Prime Minister John Key held an earlier-than-usual press conference today for a reason he would not disclose beforehand:
He will be stepping down as Prime Minister as of 12 December, one week from now.
My Key began his speech by highlighting the achievements of his government with elements such as the economy, trade,
response to disasters, and race-relations. He thanked his family for their support and sacrifices, and insisted that he
never saw himself as a career politician before officially stating that he would be stepping down on 12 December. The
prime Minister expressed his support for Bill English as his desired candidate for the new leader of the National Party.
He ended his speech thanking all those who have been a part of his cabinet and the people of New Zealand.
Of course this came as a surprise to most, if not all in the room. Questions from the gallery were mostly soft, asking
Mr Key when he knew this would be his decision and why, about his expected life after politics, his family, if the party
is reliant on his personality, and what his legacy would be as Prime Minister. The PM insisted that this was his decision that he’d been mulling over for about a year (since New York), and that he’d like to spend more time with his
family. He believes that leaders should change and that there is room for new talent to step up. He said that he
wouldn’t feel comfortable running in another election and lead the public on while knowing that he would not want to
serve the full term as Prime Minister. Mr Key believes that the strong points of his government include their economic
position and assistance to vulnerable citizens.
When questioned if this was a tumultuous time to step down, Mr Key said he is confident in the core cabinet members who
will still be there under the guidance of the new leader. Numerous questions were asked about his endorsement of Bill
English; the PM that it is better for him to be clear and upfront about his nomination and that he does believe English
can be seen as a “fresh face” because politics is cyclical and many things have changed throughout the years.
When asked about the inevitable “conspiracy theories” that may arise, he insisted that most people who know him know
that he’s not a career politician and that he’s going out on top.
Some memorable quotes from Prime Minister John Key’s speech:
His advice to the next PM, “Back your instincts.”
On being proud of his work while in office, “I’m gonna die happy” … and “a good leader knows when it’s time to go.”
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