Okay, so now it's time to prove my bipartisan wings.
NZ Herald has an article (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10607974) about John Key's use of an Airforce helicopter to shave 30 minutes off a journey Blenheim - Kaikoura - Wellington. The use of a helicopter has attracted the ire of Labour's Pete Hodgson because it is a "highly inefficient" mode of transport.
'Highly inefficient'? He's the bloody prime minister! You're expected to be in a million places at once when you move your junk to the Beehive's ninth floor, and his obligations cutting ribbons in Kaikoura would have been one of many things he'd have needed to do that day alone.
Strictly speaking, Pete is right: justifying the use of two helicopters to save a mere 30 minutes isn't going to stop the ice-caps from melting, but it's this type of "opposition" that Labour doesn't need. Besides, taking the helicopters meant the PM didn't need to travel back to Wellington via Blenheim but could instead jaunt straight across the Strait.
The prime minister should be entitled to use government resources where that use is reasonable (not justifiable). Besides which, what else would the Airforce have been up to if not ferrying politicians around?
I myself have no problems with the helicopter usage and agree with your points there. If they did a few hours of training instead of doing this then I would not of heard about it, despite using the same resources.
I feel the Herald missed the boat, so to speak, on what was a bigger issue.
Yeah, I'm sure that's true. But if opening a whale watching boat comes first, I'd really hate to see what he had to turn down to do this. Was he filling in for the mayor of this town? Come on, it isn't even an election year. Send Rodney and his girlfriend or something.
The boat he opened belongs to a business belonging to Ngai Tahu, one of the Mainland's largest tribes. Any PM worth their salt will cut ribbons to long-drops if they're presided over by large, powerful, iwi.
On the one hand I want to scorn John Key for his exploitation of military resources. If he had somewhere important to be, then it might be acceptable, but to exploit this expensive transportation to cut a ribbon seems senseless. On the other hand, I'm trying to not get too wound up over these storm-in-a-teacup issues, so I'm pretty indifferent. I'll chalk it up to a slow news day.
In other political news, Rodney Hide is providing endless entertainment. To see him squirm in front of the media and offer what appears to be a sincere apology pleases me. Oh how the great former perk buster has fallen.
We could just have easily called this thread "You know your country is small when..."