MPs respond to Key’s wage drop wish

Written By: - Date published: 12:41 pm, February 22nd, 2008 - 30 comments
Categories: john key, national, workers' rights - Tags: , ,

220Following revelations that John Key told a business audience “we would love to see wages drop“, I sent an email to all 91 MPs whose emails addresses are listed on their bio page on the Parliament website. The email read:

“John Key is quoted in the Bay Report, 20/12/07, saying “we would love to see wages to drop” Do you agree that wages should drop or do you disagree? Yours Sincerely, Steve Pierson”

Nearly 2 days later, 26 substantive replies have been received, a pretty good return. Thanks to all the MPs who replied, especially United Future all (both) of whom replied, the party leaders (Turia, Dunne, and Fitzsimmons) who replied, and the Greens who had a high ratio of replies and the most thoughtful ones.

And National’s various excuses. As anyone will tell you, a sure sign of a lie is that the excuse varies.

Tau Henare Not what he said, Labour are liars
Shane Arden Provides internal National lines on denial
Paula Bennett Key was referring to Australia, and he was misquoted
Nicky Wagner Questions existence of Bay Report, says Key misquoted
Jonathan Coleman Key never said that
Wayne Mapp See excuses in the Herald
Nick Smith Bay Report wrong

30 comments on “MPs respond to Key’s wage drop wish ”

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  1. mike 1
    22 February 2008 at 12:56 pm

    Gee Steve you are sure doing your best to keep this alive – why it hasn’t made the news or main stream media at all is a mystery, perhaps it’s just missing that sound bite such as “cash for honors” or “Glengate”.

  3. James Kearney 3
    22 February 2008 at 12:59 pm

    This is getting huge traction in the community- I’ve received five different chain emails about this topic and it’s all over the blogs.

    This is a huge story that undermines Key’s credibility and it seriously makes me wonder whether the media have decided they want Key in and they’re not going to let him be damaged by a scandal of this scale.

    Colin Espiner says he’s waiting for ‘corroboration’. What a joke. It’s right there in black and white and Key’s had months to correct it.

  4. infused 4
    22 February 2008 at 1:04 pm

    It’s not there in black and white, that’s the problem. There is nothing before or after the comment. However he should clarify what he means.

  5. gobsmacked 5
    22 February 2008 at 1:04 pm

    John Key has just sent his reply:

    “I did not open this e-mail.”

  6. ghostwhowalks 6
    22 February 2008 at 1:05 pm

    Remember Glenn himself made his first comments some time back.

    This one is a sleeper, which will bubble along ( notice how in times like these Bill English has to move Shar-Keys lips for him so he doesnt add some oxygen to the story)

    But the right wing noise machine keeps any Labour gaffes on the front pages for days

  7. Daveo 7
    22 February 2008 at 1:07 pm

    Yeah you’re right ghost, I remember when this site and KBB were banging on about Key’s DVD fiasco for days before it got any media pickup. The righties were all over the comments section telling them to ‘give it up’ that ‘no media are interested’ and joking that they were becoming ‘the Coldplay blog’. Who’s laughing now?

  8. mike 8
    22 February 2008 at 1:10 pm

    “This is getting huge traction in the community”
    JK I assume you are referring to the Union,PSA,Labour,Uni and Rainbow “community”.
    Like I said the mainstream NZer has not even heard about this beatup.

  9. DS 9
    22 February 2008 at 1:14 pm

    “This is a huge story that undermines Key’s credibility and it seriously makes me wonder whether the media have decided they want Key in and they’re not going to let him be damaged by a scandal of this scale.”

    It’s do to with overall Grand Narrative: the media have type-cast Key as the “moderate” who will triumph over the “tired” and “scandal-ridden” Labour administration. Anything that reveals Key to be something other than a moderate is to be ignored by the media, or at least downplayed in favour of the latest beat-up involving Labour, since it violates this all-important narrative. Put simply, the media long ago decided that Key was going to win 2008, and are acting accordingly.

    The cynic in me also wonders if Labour “wasn’t supposed to win 2005” (Treasury’s post-election briefing papers seemed to indicate they expected a Tory win), and the Establishment is doing everything in its power to ensure that they are going to finish the job in 2008.

  10. Tim 10
    22 February 2008 at 1:23 pm

    Did anyone from National actually say how they plan for wages to increase? I doubt it, because they don’t want wages to increase.

    Funny how the majority of the National responses will not say whether they believe wages should rise or fall and that only National MPs have this response.

    C’mon Mike, the “Union, PSA, Labour, Uni and Rainbow” communities?!? Yes, only gay public servants studying part time want wages to increase.

    The mainstream NZer should hear about Key’s comments and the mainstream NZer is entitled to an explanation, seeing as the mainstream NZer is a wage earner earning about $667 per week who wants wages to rise.

  11. Steve Pierson 11
    22 February 2008 at 1:32 pm

    Tim. Of the Nats: 1 says wages should rise, two disagree with Key saying they should fall, 4 don’t address the question.

  12. Patrick 12
    22 February 2008 at 1:47 pm

    Two National MPs actually admit their policy is that wages should fall? I would be very interested to know which, and how long it will take Bill, uh, I mean John, to demote them.

    Steve, if you get a chance I’m sure a few of us would appreciate too see some of the MPs replies.

  13. George 13
    22 February 2008 at 1:50 pm

    I note one Nat questions the existence of the Bay Report. Does he think the paper is made up?

  14. Billy 14
    22 February 2008 at 1:52 pm

    So Steve, you cannot as “will not say” Henare, Arden, Bennett et al?

  15. Billy 15
    22 February 2008 at 1:53 pm

    Should be “counted”, not “cannot”. Twat.

  16. Matthew Pilott 16
    22 February 2008 at 2:19 pm

    George – said MP mustn’t be the most net-savvy!

    This just in – Northern Advocate confirms existence of The Bay Report! 😉

    http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/info/aboutthepaper/

  17. Matthew Pilott 17
    22 February 2008 at 2:24 pm

    Mike & co – yeah I bet no one reads this online newspaper:

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10493629

  18. ghostwhowalks 18
    22 February 2008 at 2:32 pm

    Fancy that a Friday afternoon dump !
    Does it take 3 days for a paper to confirm they printed something 2 months back.

  19. Steve Pierson 19
    22 February 2008 at 3:08 pm

    Billy. In their answers they never said whether they wanted wages up or down, they avoided the question. Typical tories, of course.

  20. gobsmacked 20
    22 February 2008 at 3:08 pm

    Further evidence of John Key supporting lower wages:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4319160a13.html

  22. Robinsod 22
    22 February 2008 at 3:53 pm

    Hey Francis – I see you’re still up to your old tricks. When are you going to answer my very simple question: what do you think needs to be done to raise wages? (and “achieving my research unit trolling KPIs” doesn’t count…)

  23. The Double Standard 23
    22 February 2008 at 4:12 pm

    Trolling again Mickey – how naughty of you.

  24. The Double Standard 24
    22 February 2008 at 4:22 pm

    Steve – did you disclose your relationship with this website in your email?

  25. Matthew Pilott 25
    22 February 2008 at 4:40 pm

    ‘sod, I think I see TDS’ problem. You asked him something on-topic (raising wages) and he thought it was trolling. Maybe it doesn’t count as trolling if he has a complete inability to recognise what the topic actually is.

    The more I think about it, the more it makes sense – the random link dropping, the tenuous connections (and that’s being generous) and the blatant trolling.

    Steve – I liked the email – not a lot of opportunity to wrangle out of it 🙂 Just watch out, the nats use an email as an invitation to add you to their mailing lists, you’ll end up with all sorts of shite coming through now!

  26. Steve Pierson 26
    22 February 2008 at 5:06 pm

    gobsmacked. thanks for posting that link. did you noitce this quote from one fo the girls key talked to?

    “He’s nice and easy to talk to and tells you the truth — what you want to hear” – brilliant. Might have to use that.

  27. Edward 27
    22 February 2008 at 5:39 pm

    In future, if you want to contact an MP their Parliamentary email address follows a paatern of firstname.lastname@parliament.govt.nz.

  28. burt 28
    23 February 2008 at 12:29 pm

    Steve

    And National’s various excuses. As anyone will tell you, a sure sign of a lie is that the excuse varies.

    Like the changing excuses about Owen Glenn, ministerial positions, honorary consulate positions and just what was loaned and when…. Changing stories about NZ Firsts term deposits rolling over, did they receive money from Owen Glenn or did they not…

    I do agree with you, changing stories are usually a sign of bold faced porkies being told. Thanks for reminding us to look at the obvious factors when assessing the integrity of the current govt.

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