John Key celebrates birthday

Prime Minister John Key. Photo / Natalie Slade

After spending the day discussing welfare reform and health sector funding, Prime Minister John Key will take a break tonight to spend his 49th birthday with his family.

Born on August 9, 1961 in Auckland, Mr Key still held his weekly post-Cabinet press conference today.

He was going to joke "thanks for the card" but couldn't after a journalist actually left him a singing birthday card on the podium.

"I was about to be a smart-aleck and say thank you for the card but now it's turned up I can't do that, so thank you for the card."

- NZPA