Elitist Nats’ heads in the clouds

18 comments on “Elitist Nats’ heads in the clouds ”

• Comments are now closed

1. Lanthanide 1

   5 May 2011 at 9:58 am

   It seems Key is damned-if-he-did, or damned-if-he-didn’t with regards to the helicopter flight he turned down.
    
   That strikes me as entirely unfair – it’s not his fault that he was offered a free helicopter ride. If the helicopter ride was required either way, then I think he made the correct decision. If he took the ‘free’ ride and then decided it was a bad look and paid it, then that’s pretty sloppy.
   • Colonial Viper 1.1

     5 May 2011 at 10:02 am

     Wherever Key was, he would have already had travel plans in place. He could easily have said “cheers mate, I’m already sorted”.
     • TightyRighty 1.1.1

       5 May 2011 at 10:15 am

       maybe he forgot his toothbrush, a la chris carter? Maybe mccully needed a quick 24 jaunt to the solomons a la phil goff?

       maybe, just maybe, being the prime minister means that you don’t take the normal way of doing things? he is running a country after all, as helen clark did, and the first female prime minister jenny shipley did before that. this is pathetic from labour and it’s sock puppets.
       • Shane Gallagher 1.1.1.1

         5 May 2011 at 11:15 am

         Look – most people in this country would love to have $2k in their bank accounts – but they don’t because they are paid appalling wages – which are being driven lower by this government.

         That was tax payer money he paid for a jaunt in a helicopter because of his sense of entitlement and privilege over ordinary New Zealanders. How did he get there in the first place? Presumably his chauffeur had to drive back without him. That was our money – not his. Why didn’t he pay for it out of his own pocket? Its not like he is short a bob or two.

         And what about the pollution and carbon emitted? He doesn’t care.

         A friend of my office mate is in Australia digging holes and is getting paid MORE than he was working as an accountant here. He is loving it apparently. Now how is that making us a better country or one where we are catching up with Australia?
     • Lanthanide 1.1.2

       5 May 2011 at 11:08 am

       Apparently it was a “security meeting” arranged at short notice.
        
       He did take the helicopter ride, and then paid for it after the fact.
        
       I think all-in-all he probably did the right thing in the circumstances.
2. Anne 2

   5 May 2011 at 11:38 am

   Yes… but what sort of security meeting was it? If it concerned the “security of the nation” then we have to accept it. But if it was to do with some covert political manoeuvre then it should be exposed. Any journalist out there got the balls to investigate?
   • Blighty 2.1

     5 May 2011 at 11:43 am

     bet you he made that up.

     how could the meeting have been urgent enough that he needed to fly when the plan had been for him to fly to Hamilton then drive to Auckland?
3. Carol 3

   5 May 2011 at 12:08 pm

   For today’s question time:

   8. Hon PETE HODGSON to the Prime Minister: At what precise time and date were the “security related” meetings of 11 December 2009, that he referred to yesterday, diaried?
   • Carol 3.1

     5 May 2011 at 2:47 pm

     Supplentary to PM, with Blinglish answering for him: Would the PM have arrived at his security meeting on time if he had travelled by car?

     Answer: the PM does not answer questions on security matters for security reasons.

     Followed by various points of order from Labour, then the final answer from PM/Blinglish: It’s not in the public interest to answer.
     • felix 3.1.1

       5 May 2011 at 4:47 pm

       Note that this answer came after English (speaking as PM so actually Key) DID answer in detail the primary question regarding the time and date of said “security” related meeting, which means his grounds for refusing to answer the supplementary questions were total bullshit.
       • Carol 3.1.1.1

         5 May 2011 at 5:14 pm

         Yes, that’s right, Felix. And Mallard has posted a vid and transcript of ther qu & a:

         http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2011/05/05/chopper-key-it-wasnt-the-flight-it-was-the-cover-up/#more-27178

         Key/English said it was not in the public interest to answer whetehrt he car would have arrived at the security meeting on time. The Speaker said it is not up to him to judge the quality of the answer, but others can do it for themselves…. indeed.
4. Irascible 4

   5 May 2011 at 1:54 pm

   Another question could be: “Did the National Party receive a donation of $2000 or more from the person/s who provided the helicopter ride in the months following Key using taxpayers’ money to pay for the jaunt?”
5. Anne 5

   5 May 2011 at 2:55 pm

   Just watched last night’s TV3 clip again. He’s lying! Not saying there wasn’t a meeting, but he’s covering up something. I’ve seen that look on his face before when he was subsequently shown to have been ‘less than frank’ with his answers.
   • felix 5.1

     5 May 2011 at 4:51 pm

     Certainly looks that way Anne.
6. felix 6

   5 May 2011 at 5:05 pm

   The PM was asked today to confirm that “security” actually refers to “national security or international security”, which he confirmed.

   Knowing the PM’s predilection for being technically correct whilst lying through his teeth I would suggest asking him whether he means “the security of the nation” or “the security of the national party.”

   Srsly.
   • Carol 6.1

     5 May 2011 at 7:49 pm

     Or Key’s security? Maybe he had to get back to Auckland to brief the next shift of his personal protection squad?
7. Anne 7

   5 May 2011 at 5:11 pm

   If someone has the time and the expertise – or the contacts – it might be an idea to have a browse through the newspaperst etc. on and around the 11th Dec. 2009, when the helicoptor ride occurred.
8. Carol 8

   5 May 2011 at 7:47 pm

   And now it seems JonKey, (trying to look a bit like Obama, maybe?) has blown a lot of tax payer money on his personal protection squad, including an unprecedented amount for protection on his Hawaiian hols.

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4967801/PM-criticised-over-800k-security-blowout

   Prime Minister John Key has been accused of using the Diplomatic Security Squad to look important, after the squad’s annual costs blew out by $800,000.

   TVNZ reported that $3.98 million was budgeted for the squad in the 2009/10 financial year, but actual costs were $4.8 million.

   Labour MP Pete Hodgson, who requested the figures from police, said while the Prime Minister needed protection, it should be used reasonably.

   “The current Prime Minister seems to use it mainly for visual effects.

   “I think he enjoys the entourage.”

   About $30,000 was spent sending DPS members to accompany Key on his summer holiday to Hawaii.

   “Helen Clark, when she went overseas for a private holiday, never took protection with her. I’m sure Jenny Shipley never took protection with her.”

• Comments are now closed

• Log in
• Donate
• Contribute post

• Articles RSS