It was one year ago today

Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, December 12th, 2017 - 75 comments
Categories: john key, national, Politics, same old national - Tags:

It was one year ago today that John Key formally resigned as Prime Minister.

75 comments on “It was one year ago today ”

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  1. Kay 1
    12 December 2017 at 11:56 am

    Can’t really say I’ve been missing him.

  2. mac1 2
    12 December 2017 at 11:57 am

    What a legacy!

    Just to name three- health, homelessness, house availability.

    Then there’s tax dodging, dodgy friends to be looked after and dodgy water.

    And international derision, national election loss and local pork barrel policies.

    Pfffffft!

    • Hanswurst 2.1
      12 December 2017 at 12:23 pm

      I’m not sure that’s really his legacy. He was just the fellow who held babies and grinned inanely while the grown-ups ruined the country.

      • mac1 2.1.1
        12 December 2017 at 12:28 pm

        Prime Minister Key, knighted for his services to the country, invited into Parliament by National’s president, selected by his caucus as leader- that’s his legacy.

        It’s what happens when you’ve got the top job. With power comes responsibility, and that particular virtue was not his top asset.

        Take the kudos, take the credit, take the criticism.

        • Hanswurst 2.1.1.1
          12 December 2017 at 12:33 pm

          I think it’s giving him too much credit to suggest that he is responsible for anything of note, good or bad.

          • mac1 2.1.1.1.1
            12 December 2017 at 1:19 pm

            Even the ventriloquist’s dummy fronts up to the audience for a bow………

          • SpaceMonkey 2.1.1.1.2
            12 December 2017 at 3:09 pm

            In this instance, and as PM of the country, it’s not an issue of responsibility. It is about accountability.

            John Key was accountable for everything that happened under his Government. His frequent use of different “hats” and the way he cut and ran suggests accountability isn’t something he was comfortable with.

            • mac1 2.1.1.1.2.1
              12 December 2017 at 4:24 pm

              Accountability and responsibility are the same.

              accountability
              əˌkaʊntəˈbɪlɪti
              the fact or condition of being accountable; responsibility.

              Collins dictionary.
              Accountable definition: If you are accountable to someone for something that you do, you are responsible for it…

  3. Carolyn_Nth 3
    12 December 2017 at 11:58 am

    Ours is not to reason why; Ours is but to do or die!

  4. Enough is Enough 4
    12 December 2017 at 11:59 am

    I think it is a pity he resigned when he did.

    He clearly saw that he had become unelectable and was electoral poison

    If he had lead them into the election against Jacinda I think National would have been decimated and Labour would have been in a coalition government with the Greens only.

    There would have been no need for the secret coalition with Winston.

    That would have been fantastic.

    In any case, every day is a good day with that bastard dictating our lives.

    • red-blooded 4.1
      12 December 2017 at 12:22 pm

      I don’t agree with you, Enough is Enough. This guy was always electoral poison for me and you, but he was bloody popular with the majority of voters and even if the shine was wearing off a bit, they didn’t really mind the dirty politics stuff (they chose not to believe it, or saw it as just the way all politicians behave). What we saw as smarmy and insincere they saw as likeable and relatable.

      I think Key was bored. He probably also had family issues (although that’s based on rumours rather than anything solid). He also thought English could handle Little and it was best to give him a chance to get elected rather than to give people a sense of being cheated of their chosen leader if he went after the election. What he didn’t foresee was the shake-up on the left and the rise of Ardern.

      Plus, even if Key had stuck around, there may well have been a need for a deal with Winston. The Māori Party may well still have been wiped out (the work in those electorates had been going on for ages, with really strong candidates selected and working hard) and Greg O’Connor was a savvy pick to take on Peter Dunne. He may well have lost his seat, even without Jacindamania. I think the difference would have been that with Labour and the Greens more evenly balanced, Peters would have gone with the Nats. He would have seen a 3-way coalition as less workable than a 2 party coalition and a support agreement (which has one party clearly in the lead).

      Who knows how Ardern would have matched up against Key – he was more nimble in debate than English, but I suspect he would still have been patronising and smug, and she would still have offered a chance for renewal. I guess we’re not going to know, and that’s fine by me. I’m glad he stepped down. I hope his party strategists regret it, though. He screwed the country, and I’d like to think that in the end he screwed his own party too.

    • SpaceMonkey 4.2
      12 December 2017 at 3:27 pm

      John Key was insanely popular. Had he not resigned, I think we just might have a National-led Government today.

      I don’t think he resigned because he saw himself as unelectable, I think he ran because he knew what was coming down the line – having to account for lie after lie, and the sh*t we find ourselves in today. And then there is the suggestion he was leaned on by Bronagh for behaviours that the MSM have a “gentleman’s agreement” not to report on. NZ is a small place and the jungle drums beat loud.

      • ropata 4.2.1
        12 December 2017 at 10:20 pm

        He ran away because, as revealed in the BIMs, the true state of NZ institutions is one of shocking and wilful neglect, and there are ominous signs that the housing bubble party is coming to an end. As a long term top level banker perhaps he knows that shit is gonna hit the fan in global markets very soon.

        Or maybe he doesn’t want to play golf with Trump…

  5. One Anonymous Bloke 5
    12 December 2017 at 12:20 pm

    What a good day to announce that part of his low-life legacy has been destroyed.

    National Standards have officially ended in primary schools across the country.

    Come on government! Hurry and and wipe the rest of the Key stain off the country.

      • greywarshark 5.1.1
        12 December 2017 at 5:17 pm

        Hooray – National Standards gone by lunchtime? From link above –

        “Parents will still receive reports at least twice a year on their child’s progress and achievement in maths, reading and writing as well as across the curriculum areas. But this reporting will focus on children’s progress, rather than measuring them against arbitrary National Standards.

        “The reports, written in plain English, will relate to where their child is at, at a given point, and the progress shift that has occurred, rather than being judged against others.

        “Next year parents can be sure they’ll get quality information about their child’s progress in reading, writing and maths, and schools will be freed to report on the full breadth of the curriculum,” he said.

        The Ministry of Education would issue good practice guidances to schools, kura and Kāhui Ako from Tuesday to “give them more flexibility in the assessment tools they use in their planning, teaching and reporting practices”.

    • Stunned Mullet 5.2
      12 December 2017 at 5:00 pm

      We’ll they’re not gone at a number of schools I help at – there’s certainly no longer a requirement to measure or report on them, however, when the parents and staff wish to utilise them in reporting they still can.

      • ianmac 5.2.1
        12 December 2017 at 5:09 pm

        Good Riddance to NS but teachers know that within the Wonderful Curriculum Framework (sidelined by Parata) are great criteria for measuring progress.

        The degree of effort learners put into achievement is a much better indicator of future success. Very bright kids learn to avoid mistakes and/or risks to maintain their supposed cleverness. Slower kids can struggle but these battlers are good achievers in different ways.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 5.2.2
        12 December 2017 at 5:35 pm

        Strictly speaking. National Standards were never at the schools you “help” at, since they are neither national, standard, nor standards.

        …when the parents and staff wish to utilise them…

        The parents can dictate pedagogy to the staff eh? I reckon you’re lying. Where are you ‘helping’? At a National Party Madrassa?

  6. Cinny 6
    12 December 2017 at 12:24 pm

    And what a day it was, people were dancing and cheering in the streets.

  8. adam 8
    12 December 2017 at 1:09 pm

    So a year on, can we talk about Hekia Parata as well?

    • red-blooded 8.2
      12 December 2017 at 1:29 pm

      Sure. Charter schools (who needs trained teachers?), push to increase class sizes (luckily u-turned, but only for self-protection, not because she realised it was wrong), bungled closures and mergers straight after the ChCh earthquakes, totally unnecessary remodelling of Teachers’ Council (Educanz – who needs teacher representation?), National Standards, Novopay…

      To be fair, she wasn’t as dreadful as Anne Tolley. There were the stirrings of some positive ideas: the scrapping of deciles (if the new system turns out to be better), communities of learning (not well supported, yet, as they’re quite restrictive, but could develop into something worthwhile)… I’m struggling to think of anything else.

      I’m keen to see the new policies from this government coming through: the changes to NCEA could be good (although there’ll be stresses along the way); the scrapping of school fees will be great (I think most schools will opt in); the scrapping of National Standards will be freeing for primary schools and may hopefully see us regaining lost ground in core skills. Bring it on!

      • adam 8.2.1
        12 December 2017 at 1:57 pm

        All really good points red-blooded, don’t disagree on any point.

        But my comment was a bit more about people, than the politics. You know like a couple selling their family home and moving to different place to be with a different crowd etc…

      • garibaldi 8.2.2
        12 December 2017 at 2:46 pm

        “regaining lost ground in core skills”. Sorry but that won’t happen. We will probably drop further because of our soft approach to learning the basics and our increasing (and detrimental) reliance on smartphones ,facebook, twitter, etc etc. I find it very hard to work out just what the young ones know other than how to say “like” every second word.

        • red-blooded 8.2.2.1
          12 December 2017 at 3:50 pm

          How many young ones do you take the time to talk to, garibaldi? I’m a secondary teacher – there are lots of really smart, articulate, thoughtful and mature teens around. Sit down and take the time to listen to a few.

          • greywarshark 8.2.2.1.1
            12 December 2017 at 4:21 pm

            There’s an interesting trio here – garibaldi, red blooded and adam who could be the hub of a good discussion on education and the effect of tech and using laptops instead of using a pen and the effect lifeline of that and whether it means that part of the brain’s synapses are never ignited……. Just talking the conceptions, and preconceptions, the fearsa and the likelihoods – it could be great. I

            ‘m noticing how tech-think rules the world now, the idea that watching a screen is more passive, the idea that libraries are precious shared spaces and that even librarians call dvds and other techdevices, books, when they are not. With all the made-up words there are they have to diminish one that has great value and meaning.

            Just some things from the top of my head. But education is a biggie for us to watch and comment on.

          • garibaldi 8.2.2.1.2
            12 December 2017 at 4:45 pm

            Sure there are some very good young people rb, but there are plenty of dumbing down trends out there that so many of them are slaves to.

  9. adam 9
    12 December 2017 at 1:47 pm

    Let us not forget the stellar work of the journalists from the ICIJ, into the hidden accounts of the uber rich – who thought they were above society and taxes. Lets not forget, Key was knee deep in all this.

    Here an interesting tale of one of those journalist looking in the paradise papers.

    https://www.icij.org/blog/2017/12/adventures-paradise-trip-bermuda-draws-odd-call-government/

  10. Ad 10
    12 December 2017 at 2:49 pm

    Our most charismatic and popular Prime Minister since M.J.Savage.

    Delivery? Not so much.

    • Ed 10.1
      12 December 2017 at 4:08 pm

      Don’t even mention his name in the same breath as Savage.

      From Wikipedia

      Savage is ‘commonly known as the architect of the New Zealand welfare state, Savage is generally regarded as one of New Zealand’s greatest and most revered Prime Ministers. ‘

      Legacy

      Michael Joseph Savage is admired from many sides of the political spectrum and is known as the architect of the New Zealand welfare state. His Labour government provided the foundations of the post-war consensus, based upon the assumption that full employment would be maintained by Keynesian policies and that a greatly enlarged system of social services would be created.

      He is considered by academics and historians to be one of New Zealand’s greatest and most revered Prime Ministers. Often called “Everybody’s Uncle”, his genial and charismatic personality, and his skills as an orator, were largely responsible for public acceptance of his government’s radical policies. Exemplifying his enthusiasm for his government’s policies, Savage personally assisted a family in Fife Lane, Miramar, Wellington, to move their furniture into the first of the government’s 1930s state houses.

      • mac1 10.1.1
        12 December 2017 at 4:55 pm

        Savage defined socialism as “applied Christianity”.

        In what ethical terms did Key describe his neo-liberal political views? What indeed was John Key’s view of ethics?

        “Well, there’s quite a wide definition of ethics, ” said Mr Key defending Minister John Banks. https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/prime-minister-defends-embattled-john-banks-rh-117765

        The following view of Key comes from a 2014 “thedailyblog”.

        https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/07/28/a-critical-deconstruction-of-john-key-whats-behind-the-facade/

        1.Individual aspiration is paramount.
        Key has cut his cloth superbly for the political career he had in mind; others might ponder the absence of any higher purpose.

        2. Avoid ethical controversy.
        He prefers to ignore or downplay the ethical controversies which have surrounded him. His signature response seems to be “I’m comfortable with that”.

        3. Embrace national myths not national history.
        ….. our Prime Minister is uninterested in philosophy, social sciences, economics or history.

  11. Nick 11
    12 December 2017 at 3:38 pm

    The ex-pm(p) was a piece of shit on NZ’s jandals.

  12. ianmac 12
    12 December 2017 at 5:13 pm

    Funny that Key gets barely a mention these days. Why is that? Because he was all show and nothing of substance. Someone like Kirk still gets talked about more today even after a short tenure. Key? Nine years of grinning deceit. Not missed.

  13. eco maori 13
    12 December 2017 at 6:09 pm

    Shonky legacy
    1 climate change denier because he worships money
    2 displaces most of the kiwis from dairy and horticultural jobs when I lived in Napier my wife’s any would come and stay during Apple picking season heaps of people from Gisborne use to come to pick
    Changes the bail system this gives more power to the cops to lock inercint people up inercint till proven guilty 1500 of our people locked up because of this dum ass law
    3 gives the cops massservalince and they are breaking my human rights look at bullshit smile this morning who cares I’m a broke ass savage Maori they are breaking the human rights to my whole family.
    4 changes legal aid so the poor cannot get a fair trial the escalator for the poor into jail
    5 Shonky carbon credits that were used to strip the trees from the central north island and we lost billions in potential yealds most of the trees were harvest way to early
    6 polluted waterways most farmers do there best but in any population there are bad apples and I have not heard of anyone getting there ass kicked for this crime of polluting our water ways.
    7 Tax cut for people who don’t need it and all that money flows out of our economy and under the pillow
    8 Unequalty the wealth are happy but not us poor 2 people working and we are worse off than when it was just me working 10 years ago
    9 houses are out of reach for the average kiwi.
    Ten years ago most people had spear money to go watch sport etc not now our sports stadium are always empty I had that same chill when I first seen shonky key I will not raise GST WTF.
    It would be good to have someone dig into keys history and find all the shady deals he has made. The problem I have is he could be caught red handed and he will get off scot free as this is the way of OUR WORLD one law for the poor valuerable and impunity for the wealthy.
    Ana to kai

  14. james 14
    12 December 2017 at 6:45 pm

    We will never know – but I believe if he was still the leader of National – he would be leading the government with National alone.

    • Ed 14.1
      12 December 2017 at 6:50 pm

      Lucky for most NZers he resigned then.

    • Muttonbird 14.2
      12 December 2017 at 7:15 pm

      I believe he and/or Max would have done something monumentally stupid in the last 12 months allowing JA to lead Labour in governing alone.

      We will never know.

  15. Zorb6 15
    12 December 2017 at 6:59 pm

    I still marvel at how the urban myth that Key donated his Prime Ministerial salary to charity ,gained so much traction with the man in the street.Spin,black ops,lying and spying are his legacy,while no doubt his share investments at least doubled in value.Could imagine Warners,SKC,Scales and BofA in the portfolio.And the capital gain in his properties was stellar under his campaign to ensure NZ’ers didn’t become tenants in their own country.

  16. Craig H 16
    12 December 2017 at 7:52 pm

    One year since his greatest public service…

  17. Tanz 17
    12 December 2017 at 9:00 pm

    There is a lot of envy on this thread. The man has been Knighted, served for nine wonderful years as our elected PM, is a self-made multi-millionaire, and has worked wonders for our fabulous land. He was smart enough to rule out Winston Peters back in 2014, why did English not do the same. Anyway, very much missed as a smart, sensible, common touch PM, who was very big on substance. New Zealand is the envy of the world, and it is thanks to Sir John Key!! And he gave all of his salary to charity whilst he was PM! Wat a guy! We were so blessed
    to have him, and he wasn’t popular for nothing. Maybe he will come back to us for another stint as PM, should English decide to bow out).

    • Ed 17.1
      12 December 2017 at 9:02 pm

      And he is a liar.
      I feel sorry for you that you support the most dishonest PM New Zealand has ever had.

      Blip’s analysis.
      https://thestandard.org.nz/john-keys-legacy-of-lies/

    • solkta 17.2
      12 December 2017 at 10:35 pm

      “And he gave all of his salary to charity whilst he was PM!”

      Bullshit!

      He claimed to pay some but would never say how much nor to where it went. I’m sure he considers the National Party a “good cause”:

      “““““““

      “National Party leader John Key has vowed to donate “a good part” of his government pay to charity should he be New Zealand’s next Prime Minister.

      …

      “I already donate a good part of the pay I receive as Leader of the Opposition to charities and other good causes. I will continue that practice should I become Prime Minister,” Key, above, told Sunday News.

      Key wouldn’t elaborate on what charities he supported, nor how large a portion of his salary he donated. He said his “personal decision” was not something he wanted publicised.

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/573560/Key-pledges-PMs-salary-to-charity

    • OnceWasTim 17.3
      13 December 2017 at 3:04 am

      What do you do for entertainment @Tanz? Watch Peta Credlin and listen to Lackwit Larry?
      Do you know if there are any plans for a statue. I know there’s a polished turd with candles on it at the bottom of Cuba Street – mounted on a National Party blue column, but I was thinking we should probably erect something more appropriate. Something with an altar where you could go and take communion and worship everyday.
      We could get Max to set up a D.D.D.D.DeeJay spot nearby to attract the adoring crowds.

      • ropata 17.3.1
        13 December 2017 at 11:23 pm

        Let’s replace the Bucket Fountain with a humungous statue of Sir FJK that illustrates the “trickle-down” effect. Also a massive array of searchlights emanating from his arsehole so that Kiwis can be blinded by his brilliance for eternity.

  18. Sanctuary 18
    12 December 2017 at 10:01 pm

    That image of Key is so appropriate. Since his government (with the support of the Maori party never, ever forget) changed the RMA in 2012 fully one third of Aucklands trees have been cut down. Key allowed his crony mates to despoil oh waterways and chop down our trees and sold off huge chunks of our most beautiful places to foreigners. May he rot in hell.

  19. mosa 19
    12 December 2017 at 10:21 pm

    John Key was promoted , voted and supported by complete idiots and drongos.

    Sadly they are still with us.

  20. Matthew Whitehead 20
    13 December 2017 at 9:11 am

    A great day for New Zealand IMO. Coincidentally, we had a small Rongotai Greens party on that day, although nobody knew or noted that it was John Key Resignation Anniversary, lol. I’m sure it would have got a chuckle!

  21. Tanz 21
    13 December 2017 at 7:32 pm

    At least Key can say he got to be PM fair and square, he won every election he contested, by a country mile, and didn’t need an unpopular pollie, with only seven percent support, and no electorate seat to prop him up. He didn’t need to sell him the deputy PM role (soon to be pm role?), and he did not give away 7 portfolios for power.
    Key won every election, where as Ardern polled behind Bill English, no matter how the left spin it.

    Key would have respected the people’s voice, he would never have seized power anyway! Scruples and respect, that was his mantra. The electorate loved him, and still do.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 21.1
      13 December 2017 at 7:33 pm

      He relied on coalition partners to get him over the line in every single government he shitted all over, you pitiful ignoramus.

    • ropata 21.2
      13 December 2017 at 7:59 pm

      “Scruples and Respect” FFS

      The cognitive dissonance is strong in this one. Only a complete munter could still believe that Key’s rear end is sunshine and rainbows.

      Key lied about helping the underclass, taming property prices, and asset sales to get elected in 2008 and he kept that form for the next 8 years.

      Key lied about Cunliffe getting donations from Donghua Liu, turned out he was a big Nat supporter.

      Key lied about GCSB spying on New Zealanders, and DotCom’s moment of Truth was vindicated.

      Key was and is a slimy bankster and toady to corporations and foreign governments. The payoff was a massive overpayment of $50 million for his Parnell pad.

      The BIM’s were just the start, we yet to see the full truth about Key’s corrupt dealings with SkyCity, the NZ tax haven laws, mass selloff of NZ to billionaires like Peter Thiel and James Cameron and Russian oligarchs.

      A shameful record and a despicable PM

  22. Tanz 22
    13 December 2017 at 7:39 pm

    I was pointing out though, that he won his elections. He polled highest, every time.
    Also, he didn’t have to give major roles away, such as the deputy PM role or Minister of Foreign Affairs, nor major portfolios. Big difference, the main one being that he always polled way ahead of Labour! So, Winston with his seven per cent support gets to be deputy PM. How ridiculous, hey, but that’s MMP…lol.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 22.1
      13 December 2017 at 7:58 pm

      MMP is working exactly as it’s supposed to. I like your whinging whining tantys too. As the stain of Dr. Sir John Key is wiped off the country, I expect you’ll whinge and whine a lot more.

    • ropata 22.2
      13 December 2017 at 8:05 pm

      All that shows is there are a lot of fuckwits and selfish bastards voting for the blue team. Not evidence of better government AT ALL

      You should judge the Nat government on what it delivered for NZ. It did some things OK but kicked a lot of stuff down the road and all its growth stats were caused by mass unsustainable immigration. Caused a lot of pain and pollution and split NZ into a seriously divided country.

      Is Don Brash another one of your heroes?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 22.2.1
        13 December 2017 at 8:07 pm

        some things OK

        Did it? Like, it made a bowl of shit soup with a lovely garni?

        • ropata 22.2.1.1
          13 December 2017 at 8:28 pm

          Yes they were great at marketing

        • Tanz 22.2.1.2
          14 December 2017 at 8:29 pm

          If MMP was working as it should, then the govt would not have the nickname of The Coalition of the Losers, would they!. Polling way in front of Labour and the Greens, National is still the choice of the majority of the voters, and nothing can change that. This govt has been foisted upon us by Winston Peters, and the people know it. Deep down, I am sure Labour do too. Nothing can change the numbers, not even endless leftie spin.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 22.2.1.2.1
            14 December 2017 at 8:36 pm

            Learn what a majority is, ignoramus, but please, don’t stop whinging and whinging.

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