Key drops in on school unit and visits JNL mill

National Party leader and would-be prime minister John Key whistled through Wairarapa yesterday on his first tour of the region as Leader of the Opposition.
When questioned about Wairarapa's poor record of child abuse, Mr Key said: "The issues are very serious and are not unique to the region but they are pronounced here." He said domestic violence "reflects the breakdown of the family unit and inter-generational welfare dependency".
Social welfare services are stretched and "there's a real sense of desperation" in Wairarapa and around the country, he said.
His strategies for reducing child abuse include "a heavy focus on education". "We intend to take a tougher line on sentencing," he said.
Mr Key, whose personal wealth is estimated at $50 million, said a National government would encourage a higher level of home ownership by New Zealanders.
"We think it should be an achievable goal home ownership gives people a sense of a stake in the community and a sense of family," he said. Kiwis could achieve home ownership "if they work hard and save hard", he said.
Mr Key began his tour of Masterton with a visit to the Ohorere Student Education and Transition Programme, housed in the old trout hatchery on Pownall Street.
National MP for Wairarapa John Hayes, Masterton Intermediate School principal Frazer Mailman and Masterton deputy mayor Garry Daniell were also in tow.
Ohorere is an educational unit that helps children with behavioural problems blend back into the mainstream school system.
The programme began in February 2006 and works with families and their children for two school terms. Since then 18 students have passed through the programme and have returned to mainstream education. "I'm really proud of you guys, you're doing really good," Mr Key said.
A news media pack hovered as Mr Key addressed the students. Among the flashbulbs was a film crew gathering footage for a "making of the king" DVD anticipating the possibility of a National Party victory in the next general election.
"It's cool but I'm sort of overwhelmed by the cameras," Ohorere student Reagan Fenwick said of her encounter with the media flurry.
Ohorere's current intake of six pupils is from Masterton schools Lakeview, Masterton Intermediate and Douglas Park.
"Hi, my name's Richie McCaw," Mr Key said as he kicked off his address to the at-risk students.
After confessing that he was not, in fact, an All Black open-side flanker he went on to speak about rugby and his upbringing in a Christchurch state house while the bemused students looked on.
One student, Josh Hopkirk, was given an impromptu maths lesson from the Leader of the Opposition before he joined the rest of his classmates in song.
Mr Key took lead vocals guiding Mr Hayes, the students and the school's staff in a crooning karaoke rendition of The Eagles' Hotel California.
Ohorere's senior teacher Kellas Bennet said karaoke helped the students reading while reconditioning their behaviour.
Mr Key, Mr Hayes and their small entourage then made the quick trip to JNL's Waingawa wood-processing plant where Wayne Carmichael, JNL's support service manager, took the MPs sightseeing.
The tour culminated with the National MPs signing an anti-child abuse board, which was started as part of this month's nationwide three-minute silent stand against the abuse of children.
Their signatures joined those of 250 of JNL's 350 workers.