Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: A week in the life of that nice Mr Key

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  • James Liddell,

    I must find out where they are going

    By sending them some textses ?

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 102 posts Report Reply

  • Stewart,

    Superb piece, sir!

    You have put into words much of what I have been thinking, in my muddled & often incoherent fashion, since the slippery little bugger appeared on the hustings.

    I salute you.

    Te Ika A Maui - Whakatane… • Since Oct 2008 • 577 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    I wish we had some local TV satire, as there is so much good material. Imagine a running gag with Key ringing Helen in New York for counselling - 'Helen, they never said being PM would be so hard!'

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Stevenson,

    Great antennae, no compass.

    I imagine that he is relaxed about this.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    I still find him something of a cipher - nothing real there - to me he comes over as every marketing guy I've ever worked with and that rings my BS detector almost pavlovianly

    (which is not to put marketing people down - spinning reality is their job - but the rest of us need to be able to mentally puncture that reality distortion field to make real-world decisions)

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    I believe the French say girouette or "weathervane". Apparently the term was useful enough in politics for the National Assembly of Quebec to ban it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    This certainly seems a more accurate criticism than the standard "he's a privatising Rogernome in disguise!" one his interweb opponents will trot out.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • David Slack,

    I would, naturally, agree : )

    What I ought to add is that I see a threat nonetheless, and it is this: directionless, aimless leadership sells us short. Especially in the present circumstances. How do you develop, or grow or innovate in such a context? Only by good luck.

    Devonport • Since Nov 2006 • 599 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    I wish we had some local TV satire,

    I think the wonderful Ian Dalzell who coined this phrase:

    I finally figured out what Pry Mincer Key is saying

    should take up political cartooning.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    directionless, aimless leadership sells us short.

    Absolutely, at least if he was far-right we'd get SOMETHING done :>

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Ian MacKay,

    One of Helen's great strengths was a strongly held philosophical base. This meant that she could reference the question immediately to her well thought out beliefs. The answer whether you agree or not, was instant and consistent.
    John is harder to nail down as his "pragmatic" approach is full of contradictions. I suspect that like Don Brash, he has to keep seeking answers from advisers often receiving inconsistent texteds .

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    I remain convinced he is principally in this job for the prestige

    Rather like those rich fellas who buy football clubs

    abramovich

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    directionless, aimless leadership sells us short.

    Totally agree. These pollies genuinely seem to think that staying out of the way is enough, and that an unfettered business sector will deliver nirvana - despite the abundant contrary evidence all around us on the world stage. It's tired 90s laissez faire as if that is the solution rather than the problem.

    The gap between that pallid reality and the frequent blustering pronouncements about "ambition" offends me. We need strong, distributed leadership for at least the next few years and none of the Nacts seem equipped to either be part of it or encourage it elsewhere. Or to be honest about just how limited and irrelevant they are making themselves.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Jake Pollock,

    I'm not normally one to defent that nice Mr Key, but on the 'textses' thing, the newly minted All Black that TV3 interviewed the other night also said that he was receiving heaps of 'textses' from his mates. Its probably not actually uncommon in colloquial New Zealand English, even if we might look down on it a bit. A number of new usages have emerged around text messaging, including 'texted', and the root verb 'to text'', which I'm sure at least some of you use on a regular basis. So let us celebrate our PM being down with the kids and helping us punch above our weight on the global making up usages around technology stage, rather than getting too snooty about that one.

    Said All Black didn't find any new uses for rescind, however, so laugh away there . . .

    Raumati South • Since Nov 2006 • 489 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Cross thread stitch up...

    By sending them some textses?

    Precious!
    But as I noted over on the Resignation of Caption Worth thread, I believe he (the Prime Mincer) is adopting the modern parlance of referring to telephonic terrorising as Text Torts

    yrs
    Gloss O' Lalia
    but call me Rescindy

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Jake Pollock,

    Come to think of it, given the flatness of certain New Zealand vowel sounds, said All Black might have to rescind his textses if you didn't get them the first time.

    Raumati South • Since Nov 2006 • 489 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    I’m looking forward to hearing Key say he definitely did not lol when he read the textses.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Textses seems just like ambliances and nucular.

    Of course he could have just taken on some Australian whiteboarding terminology from his advisors. We call em "markers", they call em "texters". Lord knows why.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ian MacKay,

    On Newstalk ZB John was reputed to have said that the person making the allegations was the alligator. Indeed. Why not? Makes a great image.

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    John Key looked happy enough on the news yesterday, cutting a ceremonial ribbon in Christchurch. Just as he does when eating oysters in Bluff, marshalling sheep in Te Kuiti, and reading stories to primary kids on Budget day. He is the ultimate photo-operator.

    He doesn't have a direction, because he's already at his destination. And he desperately wants to be liked. The public (less desperately, but mostly) want to like him. So the answer is obvious.

    Let Bill English and Phil Goff, politicians to every last strand of their DNA, argue the issues and fight to run the country. Let John Key be our first President (although he'd probably prefer Viceroy). Then he can cut all the ribbons he wants.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • James Liddell,

    So let us celebrate our PM being down with the kids and helping us punch above our weight on the global making up usages around technology stage, rather than getting too snooty about that one.

    Nah, I'm going to be a grammar snob and expect our Prime Minister to have a basic command of the English language. :-)

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 102 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    Is Key so far out of his depth or just not use to such levels of incompetence from his ministers along with having a considerable style difference from Clark (I voted for neither by the way).

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    Just thinking, you make a good point. Perhaps it is just Key's misfortune to follow someone as awesome as Helen Clark, and the public has to high an expectation after her reign.





    Or not.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    You have to be mildly amazed at the way National has got the "attack the messenger" spin working though. Not just through the National Internet PR Department but actually out into the MSM as well.

    Labour have got a long way to go with controlling political messaging when something like this is getting turned around to "Goff's a hypocrite"

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Public Servant on a tea-break.,

    "Just thinking, you make a good point. Perhaps it is just Key's misfortune to follow someone as awesome as Helen Clark, and the public has to high an expectation after her reign. Or not."

    I'm going with 'or not' Tom. You don't have to compare to Clark. Compare Key to Bolger and Key looks bad. Jim Bolger would never have feed the Worth story for the media the way Key did. Perhaps Key was taking a calculated risk with factors I don't know about, but I'm not convinced they could be worth this much scandal.

    When Labour went with Goff, they went with matching political experience against a fast riser who hadn't picked up a reputation as a 'politician'. National was banking that Key could bring to the role qualities that would make up for a lack of experience with bad polls, bad press, and handling hard challenges within the caucus. It will be interesting to see which approach will work over the next 24-28 months.

    Great post David, spot on. Why aren't other commentators bringing up the same issues?

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

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