Key explains his broken promise

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: - 71 comments
Categories: john key - Tags: , , ,

This morning – John Key denies breaking Waitangi promise

Prime Minister John Key denies he broke a long-standing promise by not attending events in Waitangi this year.

Deny it all you like John.

When he was Leader of the Opposition, Mr Key said that he would go to Waitangi every year if he became Prime Minister.

He made the commitment in 2007 after Helen Clark stopped going to annual commemorations at Te Tii Marae.

Mr Key told Radio New Zealand this morning he did not think he had gone against this commitment by staying away this year.

Of course he went against his commitment.

“Under conditions where there is equity and fairness, you wouldn’t go there if you can’t speak,” he said.

Explain it all you like – and the appeal to “equity and fairness” is particularly hypocritical coming from you – but a broken promise is still a broken promise.

https://twitter.com/beingahouse/status/695175106075582464

71 comments on “Key explains his broken promise”

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  1. 1

    I wish Guyon had quoted his statement back to him and asked him how “even if his visits were disturbed by protest and violence” squared with his apparent weak-sauce excuse now of “wanting to avoid violence”.

    2. 1.2

      The better quote is “I’ll keep turning up, you decide how to use it” – this year the elders decided to use it (John Key’s attendance) to not talk politics in the meeting house.

    3. 1.3

      Guyon was extremely light on Key this morning, I have never heard so much waffling and obfuscation from Key as I did this a.m, yet he got such an easy ride?

  2. 2

    two lies (at least)

    1. that he didn’t break his promise (it’s arguable that Clark had similar reasons for not attending).

    2. that he wasn’t allowed to speak. He was, it was just that he didn’t understand how it worked and didn’t have the bottle to front up and engage.

    1. 3.1

      +1. The lot of them should be charged with treason for each and every move they’ve made which goes against the public interest (which is almost everything they’ve done since attaining government benches). Key, English, Joyce, Collins et al, once convicted should spend several weeks in ‘docks’ in parliament gardens ahead of being sent to a Serco run prison. Rotten vegetables optional but recommended.

    1. 4.1

      I’ve always thought of Key as pond scum. Slimy, slithery, floats but shallow with no depth. Also, pond scum’s typical natural environment is an effluent pond, rather apt don’t you think?

  7. 7

    It’s been striking to see Key’s 2016 momentum so substantially stopped.

    – The Ratana response was even worse than expected for National
    – The TPPA public response is continuing to build after a massive protest
    – The Waitangi protest has been embarrassing, both globally and to himself
    – The announcement of timing certainty for the City Rail Link was not even met with applause, let alone praise in the media
    – The legislative programme for this year – such as it is – will be profoundly negative for him
    – Getting booed at Eden Park, no matter what the game, is pretty harsh for a Prime Minister.

    Clearly he remains our most popular Prime Minister since ratings started, so he has political capital to burn, and the capacity to recover. But it’s a weak position to be in, and so unnecessary.

    1. 7.1

      I’m truly starting to think all the polls, are just propaganda. And nothing more than a tool to stop people engaging in politics.

      1. 7.1.1

        Just remember that the polls late in 2014 showed Labour in shit shape, and the General Election came in close, mostly within a few % points of those same polls.

  8. 8

    Read point 4- Time allotted to PM was 1 hour.
    link to letter

    The PM wanted to dictate WHERE he gave his speech. He wanted it to be in the Wharenui at Te Tii (It is a small wharenui and this is why Ngā Puhi wanted ALL political speeches to be in the large marquee where everyone could hear his speech.
    The PM obviously did not want to go and used this as an excuse but he is basically lying when he says he did not have the opportunity to speak.

    1. 8.1

      I guess the reason Little was allowed to speak in this “small wharenui” as you term it was because they knew that nobody has the slightest interest in what the temporary leader of the Labour Party has to say? After all, what he wants to talk about is largely irrelevant. Grant will roll him before the next election.
      They surely weren’t offering Andrew something they wouldn’t allow the Prime Minister were they?

      1. 8.1.1

        Just for your information, Alwyn, all the Maori in the Ti Tii marae were extremely interested in what Andrew Little had to say – they did not think it was irrelevant, they were appreciative and they were the audience he had wanted to speak to – they are the local leaders and will spread the word.

        Key made a huge mistake in shunning Waitangi this year.

        1. 8.1.1.1

          Do you mean that Little gave a political speech on the marae, and not in Hone’s tent?
          He ignored the request from the Iwi leaders that politics should not be discussed there did he?
          Or was the rule only for John Key? Did they really fear him that much that he had to be gagged? Sounds like it, doesn’t it?

            1. 8.1.1.1.1.1

              You really must start taking your medications marty. You really don’t seem to be well. The Doctor does know best about how to cure you.

              [Our moderation lately has been a bit slack but how about you address the issue and refrain from the mental illness jibes? – MS]

  9. 9

    Is there a person in the country who actually believes what he says?

    Even his supporters know he is not an honourable man.

    They just brush it aside like they do when buying a fancy car from a bullshitting car salesman

  10. 10

    What sort of individual says “he would go to Waitangi every year if he became PM”, to point score against the then PM for her lack of attendance, then as PM doesn’t “go” one year, through choice, and then says he didn’t go back on the aforementioned commitment.

    How can anyone take him at his word on any subject with a bizarre straight out lie like that? What are the thought processes of such a person to think such a clearly false explanation would fly?

    Not that any National supporters will care but at some point do they conclude what John Key says, ever, surely ain’t worth a tin of shit!

        1. 10.1.1.1

          Situations change.
          In this case, he wasn’t allowed to speak about politics, everyone else was and did.

          Fuck them, right choice made.

              1. 10.1.1.1.1.1.1

                But he is a lying bastard BM.

                It is very clear that “doing the right thing” is not an issue for right wingers. Never has been. See it every day in the streets and in business. They stick out like dog’s balls – especially when en masse.

                Bleeaaargh – disgusting pigs (apologies to pigs)

                1. 10.1.1.1.1.1.1.1

                  hes also yellow hes a coward .how can our brave soldiers in Iraq who putting there lives on the line possible take orders from this yellow belly chicken key is not fit to order brave men to combat yellow bellies were shot at dawn. key is chicken of a dildo when our troops are facing bullets key has to resign we cant have a yellow belly as a leader

              2. 10.1.1.1.1.1.2

                he made a promise (voluntarily, to try and be a BIG man at the time) that he won’t keep. I suppose if your opinion of him is so low you may think he hasn’t sunk because he is always at that low level. and he is your hero?

                1. 10.1.1.1.1.1.2.1

                  and let’s not forget that with the benefit of hindsight and BLiP’s list it’s likely that Key made the promise with no intention of keeping it.

          2. 10.1.1.1.2

            “everyone else was”

            Really? Because I’ve seen reports saying both Labour and the GP thought talking about politics was not supposed to happen too.

              2. 10.1.1.1.2.1.2

                Key has the biggest platform on NZ to say whatever the hell he likes any day of the week. And he’s complaining that Ngapuhi asked him not to spread his dirty politics smear campaigns and TPPA bullshit PR on Waitangi Day. Cry me a river.

                Somebody has to put a stop to FJK’s piecemeal fire sale of New Zealand, Signing the TPPA two days before Waitangi (that symbolises so much anguish and hope to Maori) was a huge snub, treaties are supposed to be open and bipartisan affairs, not some corporate bonanza done in shady back rooms. It stinks.

    2. 10.2

      I suspect they follow the idea that a massive lie is much easier to get away with than a small lie: people are often unwilling to believe that someone would say such a comprehensive and blatant falsehood to their face, so end up trying to discover some small vestige of truth in it.

      Additionally, anyone who outright accuses the liar of the full extent of their lies sort of becomes the bad guy, because surely nobody is really that much of a lying piece of shit.

      Either way, explaining the lie is often more difficult, because the bigger lie often has more nuances for other liars to debate interminably, and the amount of argument can be mistaken for a balanced argument (like the AGW “debate”).

      Some politician put it more succintly 80 years or so ago, but to repeat that comment merely results in more liars saying that the comparison with that past liar is unfair to the current liars.

      1. 10.2.1

        A lie can travel halfway round the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.

        Mark Twain.

        So clearly the centre-right politician you were thinking of wasn’t the first of his kind 😉

    2. 11.2

      I hope key [r0b – deleted – please don’t wish such misfortune on people, even in jest].
      And mean every word.
      he is doing the same to this Once wonderful country.

    1. 12.1

      The issue here is whether you keep your promises.

      I would blame Little if he breaks his commitment, not for making the commitment.

      1. 12.1.1

        well the issue is moot as we all know Key breaks his promises and often lies – to expect anything else is silly. To think this will sway the general population to not vote for him, even sillier- he just re-promised them a tax cut

        To expect the leader of the opposition to not make the same mistake seemingly is also silly, especially given National are just so much better of controlling the public discourse

        Does Little intend to keep his promise, probably… does Little know what he will face in 9 years, no. Will National crucify him if he becomes prime minister and breaks his promise – hell yes, them and the media and the public and possibly some space species we’ve yet to encounter

  13. 13

    Doesn’t seem to harm his rating in the polls, New Zealanders and the Press still madly in love with him, he must have the X factor?

      2. 13.1.2

        I guess his workmates won’t be able to play this then,

        “and the media stands impotent
        seagulls parroting his fucking nonsense,
        and their headline reads,
        John Key’s son’s a DJ”

  15. 15

    I was gutted when Helen Clark didn’t go. It was a fundamental failure of leadership and duty.

    The lying Prime Minister is an insult to human rights and the rule of law no matter where he is.

    1. 15.1

      “The lying Prime Minister is an insult to human rights and the rule of law no matter where he is.”
      I believe Helen was a SHE. I’ll correct it for you.
      The lying Prime Minister is an insult to human rights and the rule of law no matter where SHE is.

      1. 15.1.1

        I note that one of them has caused the NZ Law Society to warn the UN that his government is undermining human rights and the rule of law, and the other is Helen Clark.

  16. 16

    I heard Key say “Under conditions where there is equity and fairness.”

    The question which immediately occurred to me was, “What equity and fairness is there for the people when you consistently lie?”

    1. 18.1

      Is that a gif? My browser won’t play it.

      edit, never mind, got it now. Wish I hadn’t. Fuck the man lies like he was born to it.

  20. 20

    I feel truly sorry for Key. They broke his resolve to keep his promise; he tried to hold on till the bitter end and now’s a broken man. So sad.

    1. 20.1

      Apart from calling Steven Joyce Steven Little he was his usaul glib self in the house today, abit touchy about the demo job in Auckland last week but held his own. Still the looming big flag demo protest must be a worrying concern. And we will be out in the thousands, more than the anti TPPA that is certain! what for the new law and order bill he will pluck from his arse.

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