Key out of touch

Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, July 23rd, 2015 - 115 comments
Categories: brand key, john key, Media - Tags: , ,

Well it took seven long years (and a seemingly unending parade of scandals), but some of the media seem to be assessing Key more realistically these days. The “rags to riches” narrative is changing to “out of touch”.

Prime Minister John Key defends Hawaii holiday: ‘I’m not a ridiculously lavish guy’

The fact that Key has to “defend” this is a sea-change.

Prime Minister John Key is continuing to defend his family’s lifestyle, insisting he is “not a ridiculously lavish guy”.
…
The PM has been criticised for appearing “out of touch” in a week where unaffordable housing dominated the headlines.

There’s a similar piece in The Herald, and related fluff has been all over the “news” this week.

The fact is that Key was out of touch when he entered politics, and is increasingly so today. The interesting thing is at the media are beginning to comment on it.

[Note that this is not a post about Key’s family, and discussion of such in comments is discouraged in the strongest possible terms. This is a post about a changing media narrative and what it represents politically.]

John Key Swimming Pool Metro 2005

115 comments on “Key out of touch ”

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  1. Anno1701 1
    23 July 2015 at 12:40 pm

    That photo never fails to crack me up, A couple of girls in thongs and youve got a hip-hop album cover

    “Jza john and the Parnell pimpz”

  2. Puckish Rogue 2
    23 July 2015 at 12:47 pm

    Wow so John Key is rich, has a holiday home in Hawaii and a mansion in aucklands richest suburb

    Just wait until the people of NZ learn about this, he’ll be goneburgers!

    • dukeofurl 2.1
      23 July 2015 at 1:22 pm

      Plus an extra holiday home in Success Crt Omaha beach, then there is the London home, not sure he still has the Wellington place as well.

      As the Donald would say, ‘thats all small change to me’

  3. McFlock 3
    23 July 2015 at 12:50 pm

    Snap: I mentioned that over in open mike. Tugger spent $14k on dinner for two, spends up to $6k on a suit “washed with pounamu”, and still thinks he can pretend he leads a simple lifestyle.

    • Puckish Rogue 3.1
      23 July 2015 at 12:55 pm

      Including three nights accommodation which sounds like a pretty decent deal to me if you can afford it

      • McFlock 3.1.1
        23 July 2015 at 1:01 pm

        let’s see: total cost = $7k.
        $100/night = $6700 meal
        $1000/night = $4000 meal

        Nah, even if you’re in a lavish hotel, the meal is still pretty fucking lavish.
        Accommodation and the meal together is lavish.
        Holidays in Hawaii mansions are lavish.
        So yeah, tugger leads a lavish lifestyle, but this is obviously a bad look when many or most NZers under his watch are struggling. So once again he lies.

        • Puckish Rogue 3.1.1.1
          23 July 2015 at 1:09 pm

          The meal was 4 years ago so thats a stretch even for you

          • McFlock 3.1.1.1.1
            23 July 2015 at 1:21 pm

            Says a champion of the “Labour did it too” line.
            Fuck, he might have finally managed a government surplus since then, so yeah – a loooooong time ago.

            Line 1: cost included accommodation… … … fail
            Line 2: it was four years ago…. … … … … … … fail

    • marty mars 3.2
      23 July 2015 at 2:01 pm

      You’re onto it McFlock – why now, why up the narrative now – simple – the focus groups are pinging on it. The latest video just shows – key “All the things they were doing didn’t cost money” – Yep, They were doing it Hawaii, beside your fucken mansion you wanker!!!

      Little must retaliate now – photoi-time for some fush and chups on the baech – time to show that rich prick who is actually a man of the people!!!!!!

  4. NZJester 4
    23 July 2015 at 1:02 pm

    Key is a man who got out of poverty to his place in life because he was brought up in a state house, with good quality cheap food on the table and with a good tax payer funded education, things he is now preventing those most in need from obtaining while he is prime-minister.
    If it was not for that state house and good free education, it is very doubtful he would have that cash to take him and his family on holiday that Hawaii holiday.
    Just like how Paula Bennett cancelled the very schemes that helped her go from a beneficiary to a business women, John key has removed a crucial few rungs on the lower ladder that helped him get out of poverty and into international banking and New Zealand politics.

    • Puckish Rogue 4.1
      23 July 2015 at 1:35 pm

      Key would have been a success no matter his start, he seems like the type that’ll do well no matter the circumstances

      • McFlock 4.1.1
        23 July 2015 at 1:45 pm

        Well, given the number of ladders that he had and has kicked away from other people, I guess we’ll never know.

        edit: hang on, are you saying he took government assistance when he didn’t need it? What a bludger…

      • Richard@Down South 4.1.2
        23 July 2015 at 1:57 pm

        Making money from currency trading (if its clients money), you are making money on trades, whether you make a profit or not for your client (as I understand it)

      • NZJester 4.1.3
        23 July 2015 at 2:25 pm

        With how ruthless he is I guess you are right he might have still become successful and rich. Without that good free education paid for by the tax payer behind him though the only way he might of got as rich as he is now is by doing what Terry Clark did!

      • Skinny 4.1.4
        23 July 2015 at 2:35 pm

        Oh how rude I know what your dog whistling. [r0b: deleted, not warranted]

      • Majic Mike 4.1.5
        23 July 2015 at 6:59 pm

        Considering only 5% of people in poverty manage to become financially independent you are lying like your boss.
        Also John Key was bankrolled out of poverty not only by tax payers like me who were paying 45% + tax while we johny and his mum were getting a free education very cheap house and widows pention.
        A Rich business man mentored and funded jo

      • Tricledrown 4.1.6
        23 July 2015 at 7:21 pm

        Poorly Researched John Key would never have made it out of poverty as only 5% of people in poverty become financially independent.
        My taxes at 45%+paid for John Boy to escape his alcoholiç father go to ChCh get a very cheap state house while I rented and saved while paying high taxes.
        John boys mother got on the benefit as well.

        John boy got a free education right through to his paid for by me and other tax payer free bee degree in accounting.
        The a business man funded and mentored John boy.

        Puckish rogue no way would John Key have been able to get to where he is today without all the free handouts he received I never recieved any of those handouts but I sure paid the taxes that he recieved the benefits of!

        • Rob 4.1.6.1
          23 July 2015 at 8:35 pm

          Basically he was given an opportunity despite adversity
          That is the opposite of what he and Bennett stand for as they are
          part of the market or Neo liberal set
          I’m really looking forward to his demise

      • gnomic 4.1.7
        23 July 2015 at 11:24 pm

        Hmmm, that depends on how success is defined. Doing well for oneself is not the same as doing good for the nation.

    • Clemgeopin 4.2
      23 July 2015 at 1:56 pm

      +1

    • Shona 4.3
      23 July 2015 at 2:56 pm

      Name one profitable business (without government input) that Pullya Benefit has run.

      • Tricledrown 4.3.1
        24 July 2015 at 9:50 am

        Her National electorate all the kickback s and slush funded dirty dark money The National Party is about profiteering.

  5. Penny Bright 5
    23 July 2015 at 1:18 pm

    John Key in 2001 was a foreign exchange advisor to the New York Federal Reserve.

    He was also the head of derivatives for Merrill Lynch.

    John Key came straight from Wall Street to start his political career in New Zealand in 2002.

    Once a ‘Wall Street banker’ – always a ‘Wall Street banker’?

    NZ Prime Minister John Key, is a shareholder in the Bank of America.

    (Pg 29 in the 2015 Register of Financial Interests for NZ MPs – google it for yourself).

    So – for whom is John Key working?

    US – or the U$?

    Follow the dollar …….?

    Penny Bright

    • dukeofurl 5.1
      23 July 2015 at 1:32 pm

      Not quite head of derivatives, that might have been the job he didnt get, so left to come back to Auckland as a minor property developer.

      Key was head of the Global Foreign Exchange for Merrill Lynch, you know THAT forex market which we now know was rigged out of London for a long time. Key was 50:50 between London NY

      Its explained here:
      “A series of unfortunately-named “fixes” are arranged at certain times of the day to act as a benchmark for foreign exchange rates. Rather than implying any form of manipulation, they are simply exchange rates fixed in time that companies use to trade currencies.
      The most common of these are the WM Reuters 4pm fix, and the 1.15pm ECB fix. The first takes the average exchange rate over a minute-long period at 4pm, the second is simply the rate at 1.15pm.
      While businesses buy and sell at the spot rate, banks can trade billions in the markets during the minutes before and after the fix – around $5.3 trillion is traded in the foreign exchange markets every day.
      How did traders try to rig the market?
      If a group of traders agree to start buying and selling at higher or lower rates around 4pm, they may try to manipulate the fix.
      Say dollars are trading at 65p, and a business has agreed to buy $100 from a bank at the fix rate. The bank’s trader could collude with other traders in chatrooms to move the spot price higher, say to 66p.
      If the trader is successful in doing this, the bank can buy the $100 for £65 in the market at 3.30, and sell them for £66 to the business based on the 4pm spot rate.
      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/11226029/How-did-bank-employees-rig-the-foreign-exchange-markets.html

      • Tricledrown 5.1.1
        24 July 2015 at 6:37 am

        All derivatives are traded the forex market.the derivatives have to be bought and sold even the Merrill Lynch derivatives

    • Shona 5.2
      23 July 2015 at 3:00 pm

      John Key was appointed by the Federal Reserve to lobby for the repeal of the Glass Steaghal Act which allowed the derivatives market to develop.

      • Smilin 5.2.1
        23 July 2015 at 5:17 pm

        yeah and he is in the Bank of America UP TO HIS EYEBALLS, the biggest rip off of them all “God home mother and apple pie and they’re all full of shit”quote David Crosby, hang another….. but I will still play golf in Hawaii to keep up appearances.
        A conscience vote by John Key -Sweet home Hawaii lord haw haw callin

    • Realblue 5.3
      23 July 2015 at 5:49 pm

      Penny Bright was in 2001 a crashing bore. Once a bore always a bore. So whom is she boring for now? Oh that’s right she lives off the taxpayer.

    • Tricledrown 5.4
      23 July 2015 at 7:35 pm

      John Key New Zealand’s biggest welfare recipient .
      If not for
      The US governments $80 billion dollar bailout of Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
      Effectively handing John Key a $5 million welfare cheque.
      Other companies in John Keys portfolio would have received bailouts corporate welfare cheques.
      Then as head of Merrill Lynch’s currency trading John Key was deeply involved in the insider trading corruption as all the money laundering ML were doing was through his office John Key was fully engaged in the corrupt practice’s at Merrill Lynch.

    • Jackp 5.5
      24 July 2015 at 10:56 am

      Penny, do you know if Key is an US citizen? Certainly seems like it.

  6. AmaKiwi 6
    23 July 2015 at 1:39 pm

    The high and mighty are falling . . . worldwide, as a regular scan of international news websites will show you.

    We are opening our eyes to engineered poverty by the few to enslave the many.

    Once wealth was a badge of honor. It is becoming evidence of systemic cruelty.

  7. Ad 7
    23 July 2015 at 1:40 pm

    The economy will sink them more than anything.

    Well into his third term Key has even greater political command than Clark.
    But it will take more than a dent to the Corrections Minister to unravel this lot.
    There’s no fluster, no leadership cracks.

    They are burning the most minimal amount of political capital possible, doing essentially nothing in Parliament, simply running the clock out. Then they get to unleash the war-chest again.

    Some of Little’s team are doing a better job. It’s good.
    It’s getting better for the left, but ain’t no way it’s enough yet.

  8. Mick 8
    23 July 2015 at 1:47 pm

    keep the flag and dump key.

  9. James 9
    23 July 2015 at 1:52 pm

    I think you are wrong. The narrative is not changing. A few post, primary about Max and his video do not a narrative make.

    Key is generally seen as a down to earth person, as most feel when they meet him (I have a few times).

    But – things can happen – its just that he isnt seen as a tall poppy that needs to be cut down, which is why he personally polls so well.

    But, hey, time will see. Personally I think that this is another thing the “left” will try to push and it will blow back as attacking the man not the ball.

    • Puckish Rogue 9.1
      23 July 2015 at 2:00 pm

      I think it shows the left (or the media, probably the media) are out of touch with the majority of NZers

      • dukeofurl 9.1.1
        23 July 2015 at 2:23 pm

        They are saying the same about the US media when it comes to Trump.

        But seriously , Bill English must weep that the Guy whose last job in NZ before going overseas permanently was to sack all the staff of the business and turn out the lights is now an ‘everyday NZer’

        • Puckish Rogue 9.1.1.1
          23 July 2015 at 2:32 pm

          Well its given Bill English six years as finance minister with at least another three years so I’m sure hes probably not feeling too bad

          • lprent 9.1.1.1.1
            23 July 2015 at 2:46 pm

            Just a few wee corrections as you seem to be lost in the past.

            It has given Bill English seven years of good big deficits, with two more to go. I’m sure that he doesn’t feel like a miserable failure.

            It is amazing what making stupid taxcuts at the wrong time and for the wrong reasons does to a finance ministers reputation.

            • Puckish Rogue 9.1.1.1.1.1
              23 July 2015 at 3:52 pm

              Seven years d’oh!

            • Clemgeopin 9.1.1.1.1.2
              23 July 2015 at 7:21 pm

              The fool gave billions of dollars of tax cuts to benefit the wealthy the most which is an ongoing loss of billions of dollars of revenue for the nation year after year!

              At the same time, the economic geniass increased the GST on everything that continuously hurts the lower income people the most as they, of necessity, have to spend all their income to give their families the bare necessities of living.

              And this clueless Shit Star government has been lavishly borrowing money from overseas to bring up our country’s debt burden to about 80 billion dollars for our future generations to struggle away and pay off…Key & English will be long gone by then, of course.

              Rock Star Economy? Yes, kind of ! : Wealth for the stars and rocks for the rest.

            • gnomic 9.1.1.1.1.3
              23 July 2015 at 11:43 pm

              Isn’t about time English was put in a straitjacket and taken away? Unfit to be in charge of an economy. Forget the smirking (latterly scowling) weasel who is after all just a useful idiot, it’s the wolf we have to watch. Or is it a werewolf? Recent photographs definitely suggest lycanthropic tendencies to my eyes.

              This story is alarming. Oddly enough I haven’t seen wide coverage in the meeja at large. Maybe I missed it.

              http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/279498/no-plans-to-sell-soe-%27relics%27-english

              If not a werewolf definitely a rabid ideologist. Thick and smug too.

              • NZJester …
                24 July 2015 at 9:00 am

                In some countries the rail system is becoming more modern and far from a relic. Privately owned cars are getting bogged down in traffic-jams in most big cities that do not contain a good rail system to more efficiently move people around. If the rail system in Auckland is not expanded then Auckland is going to become more and more deadlocked at peak traffic times.
                Car owners also subsidise heavy trucks by the average car owner paying for the majority of the costs of road maintenance while it is the trucks that pay the least towards the road maintenance costs that actually do the most damage to the roads. Transporting goods around New Zealand via trucks looks to be more economical to businesses because of this huge hidden subsidy. The same can be said about long haul buses transporting people around New Zealand. A good modern rail system would actually be shown to be cheaper for transporting goods and people around New Zealand without that hidden subsidy.
                Rail is actually cheaper to maintain and creates far less pollution per kg of goods transported. Put more goods on trains and lower the number of trucks on the road and petrol taxes the average motorist pays could drop.

          • dukeofurl 9.1.1.1.2
            23 July 2015 at 2:49 pm

            The 2IC?
            Yep hes loved every minute of it.

          • Tricledrown 9.1.1.1.3
            23 July 2015 at 7:38 pm

            Puckish Rogue how much an hour do you get paid to push National Party propaganda.

  10. Penny Bright 10
    23 July 2015 at 1:56 pm

    You ok Ad – with our NZ Prime Minister John Key, being a shareholder in the Bank of America?

    http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/mpp/mps/fin-interests/00CLOOCMPPFinInterests20151/register-of-pecuniary-and-other-specified-interests-of

    (pg 29)

    “Rt Hon John Key (National, Helensville)

    2 Other companies and business entities

    Little Nell – property investment (Aspen, Colorado)
    Bank of America – banking

    4 Beneficial interests in, and trusteeships of, trusts

    JP & BI Key Family Trust (beneficiary)
    Aldgate Trust (blind trust – neither trustee nor beneficiary”
    _________________________________________________________________________________

    I’m not.

    In my view, it’s a corrupt ‘conflict of interest’.

    Particularly when it comes to the secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPPA) – for which our NZ Prime Minister John Key, is a strong advocate?

    I mean – if the BIG banks do well out of the TPPA – by having less restrictions and regulations, it’s not as if our NZ Prime Minister John Key, is going to personally profit from this?

    Oh – hang on ……?

    Penny Bright

    • dukeofurl 10.1
      23 July 2015 at 2:33 pm

      There is more to the Bank of America connection. They are the ones who had the shotgun marriage with Merrill Lynch to save it from total collapse.

      “Bank of America began rebranding all of its corporate and investment banking activities under the Bank of America Merrill Lynch name in September 2009

      Im sure he has a large pot of funds under management

    • dukeofurl 10.2
      23 July 2015 at 2:50 pm

      Heres an interesting story where someone joins the dots and finds out John Key and others are telling porkies about what happened in currency trading in NZ back in the late 80s.

      aotearoaawiderperspective.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/john-key-and-the-things-he-does-not-want-you-to-know-part-1-the-attack-on-the-nz-dollar-in-1987/

  11. ankerawshark 11
    23 July 2015 at 1:58 pm

    We will see James. But I know if I was a first home buyer in Ak I would be fuming. The Max K video would be rubbing salt in my wound………………………………..

    I ask myself (inspired by Michelle Obama when asked if she had ever thought he would become President).
    “What has this person done that has been useful……………….”
    as opposed to successful.

    I am afraid being a money trader doesn’t rate.

    • James 11.1
      23 July 2015 at 6:47 pm

      salt in the wound? why? What does his familys financial situation have to do with you.

      Envy is a sad and shallow way to live.

      • ankerawshark 11.1.1
        23 July 2015 at 7:30 pm

        James @ 11.1. I am not a first home buyer in Auckland. I said if I was one, it would rub salt in the wound. This is because it would look like his children, will never have to struggle to buy their first home (I heard that the Keys were going to buy their daughter an apartment in Paris where she is a student).
        Even first home buyers in Auckland with good jobs are struggling with a market that is rising $1000s per week.

        You accuse me of envy and nothing could be further than the truth. I am very comfortably off and have enough to be satisfied with. Material goods have never held much store for me. I have earnt my money doing something that I believe is really worthwhile. And I have lived with integrity.

        I was able to buy my first house in Auckland in the 80’s. I had a chance. I would ask you to put yourself in the shoes of those hardworking young NZders who will never have a chance at home ownership in Auckland…………..if you do, it shouldn’t be too difficult to understand why seeing the children of the top 1% who will have no problem getting their own home would rub salt in the wound. Its empathy 101. If you don’t have it, there is a serious problem.

  12. emergency mike 12
    23 July 2015 at 2:09 pm

    Interesting that team Key is even bothering to ‘defend’ this. Most of the comments on various online item on the video were quite indifferent in a this is a non-story who cares kind of way. Yet there he is on More FM for a chat about it, spraying press releases around, reminding us all that he grew up in one of the state houses that he’s now flogging off to unknown entities who have the resources to buy them by the hundred, (i.e. not charities).

    I’ve always feel that Key has a kind of knee jerk reaction to any challenge that might tarnish the precious public image of himself that has been so successful for him. He always reacts and can look sulky and irritated even when he doesn’t need to, I think it’s a potential weakness.

    That and possibly the Nat polling/focus group team has decided that giving this woman’s weekly story a bit more air works in their favour in a ‘leave John Key alone’ kind of way.

  13. Save NZ 13
    23 July 2015 at 2:33 pm

    Has he ever been in touch? A trader worth $50 mill?

    Nope just got good minders.

    Maybe the TV3 debacle has awoken the MSM that blindly not reporting real news and just propaganda, is actually a turn off for many people and ratings will drop and other non main stream sites will pick up the traffic.

    • Puckish Rogue 13.1
      23 July 2015 at 2:42 pm

      Makes me laugh this type of comment, as soon as something slightly negative happens its proof that the people/media/insert whoever here have awoken

      One bump in the polls and its now “proof” that the people now see Key for what it is, forgetting the numerous polls previously

      One potentially negative story and suddenly the tide has turned

      Yeah right, Labour will get in when Key decides to retire which’ll be sometime around 2018

      • infused 13.1.1
        23 July 2015 at 3:30 pm

        My fav line is the teflon/honey moon is over…

        Well shit. It should have been ages ago. But its not

        • Puckish Rogue 13.1.1.1
          23 July 2015 at 4:05 pm

          Even better is when a roy morgan poll is commented on (because the left bloc goes up) but is completely ignored when theres no change

    • Rob 13.2
      23 July 2015 at 8:49 pm

      If he was worth $50M in 2002 then how come he is still only worth $50m
      Does that mean he is a loser?
      If I had put $50M in the bank back then it would be worth twice that now!!
      Just asking

      • Save NZ 13.2.1
        24 July 2015 at 8:52 am

        Blind trusts and off shore banks are so handy for hiding your real finances.

        You always know when you hit a nerve when all the trolls come out to defend JK and the Nats.

  14. Lynda Brown 14
    23 July 2015 at 3:11 pm

    We really need to get over this insane obsession with John Key. Just about everyone who meets him likes him. I saw him almost being mobbed today. Workers in the café lining up to have their photos taken with him. NZ knows his background and knows he is rich. He has never tried to hide it.
    So demonising him and trying to drag up all this nasty rubbish just makes Labour look petty and a bit stupid.

    • Colonial Viper 14.1
      23 July 2015 at 3:21 pm

      Just about everyone who meets him likes him. I saw him almost being mobbed today. Workers in the café lining up to have their photos taken with him.

      Did you see the waitresses with pony tails ask him for autographs?

      Oh, wait you’re just taking the piss, aren’t you.

    • McFlock 14.2
      23 July 2015 at 3:22 pm

      Labour didn’t drag it up – Key himself did when he did that wee puff-piece for the press.

      I suspect nat focus groups suggested that he was perceived as “out of touch”, so he did the interview to persuade people than inter-continental ballistic mansioning isn’t a “lavish” lifestyle.

    • dukeofurl 14.3
      23 July 2015 at 7:52 pm

      ” Workers in the café lining up to have their photos taken with him. ”

      sure sure, and if Charles Manson turned up in the cafe over the road, they would rush over to get their photos too.

    • Anne 14.4
      23 July 2015 at 7:56 pm

      Just about everyone who meets him likes him. I saw him almost being mobbed today.

      Oh, so you received an email from your local National PR guy/guyess that Key was going to be at such and such a cafe at such and such a time and “we want everybody to be there cheering loudly for him”.

      Workers in the café lining up to have their photos taken with him.

      Yeah… after what happened to Amanda Bailey they wouldn’t dare not to would they.

      All smoke and mirrors with you lot isn’t it.

    • adam 14.5
      23 July 2015 at 8:11 pm

      “Just about everyone who meets him likes him. I saw him almost being mobbed today.”

      Can I point out that the same happen for Stalin, Mao, and Kim Jong-il. Just saying.

  15. adam 15
    23 July 2015 at 3:15 pm

    John Key the bloke next door, looks more and more flaky in a crisis.

    Is it because next door is Hawaii?

    Or, is it because with homelessness and people living in cars – going to another mansion on the other side of the world – is so darn obviously ostentatious – even our media/pr companies got the jitters on that one?

  16. Lynda Brown 16
    23 July 2015 at 3:22 pm

    CV
    Don’t you think that was a bit lame?

  17. ankerawshark 17
    23 July 2015 at 3:24 pm

    Hi Lynda @ 14. The way I see it is I am like the little boys in the Emperors New Clothes. Just because a lot of other people have brought into the hyped and imo are fooled by Key, no need for me not to call it how I see it and state the Emperor has no clothes on.

    • Puckish Rogue 17.1
      23 July 2015 at 4:08 pm

      According to McFlock he has a $6000 greenstone suit from 2011 so he has some clothes at least

      • McFlock 17.1.1
        23 July 2015 at 4:21 pm

        And according to the media reports I linked to.

        I wonder if he gets much use out of it, or did he just wear it the once…

        • Puckish Rogue 17.1.1.1
          23 July 2015 at 4:25 pm

          No doubt, good thing about being a guy is you can wear a decent suit for quite a long time

          • McFlock 17.1.1.1.1
            23 July 2015 at 4:36 pm

            Unless they put more work into marketing the “greenstone wash” than the wear quality.

            But if his lifestyle is lavish then (even if he still has it) he might have only worn it a couple of times.

          • lprent 17.1.1.1.2
            23 July 2015 at 4:42 pm

            An even better way of being “a guy” is to never wear a suit at all.

            I don’t even have one. The last ones I discarded were from the 1980s which is when I stopped wearing them to weddings and funerals.

            Bloody uncomfortable especially that bryonic face cloth that people wrap around their necks, not particularly warm when you are working, and prone to wearing out. The only reason for them is for people who can’t impress with their skills so they try to cast an impression using their clothes. Anyone who gets fooled by that isn’t worth working with or for.

            • McFlock 17.1.1.1.2.1
              23 July 2015 at 4:54 pm

              Personally I like ’em, although I almost never wear a tie. Good pockets, easy to coordinate with, fits in reasonably well most places around town, and usually looks pretty tidy (even though mine tend to live on the floor).

              And pretty cheap for a new outfit if hallensteins have a sale. My only downside is that with most clothes – I’m a bit “pear shaped” and most outfits are slim fit/long limbs. But I’m pretty good at hemming, these days 🙂

              • lprent …
                23 July 2015 at 7:38 pm

                I am fairly solid bone wise. Long body, short legs, and rather overweight these days post smoking. None of the clothes around most stores have ever fitted me, even when I was a fit 90kgs straight out of the army.

                But I discovered Beggs about 30 years ago. Jeans that fit…. Teeshirts from whereever. Rodd and Gunn have some wearable jerseys, wool jackets, and hardy wook socks. New Balance have those really wide foot white shoes from down in the viaduct seconds store.

                None of these things wear out in less than 4 years. Nor do they need ironing. I go clothes shopping every 3 years.

                I am a boring dresser. But always tidy if I have remembered to shave or have a haircut in the last 6 months… These days I even wear shoes.

            • Realblue 17.1.1.1.2.2
              23 July 2015 at 6:09 pm

              Andrew Llittle wears one.

              • lprent …
                23 July 2015 at 7:40 pm

                Yeah. Nice style. Very proforma after he has worn it for a wee while.

                You have caught up with my oft-stated aphorism about why I support politicians?

                It essentially says that it is so my duty bump doesn’t force me to be one, and make all those silly compromises – like wearing a suit.

            • infused 17.1.1.1.2.3
              23 July 2015 at 6:24 pm

              Try not buying a $2 shop suit

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                23 July 2015 at 7:43 pm

                Try not wearing a uniform at all. Unless that’s too much for your tiny comfort zone.

      • ankerawshark 17.1.2
        23 July 2015 at 7:31 pm

        It was metaphorical Puckish Rogue at 17.1

  18. Les 18
    23 July 2015 at 3:33 pm

    BofA a basket case that had to be bailed out and then made to acquire another basket case …Merrill Lynch.All the dots…gee look who sponsers the AB’s A.I.G another basket case that had to be bailed out ,so big CDF holders like Goldman Sachs (Buffett to the rescue)),another basket case did not take a bath.

  19. Lynda Brown 19
    23 July 2015 at 3:34 pm

    That just continues the voters-are-dumb-but-we-still-want-their-votes approach that is serving Labour so well.
    But clever you to be able to spot what the rest of us are just too stupid to see.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 19.1
      23 July 2015 at 3:45 pm

      How did you form the impression that you are talking to “Labour”?

    • ankerawshark 19.2
      23 July 2015 at 3:58 pm

      I don’t think Labour’s saying the voters are dumb. I am not the Labour Party. Just a keen observer with a bit of background education to help me with that.

      I would more likely put it that the voters are dumbed down…………

      I am sure as the voters wise up we will get their vote. Percentage point, by percentage point.

      • Puckish Rogue 19.2.1
        23 July 2015 at 4:12 pm

        The over-riding impression I get of Labour and its supporters are that they think the NZ voting population are dumb because they don’t vote Labour

        • ankerawshark 19.2.1.1
          23 July 2015 at 6:05 pm

          PR @ 19.2.1.

          I was gutted that Labour didn’t get in in 2014.

          If Labour had have got in last election, it is highly likely Ak house prices would have only risen moderately. CGT, Controlling immigration, controlling lvr’s. I can’t remember their policy on foreign speculators at last years election, but I believe they would have put the brakes on this had they have been broken in. There was also Kiwibuild…………………….

          Rather than be swept away by John Key’s charm, and brought into the spin aimed at discrediting David Cunliffe, if they had of listened to policy and voted accordingly I firmly believe that the Ak house crisis would not be happening.

          What do you think about that PR???

          • Brutus Iscariot 19.2.1.1.1
            24 July 2015 at 8:39 am

            AFAIK Labour had (and still don’t have) no policy to alter migration quotas. LVR’s are controlled by the Reserve Bank, not Parliament. CGT would have had no time to make an impact yet as in all likelihood the legislation would have only just been passed, given the time required to draft a comprehensive legislation.

        • maui 19.2.1.2
          23 July 2015 at 6:29 pm

          Just goes to show what you can get away with when you’ve got a popular figurehead, the media on you side, and the majority of society sucked into a bubble of rampant capitalism. Government’s with this level of ineptness would have been sacked 3 times over by now.

        • b waghorn 19.2.1.3
          23 July 2015 at 8:19 pm

          No there not dumd but the 3 confirmed national voters I know all voted national for selfish reasons , key understands selfish and knows how to play it.

        • gnomic 19.2.1.4
          23 July 2015 at 11:56 pm

          Let’s not say dumb, but misguided. Aside from the part of the population who benefit from the activities of the current regime. Good for them in the main, for now anyway. Not in the long term I suspect, but then we don’t do long term these days. Just rape and pillage, privatise the profits and socialise the costs +100. And let’s not forget to smash the state. Is there no way to privatise government completely?

      • Realblue 19.2.2
        23 July 2015 at 6:11 pm

        Yes victory is just around the corner.

        • ankerawshark 19.2.2.1
          23 July 2015 at 6:25 pm

          Any comments on what I am saying about the Ak housing crisis Realblue???? Or are you of the belief like John Key that there isn’t a housing crisis???

          • Realblue 19.2.2.1.1
            23 July 2015 at 6:48 pm

            That Labour would have made it all better? Opinion, and you’re entitled to it. I was lost by the “blaming the stupid voter” rhetoric. Way to win hearts and minds there, champ.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 19.2.2.1.1.1
              23 July 2015 at 7:27 pm

              Way to pretend that a comment on a blog is a message from a political party. Your mendacity is shiny and transparent.

              What a pity it’s all you’ve got.

            • ankerawshark 19.2.2.1.1.2
              23 July 2015 at 7:36 pm

              Realblue, @19.2.2.1.1.

              What do you think of my opinion that the Auckland Housing market would not be at the crisis point it currently is if Labour had have got in? I mentioned a number of their policies that would have cooled the Ak housing market down??????

              I am disappointed more voters didn’t see through Mr Key’s charisma (an over rated and potentially dangerous trait imo) and see that Labour had policies that would benefit many and in this case cool the housing market in Auckland. I think it shows an absence of critical thought.

            • gnomic 19.2.2.1.1.3
              24 July 2015 at 12:00 am

              You are Bluedelusory and I claim my 10 cents. And why not clear off, you have nothing of any interest to say.

    • ankerawshark 19.3
      24 July 2015 at 8:10 am

      Lynda Brown @19. Labour have never blamed the voters. Did you know they held an extensive review into what went wrong for them in 2014. To my knowlede they never blamed Key or the media. Personally I would have.

      So you are not correct Lynda. Labour doesn’t blame the voters.

  20. whateva next? 20
    23 July 2015 at 4:51 pm

    “sea-change” ? more like the dawn is breaking at last, after a very dark night

  21. Smilin 21
    23 July 2015 at 5:40 pm

    Is there any DEMOCRACY left in this country ?
    Nz is just plain iggorant thats why we have America europe china and australia running the country, just a small cog in a global market run by the same powers that have always run the place
    We might have had some small victories over the years but our PM PERSONIFIES the realin in of the powers that really run this country and have done since 1978 OVERSEAS OVERLORDS
    TRY GETTIN RID OF FAST FOODS
    It cant be done.but we dont need them

  22. millsy 22
    24 July 2015 at 12:52 am

    You wont catch me bowing down to John Key just because he has a few more zeros tham I have..no sireeee..

    Lynda Brown = Amanda Atkinson = Monique Watson?

    The plot thickens?

    Who knows..?

    • Puckish Rogue 22.1
      24 July 2015 at 8:36 am

      Yeah you would, if you met you’d fall all over yourself just to fawn over him

  23. Mixpan 23
    24 July 2015 at 3:27 am

    John key won a p.r. war back in 2008. It was disgusting, it was feral. He is not “out of touch” now, he was out of touch then. He won an election largely because certain parts of the electorate listened to the constant chime of dullards claiming that there were lesbians ruining their lives. Sadly, ideas and truth will never triumph in a society that prefers, say, kardashians over Chomsky. I could go on and on but I can feel my meds wearing off and I don’t want to kill myself on such a beautiful day. In short, yes, Key is/was and always be a vain prick whose interests do not align with those of the lesser fortunate. Good on him for his success. It is a shame that he conflated his personal success with having something to say to society.

  24. mick 24
    24 July 2015 at 3:06 pm

    keep the flag. dump key.

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