King Annette: General Debate 
King Annette: General Debate 
[Volume:667;Page:14428] 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) 
: 
 Before I begin today I would like to acknowledge Mr Jim Currie who was a messenger in this House for 5 years in the 1980s—a man whom I know that you also know Mr Speaker. I went to his funeral today. There was a large representation from the people out in Kilbirnie. He was a gentleman and a much-loved member of many sporting clubs in my electorate and I pass on the sympathies of this House to Mr Currie’s family. 
What I will talk about today is: what is leadership? That question has been dominating the debate over the airways and in the pages of our publications and on the blogosphere over the past 2 weeks. That debate has been triggered by the Prime Minister’s response to the racist and inappropriate remarks made by the so-called shock jock Paul Henry. Questions have been raised such as when should a Prime Minister show leadership? Is political leadership applied only in certain circumstances? Is political leadership available only from 9 until 5? Does political leadership not apply when one is dealing with one’s mates? Does political leadership require insight? Does it require courage a quickness of thought? Does it require real convictions? 
I believe that these are all legitimate questions when it comes to analysing John Key’s giggling deflection of Paul Henry’s comments about the Governor-General—about his ethnicity the colour of his skin his birthplace and his manner of speech. When I listened to John Key’s response that morning a quote from Albert Einstein came to mind. He said that in the case of political leaders it is often very doubtful whether they have done more good or harm. In my view there is no doubt that the Prime Minister’s limp-wristed giggling and joking response to the provocative hurtful and racist comments made by Mr Henry has been harmful. 
Most New Zealanders see their leaders as people who guide and who inspire. People like to have leaders who make them feel proud. Leaders are not people who just bask in the reflected glory of other people’s achievement but people who make us as Kiwis feel that we have something to contribute in securing a better world and a future for us all—like leading the fight against nuclear weapons; standing up against discrimination of women disabled people and people of different sexual orientation or ethnicity; fighting against apartheid; or refusing to join the Iraq war because it was not sanctioned by the international community even though considerable pressure was applied by our friends. Real leadership requires taking a stand having a genuine belief in one’s policies and standing up for those beliefs. Genuinely held beliefs are not tradable commodities at an election to secure votes nor are they tradable commodities during an interview on television to retain friendship to look matey or—to quote John Key—“to be cool”. 
I believe that John Key failed the test of leadership during the Paul Henry interview. His instinct was to pander to Paul Henry not to slap him down for his racist comment. His moral compass was missing. Where was his belief and conviction against racism? Eight hours after the furore had reached a crescendo the Prime Minister issued a very very weak press release. I have yet to hear the Prime Minister make a speech that sets out what his genuine beliefs are what his bottom-line convictions are and the issues that would make him take a stand come hell or high water. What I have heard from the Prime Minister are the utterances of a person used to taking a gamble on other people’s futures—short term expedient here today and gone tomorrow and increasingly to smile and walk away. 
Winston Churchill once said “There is no worse mistake in public leadership than to hold out false hopes soon to be swept away.” In my view John Key campaigned on false hopes. I think people are starting to see him as the emperor with no clothes and they are noticing his nakedness.