John Key is a principled man – except when a photo op arises (A Photo Essay)

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Prime Minister John Key draped in current flag at NZ Open

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“Key has led the charge for changing the New Zealand flag but clearly he’s open to being spotted in the current one, having been involved in some banter with former Australia cricket captain Ricky Ponting at the New Zealand Open golf tournament in Arrowtown on Sunday.”

The journalist – Peter Thornton – who wrote that piece has missed the point entirely: it was a photo-op.  Our esteemed Dear Leader would run naked through Hades if there was a photo-op involved.

Whether it be babies, kittens, or puppies…

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Though some weren’t quite so keen…

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Some turned out to be downright dodgy…

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And some turned into an unmitigated disaster…

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Act member for Remuera, John Banks and Prime Minister John Key stop in for a cup of tea and a chat at the Urban Cafe. 12 November 2011 New Zealand Listener Picture by David White.

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But let’s get back to kitten and puppies – always an easy, safe bet for a photo-op… (especially with a visiting compliant Royal chucked in for good measure)…

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Talking about visiting Royals – they are proven rich-pickings for Key to exploit for photo-ops…

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And there were photo-ops-galore with various sundry Royals…

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john key photo op 11-14)

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Chuck in an Aussie Prime Minister…

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And another Aussie Prime Minister…

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Yet another Aussie Prime Minister…

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And – wait for it! – an Aussie Prime Minister!!

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Ok, that line of Aussies was getting tedious. Let’s try something different.

A former New Zealand Prime Minister…

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Or the current Brit Prime Minister.

Slow down, Dear Leader, you’ve got Cameron dead in your sights for that manly grip…

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Britain's Prime Minister, David Cameron (L), greets the Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key, outside 10 Downing Street in central London September 18, 2013. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: POLITICS)

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See? Nailed that handshake…

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Enough of Prime Ministers. Let’s try a current German Chancellor…

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Or a US State Secretary…

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Maybe another Royal…

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And a Queen or two…

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[*scrape, scrape, shuffle, bow, bow, grin like a commoner*]
[*scrape, scrape, shuffle, bow, bow, grin like a commoner*]
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Key and Queens

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Some bloke from China…

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New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key (L) shakes hands with China's President Xi Jinping during a welcoming ceremony of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, inside the International Convention Center at Yanqi Lake, in Beijing, November 11, 2014. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon (CHINA - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS)

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And some bloke from America…

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Here is our esteemed Dear Leader with perhaps The Most Important Bloke in America…

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And we know what followed next…

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Though perhaps not quite as embarrassing as this…

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*facepalm*

But just to keep the “common touch” with the Great Unwashed…

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Key in toy boat

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And when you get tired of doing your own driving…

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But for the Top Prize for photo-ops, you just can’t get more Ordinary Blokey than hanging out with Ritchie and The Boys…

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Still hangin’ out with Ritchie and The Boys…

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Ah, John, I think this is The Boys telling you ‘enough is enough, go the f**k home!

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Good night John!

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Ok… getting a bit wanky now…

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And then it just hits rock-bottom, in Key’s eagerness to be In-On-The-Act…

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It’s obvious that our esteemed Dear Leader is not shy in front of a camera.

Any camera. (No bedroom jokes please – this is a family Blog.)

In the past, Key has worn several lapel-badges pinned to his jacket;

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His most recent addition being the Kyle Lockwood flag-alternative;

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Key with alt flag lapel badge

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It appears that at no time has Key ever worn the current New Zealand flag on his lapel. One can only assume he is ashamed to wear it.

Which became confusing when he stood with current Aussie PM, Malcolm Turnbull, for another photo-op;

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lapel badge - key - turnbull

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It seems wholly inappropriate that Key stood in front of a large version of the current New Zealand flag – whilst wearing something on his lapel that carried no real meaning, and had not yet been decided by popular vote.

But perhaps Key has a deep abiding belief in the Kyle Lockwood flag-alternative and is exercising his personal commitment to change. He is committed to his principles.

Except…

When a photo-op presents itself…

In which case…

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Prime Minister John Key draped in current flag at NZ Open

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Screw those principles.

Smile for the camera, Dear Leader!

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References

Fairfax media: Prime Minister John Key draped in current flag at NZ Open

Previous related blogposts

What are you hiding, Mr Key?

John Key: When propaganda photo-ops go wrong

Not all photo ops are welcomed events

Letter to the Editor – the Royal Visit and endless photo ops for Dear Leader

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Annoying little guy and ritchie mccaw

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= fs =

17 COMMENTS

  1. What a dick………… John the Con ………. You will be remembered as the PM you lied, spied and died – he sold his country out trying to prop up his insecure fragile ego ……. a baby chair at the big crooks table. Sad little man.

  2. He’s such a hypocrite.

    He can’t wait to get rid of the Union Flag bit off the current flag, because of its associations with colonialism. Yet he fawns and prostates himself before the monarchy and even lets them rub his tummy, like the Queen does with her corgis.

    He can’t wait to get rid of the Union Flag bit off the current flag, because of its associations with imperialism. Yet he wants to dish out Knighthoods, like he’s the sole(less) arbiter of the Kingdom Of Planet Key Royal awards.

    He can’t wait to get rid of the current flag, because of our Maori and Pakeha soldiers didn’t fight for “the flag, they fought for the values of freedom”. Yet he dictates GCSB powers and signs a TPPA agreement without democratic input, tramples the freedom won by the women’s movement by pulling a woman’s hair and goes to the Auckland Nines instead of to Waitangi Day.

    He’s a hypocrite.

    Time to change the PM, not the flag.

    • Wow …sounds like a scene from 12 days of National Christmas. Six sycophantic trolls voting against the PM being a hypocrite.

      So what would you prefer trolls?

      Something rhyming with truck bit?

  3. Having looked through all those shots I now need to go for a long lie down after taking some panadol.

  4. The one with Charles and Camilla she is not only not engaging with anyone, she is on her ipad. Obviously got nothing to say to any colonial!

  5. Sickening, despicable despot!

    The best photo op I remember well, is that taken at the great Nelson Mandela’s memorial service, when FJK, while sitting with all the big movers and shakers of the world, was described by international media as an “unidentified guest.” At the same time Hone Harawira was paying his condolences to the Mandela family personally, on invitation to do so.

    Priceless stuff 🙂

  6. Point well made Frank .
    It has been said recently [by an informed person ]
    that Trump is a needy person.
    Needing to be seen as important.
    I suggest that we have had a needy person for PM for some time now
    and it has not done our Country a lot of good.

    • He also likes his steak well done, you know, on the verge of cremation, that says a lot about a person, that does.

  7. Run through Hades for a photo opp? Hmm germ of an idea. Anyone got a camera that will withstand several thousand degrees centigrade?

    • Well we know he can’t resist the opportunity to looking like “one of the lads” so perhaps if one of DJ’s “dared ” him?

  8. Nice one Frank, I groaned when I saw that pic, and thought how utterly disrespectful it was,just another pic for his photo album.
    Then I think about how much more important a clear conscience is than a photo album, at the end of days.

  9. The PM would indeed run naked through Hades, I would think, for a photo op.

    I have observed the man for years, noticing how he seemingly loves to be in the same frame with the big shots in politics, in sports and celebrity circles. His big grin reminds me of an excited kid in a huge toys shop, having been given the freedom to choose all that he likes.

    Having such a man as PM is a sad state of affairs.

    I agree with the commenter who suggests we rather change our leader than the flag.

    It is overdue now, 2017 is our chance to finally deal to him.

Comments are closed.