Fran O'Sullivan: Combat Key needed in theatre NZ

John Key's danger-defying visit to Afghanistan will help him justify any potential extension of troop commitment to the country. Photo / NZPA

Prime Minister John Key was in his element judging by yesterday's video shots of him donning combat helmet and body armour to visit the SAS troops in Afghanistan.

Political leaders always play up the potential danger to themselves of being seen in the combat zones. But in truth they know it works well back home.

Particularly when they are preparing to make the public case to justify a decision (it has probably already been made in Key's head) to commit a slimmed-down SAS contingent to stay on beyond the current commitment.

News reports indicate a bullish Key told his accompanying bevy of four hand-picked journalists that he was "not prepared to send people to a destination [that] I am not prepared to come to myself".

Frankly, that's great.

It's exactly the kind of response that the Prime Minister's own political troops - especially his Cabinet Ministers - should now require from him as his Government enters the tricky period where it must don some political armour itself and do combat with its opponents in the national interest.

Take the mining controversy.

Despite what it says publicly, the plans to beef up mining on the conservation estate are a major plank in the Government's economic development strategy.

It's one of a number of policies like the financial services hub, a beefed up capital markets regime, increased oil and gas exploration and major sectoral plans that should all knit together as a comprehensive strategy to underpin this country's growth.

The Beehive spin-meisters maintain the "growth strategy" agenda has been spearheaded by Key himself working in collaboration with Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee.

Trouble is when it comes time to make the public case - particularly when the road gets a bit tough - Brownlee is left to play "Rocky" in an environment where, judging by the commentary, the Government spinners are preparing the ground for an about-face.

If the Key Government does back down over the mining proposal - on the basis of a few adverse polls and a campaign headed by TV star Robyn Malcolm and the over-rated Lucy Lawless - it deserves to be sent packing.

As veteran journalist and former Herald deputy editor Bruce Morris comprehensively proved in a letter to yesterday's newspaper, media estimates of the numbers of anti-mining protesters that did in fact march up Queen St on Saturday were hopelessly overblown.

Perhaps as few as 16,000 not the 40,000 to 50,000 the Sunday papers blared.

This is a situation that calls for Key to exhibit some political courage and tackle his Government's opponents head-on. Stay the course. Not faff about while he waits for the latest polls to inform the Cabinet's ultimate decision.

Across the Tasman the Rudd Government is not so slow at recognising and leveraging the economic bonanza that mining can produce in a world facing resource and commodity shortages.

Rudd's plan to hit-up major mining companies with a "super profits tax" has raised predictable squeals. But other measures will also increase the incentives for smaller companies to get into the game.

If the New Zealand Government was smart it should by now be examining how taxpayers here could benefit from a much more robust approach to mining super profits.

The ETS is another area where the Government is facing flak from major business lobbies who want the next phase deferred.

This is a difficult issue for the Government. But creativity goes a long way.

The Rudd Government's decision to defer the full implementation of its planned 2 per cent cut in company taxes till 2014/2015 provides yet another opportunity for this Government to leverage.

But so far, all we've heard from the Beehive is loud sighs of relief that the Government won't have to immediately match the 25 per cent corporate rate that the Henry Review team proposed.

If the Government quickly cuts the 30c corporate tax rate to 28c and leaves the ETS in place, it would still ensure the price signals around carbon emissions get through and leave a bit more in the kitty as an offset.

Better still cut the New Zealand rate to 25 per cent to steal a competitive march on Australia.

It's called winning - what donning body armour and combat hats is all about. Winning is also about allies.

Key's decision to come back to NZ from the Middle East for the service to commemorate the lives of the three airmen who died on Anzac Day held a particular poignancy.

But the reality is Government officials had originally sold his visit to the Middle East as the linchpin for the signing of the Gulf States free trade deal.

This deal was announced last November. But technical difficulties mean it has yet to be finalised.

Middle Eastern leaders - like leaders elsewhere - respect the top guy.

While Trade Minister Tim Groser is a highly respected politician on the international circuit, he is not Prime Minister.

We won't know whether Key's presence would have pushed this deal over the line to a final conclusion. But it is a factor in finally cementing an FTA that the Government promotes as "providing a strong platform for export growth into a region that is likely to emerge strongly from the global recession."

Key's probably well aware of the old management maxim: "Never get so far in front of your troops that they shoot you in the ass."

But good leaders do have to lead - something our SAS boys in Afghanistan could have surely impressed on Key.