Faafoi Kris: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFaafoi Kris: General Debate[Sitting date: 29 April 2015. Volume:704;Page:3015. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]KRIS FAAFOI (Labour—Mana):As a young boy I used to watch a show called Hogan’s Heroes and it is clear that the National Party today is using the Sergeant Schultz strategy. That is: “I see nothing.” They’re not talking about what everyone else has got on their minds—and that is ponytail-gate. How many times today have you heard from the opposite side of the Chamber that they are proud of being in the John Key - led Government? They seem to have not mentioned the John Key - led Government today. I wonder why not. I wonder why not. I want to take up the challenge of one of the National Ministers Amy Adams. She talked about the robustness of the international media. Well I want to read some of the headlines that have come out of the international media recently. This is the Washington Post. The headline reads: “New Zealand’s ponytail-pulling Prime Minister becomes national embarrassment”—national embarrassment to not just that party but unfortunately to all of us. And then in other august international media the Guardian out of the UK put a list together titled “John Key: New Zealand Prime Minister’s weirdest moments (so far)”—so far. He has still got 2 years to go.I was not surprised to see the Herald-DigiPoll result saying that the Prime Minister has not yet been affected by ponytail-gate. The National Party members say this is not an issue that matters but deep down in their hearts they know it does because National’s brand its man has been damaged. And it is not some big gaping flesh wound. It is not going to bring him down next week. But National members know deep down inside it is going to hurt. I would call it more of a hairline fracture injury to the Government. The members know it hurts—they know it hurts—and when the pressure comes on it is only going to get worse. It is like one of those injuries you get when you step out and you want to get out on the front foot and you go: “Ooh! There’s something wrong there.” Something is not quite right and you know it is not going to get better. That is the kind of injury that this has inflicted upon the National Party. As I said its brand is damaged. John Key used to be the millionaire—“Mr Millionaire”. He also used to be “Mr Banker”. He also used to be “Mr State House”. But now he is “Mr Puller” “Mr Tugger” “Mr Yanker” and “Mr Jerker”. That is what our Prime Minister’s brand has become and deep down inside in the National Party’s strategy office up on the 9th floor and out on Pipitea Street—and Chris Bishop—knows this too. He knows that the man’s brand is damaged and this is long-term damaging for them.This hairline fracture is only going to get worse. Which one of them sitting on the other side is going to be the one who makes it worse? Is it going to be—no it will not be the whip. Will it be Alfred Ngaro? I doubt it. But one of those guys over there is going to do something that makes this hairline fracture worse. It is a political reality that this matters. Let us read what Tim Watkin said about this in his blog. He said: “The repeated hair-pulling”—not just once but I believe eight times of the waitress’ hair—“directly undermines the affable goofy persona Key cultivates and gives it a creepy edge. Those who vote on likeability and trust—and there are many—have been given pause for thought.” They know that is why this is damaging. Their man who is so liked has all of a sudden created a massive amount of doubt in the New Zealand public. The guy who gets them through the John Key - led Government has all of a sudden put a huge chink in its armour.Let us read what John Armstrong the kaumātua of the press gallery has to say about Mr Key: “…the worry for Key and National is that this unseemly episode is of such magnitude and as something that forces people to take a position could severely jolt positive perceptions of Key especially among female voters who flocked to National after he became leader.” That is the reality for this party. That is the reality for National. Its affable every guy is now a complete joke in the eyes of the international media and especially in places like RSAs rugby clubs and all the places that we like to go to for a beer. He is not Mr Nice Guy anymore; he is the butt of jokes. And when your brand starts going you are in big trouble. When your strength becomes your weakness in politics you are in big trouble too. So somewhere someone is doing damage control for the National Party. As I said it is a hairline fracture and hairline fractures only get worse.