11 October 2013 8 am
I think I've finally cracked it!
All along, I've wondered what Key's secret agenda was. Other than fulfilling that boyhood wish, that is. I'm pretty sure his goal is newer than being PM, and it may well be St Helen who's given him the idea. I'm sure it's recent, as noted at the end of this piece.
I'm making sure I post this, because it can be only a matter of time before someone else cottons on to what's happening.
Key has his sights set on Secretary-Generalship of the United Nations. He clearly can't be POTUS, is a bit old to set his sights on any of his hero, Her Majesty's brood, and I'm sure he rates himself better than Don McKinnon, who made S-G of the Commonwealth. He probably rates himself higher than St Helen as well, and she's about #3 in the UN, and he could well be competing with her for the job, depending on how well she's built her bridges.
The timing will work nicely for him, with Moon in the early days of his second five-year tenure. He will be up for retirement in 2017, 5 years two elections away.
Right now, I'd see Key as pretty likely to win next year's election, and if so, that would see the end of his third term coincide perfectly with Moon's retirement.
Just have a look at Key's record in smooching up to as many big players as he can:
Key & Obama: Besties.
Key & China: There is a whole book somewhere on the number of ways Key has rolled over for China. From not mentioning little matters like shocking human rights abuses, the arrogant subversion of NZ law, or doing nothing about a member of the official Chinese government delegation to NZ Parliament assaulting an elected New Zealand Member of Parliament, on Parliament grounds, while the guys who assaulted John Key at Waitangi in the exact same way - pushing - were convicted and sentenced to community service, there is no way Key will harm his reputation as a friend of the Chinese.
Key & Russia: "Hi Vlad, great to catch up. I see you nabbed some Kiwi Greenies the other day?" "Sure, we'll treat them in accordance with Russian law." "Pleased to hear it, Vlad, don't forget that our government never criticises Russian whaling fleets, your real involvement with Syrian chemical weapons, or the present appalling abuses of gay rights activists and gays, along with your world-unique legal offensive on homosexuality."
Key & Britain: Double-besties with HRH, licked David Cameron's jackboots, and his boy went grouse-shooting with Wills.
Key & India: Not many Prime Ministers, or Ministers of Tourism, would take a day off to meet a Bollywood superstar, but Key, ever-aware of the photo-opportunity, does.
Then we move on to Key's recent attempts at statesmanship, culminating in a peak of his role at APEC, and our longstanding pursuit of a seat on the Security Council of the UN.
It will take a few years to come to fruition, but I expect Key's attempts to shape himself as a world leader will continue.
He's already number 3 world leader on Buzzfeed, beating out two former Aussie PMs!
Copyright © Alan Charman