Thus he is short on theory and long on practice, and his readiness to admit to making a mistake or an error of judgment, so rare in politics, is just another quality appreciated by us Kiwis. He doesn't U-turn; he simply closes one door and opens another.

Nor is he - as so many wealthy people are - miserly. He is reported to give freely to charitable causes, and insists on paying for his wife to accompany him when he has to travel overseas.

As a proud New Zealander, this makes me cringe. He is our Prime Minister, the chief executive of our nation's business amounting to much more than $100 billion. He is, by private business standards, paid a pittance in salary and expenses.

As our principal face to the world, he should always travel in style, first class all the way, and should be able to take his wife, and even family, with him if he chooses - all at the Government's expense.

I've had second thoughts about parliamentary salaries and perks since I last wrote about them. If I were a politician, I would take full advantage of whatever was legitimately available.

Ministers, in particular, and parliamentarians in general, are members of the board of a vast enterprise, which some choose to call NZ Incorporated.

They work damned hard, they have no job security and the allowances and "perks" available to them are traditionally and legally theirs for the taking.

So, rather than moan every time a politician takes advantage of a perk, we should insist that the entire parliamentary pay, expenses and perks system be reformed.

But back to our popular PM. John Armstrong hypothesises that failure to deliver on the economy could see Mr Key's sparkling performance in his first year count for nothing more than burned-out neon come the 2011 election. I doubt it.

Mr Key is an avid fan of the All Blacks, a frequent attendee at their games and a regular, potently encouraging presence in their dressing room.

This is a political stratagem of astounding brilliance. For if the All Blacks win the World Cup on October 20, 2011, New Zealanders will be in such a state of euphoria that National will stroll over the line in early in November.

By Garth George | Email Garth