If National wins ...

[fungus pudding]

I don't think the party leader is that important,

Are you for real?

[Baa_Baa]

Are you for real?

Clearly not! Bigotry is unbecoming, blindness is permanent. The two combined is not worth the effort commenting on.

[elZorro]

I didn't say the leader is unimportant, I'm saying that to look at the leader as the whole party offering, is stupid. The rest of the Labour Party, and potentially the Greens also, have energetic thinkers in there, people keen to write new policies for NZ that are worthy of keeping. What do I see trailing behind the current Prime Minister? There's plenty of dead wood in there, some major blunders have been made by many National ministers.

So now we're hearing all of the sensible reasons for John Key to quit now- family, timing to get Bill English over the line, NZ in a great spot, out on a high, etc.

The fact is that all those people who voted him in again, back in 2014, expected him to stay on as PM until the 2017 elections unless something terrible happened, that was the contract. He said he'd do that job for another three years, he wanted that job. And now he just gets to say "No thanks"?

I think the main reason he's going now, is to keep Brand Key more or less intact. He knows that's still worth quite a bit. In the absence of any team in National putting in another leader, he had to arrange the exit himself.

[fungus pudding]

I didn't say the leader is unimportant, I'm saying that to look at the leader as the whole party offering, is stupid. The rest of the Labour Party, and potentially the Greens also, have energetic thinkers in there, people keen to write new policies for NZ that are worthy of keeping. What do I see trailing behind the current Prime Minister? There's plenty of dead wood in there, some major blunders have been made by many National ministers.

So now we're hearing all of the sensible reasons for John Key to quit now- family, timing to get Bill English over the line, NZ in a great spot, out on a high, etc.

The fact is that all those people who voted him in again, back in 2014, expected him to stay on as PM until the 2017 elections unless something terrible happened, that was the contract. He said he'd do that job for another three years, he wanted that job. And now he just gets to say "No thanks"?

I think the main reason he's going now, is to keep Brand Key more or less intact. He knows that's still worth quite a bit. In the absence of any team in National putting in another leader, he had to arrange the exit himself.

You're a sad case eZ It would be ridiculous to get to the end of a third term , then announce he wouldn't be standing again. Don't panic though. There are other options in National.

[elZorro]

You're a sad case eZ It would be ridiculous to get to the end of a third term , then announce he wouldn't be standing again. Don't panic though. There are other options in National.

And those are?

You have to admit that the chances of National taking the 2017 elections have probably dropped quite a bit, so in that way John Key has sabotaged his own party's interests by leaving. Now the public won't be looking at John Key on TV glossing over all the issues, and instead might be starting to think - just what is their policy on this stuff anyway? And is it really in my best interest, or even the interests of the country as a whole? And maybe they'll be offered Labour-Green policies that look a lot more sensible.

I have been watching on TV for some examples of John Key's legacy. Being a smiling, affable TV frontsperson is one thing, guiding us through tough times (you could also say stumbling through), but again there isn't much that is tangible left behind. There have been plenty of other good deeds from previous governments that have been unwound a bit during his time. I detest this government for that.

[fungus pudding]

And those are?

They're well known.
listen to the news or read a paper. My pick is Amy Adams. Great liming on Key's part, I'm sure you agree, to announce resignation while Labour are without a leader at all.

[winner69]

A Britsh perspective

Keys real kegacy- not stuffing things up

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/12...lack-blunders/

[elZorro]

A Britsh perspective

Keys real kegacy- not stuffing things up

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/12...lack-blunders/

That's very insightful, another way of looking at the situation. Is Matthew Plummer a journalist from Wellington? He's too well informed to be based in the UK.

https://twitter.com/mwyp?lang=en

[dobby41]

Not a bad summation in that article.

[BlackPeter]

They're well known.
listen to the news or read a paper. My pick is Amy Adams. Great liming on Key's part, I'm sure you agree, to announce resignation while Labour are without a leader at all.

Agree - Amy Adams would be a formidable choice ... and I am saying this not just because she is our local MP . She has her head firmly screwed on, the heart in the right place, she cares, is pragmatic and she is able to communicate appropriately with people from all walks of life. Not a political extremist (like Judith ...) and she might be as well the only one able to control the other mentioned female option in cabinet.

I'd love to see her as our next PM, think however that the choice will likely be Bill English. I'd see Bill politically in the same ball park, but he might find it more difficult to long term survive against Judith ... as well, he does have some baggage in the 2002 election results, which Amy has not.

I think Amy could turn into the New Zealand version of Angela Merkel ... interesting times.