Tourism been back holidaying in Hawaii after telling everyone on the Edge radio station to enjoy New Zealand. What an advertisement for the country “It’s a great place, but not good enough for me”.
OK OK, you’re right. Being Prime Minister does require you to be out and about a lot, showcasing the country and all that. But comparing apples to apples, Helen Clark was overseas for just 35 days of her first year 1999/2000 – and as far as I can tell, it was all work-related.
What is it about running New Zealand that scares Mr Key into continuous bouts of overseas holidays? Or is he just lazy?
Top 3 overseas holidays
1) During the last summer holiday period (08/09) Key spent a whopping 19 days in Hawaii. The tan must’ve worked, because he’s back there right now.
2) In October last year Key was back in the US of A for another 12 days. This time enjoying the cosmopolitan surroundings of New York, and re-working that tan in sunny Florida.
3) Trinidad and Tobago was a lovely place for the two day CHOGM conference in December 09. What was even more lovely however was the extra 7 days Mr Key got to work on his tan… Seriously, it was fading.
Total countries visited by Key from taking office in 2008 till end of 2009: Peru, UK, USA, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Thailand, China, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Samoa, Niue, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Denmark (17 countries)
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