An emotional Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern explores her 'childhood hero' Ernest Shackleton's hut and speaks on the duty of care Aotearoa has to the preservation. Video / Mike Scott
Sir John Key gets a peek at his new chopper, while politicians watch their words as the British Prime Minister changes from Liz Truss to Rishi Sunak.
New Key, new chopper
Sir John Key's new helicopter is on the way - but not until after the company ordering it forhim had a bit of fun at his expense. They sent him a few mock-ups of the potential paint jobs he could have on the wee two-seater, a Guimbal Cabri G2 - which cost around the $600,000 mark.
One was a bright red helicopter emblazoned with "Two Ticks Labour", Labour's logo and Jacinda Ardern's "Let's do this" slogan on it. That was one was sent with a cheery "[we] believe this is what you are after. Does this look OK?"
A mock-up of a potential paint job for Sir John Key's new helicopter. Photo / Supplied
Then came the Lockwood flag option - the flag Key voted for in his failed attempt to change the New Zealand flag while Prime Minister, which Key has pointed to as his greatest regret.
The Lockwood flag mock-up for Sir John Key's new helicopter. Photo / Supplied
The one Key settled on was a more subdued silver-blue with a small Lockwood flag and the initials JK on the tail.
The winner: what Sir John Key's new helicopter will look like. Photo / Supplied
It was suggested the red was a better option, since it would be more visible to other sky-users in the event Key's navigation skills did not match his confidence.
Key assured us it had anti-collision technology on board. He will presumably nickname the anti-collision software Steven Joyce, in memory of Joyce's role in Key's Government.
As the relay of British Prime Ministers continues, politicians here are getting more cautious and sparing in congratulating the incoming one.
National leader Christopher Luxon's congrats statement to Truss waxed lyrical about the "strong links and many shared values" of the British Conservative Party and National.
That came back to bite him when Truss' economic reforms - including her tax cuts package - sank her ship, providing a lovely bludgeon for Finance Minister Grant Robertson to wallop National with.
This time round Luxon was more careful, issuing a bland 114-word statement about Rishi Sunak with no attempts to associate him with National.
Acting PM Grant Robertson issued the Government's 130-word congrats to Sunak, describing him as a "friend of New Zealand". That was almost half the length of the 237-word statement Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had sent out to congratulate Truss, who was described as "a close friend of New Zealand". While the Truss congratulations also acknowledged the outgoing Boris Johnson, Truss did not get a mention in Robertson's Sunak statement.
Quote of the week: "I don't think I can quite compare Government with the hardship and endurance of Antarctic exploration. But... some days..." A visibly moved Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visits Shackleton's hut on her first visit to the Antarctic.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, an Ernest Shackleton fan, marvels at her first peek of the Nimrod Expedition hut at Cape Royds on Ross Island in Antarctica. Photo / Mike Scott
Labour is expected to announce its Hamilton West candidate on Monday night, while Act's board meet on Sunday to decide whether to stand a candidate in the byelection - National's final selection is expected to be about a week away.
In other selection battles, National's New Plymouth candidate will be selected Monday- its former MP Jonathan Young opted not to stand again. One contender is former Taranaki Regional Council chairman David MacLeod, who is up against the Waikato-based Ritesh Chandra.
And today National will select its Ilam candidate from a shortlist of five - Hamish Campbell, James Christmas, Dale Stephens, Tracy Summerfield and Vanessa Weenink. Former Ilam MP Gerry Brownlee is only standing on the list for 2023.
National lost both Ilam and New Plymouth to Labour in 2020.
