Key may face more teapot tape accusations

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Key may face more teapot tape accusations

3News NZ

Prime Minister John Key (Photosport)

Prime Minister John Key (Photosport)

By Peter Wilson, Political Writer

Prime Minister John Key could face more damaging accusations that he made derogatory comments about older New Zealanders during the secret teapot tape recording.

Mr Key's private conversation with ACT's Epsom candidate John Banks was recorded on Friday when a radio microphone was left on a cafe table, and later given to a newspaper.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says he knows what is on the tape, and he's making the most of it on the campaign trail as he woos the Grey Power vote.

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Mr Key is in damage control, refusing to talk about what he said to Mr Banks and unable to refute Mr Peters' accusations without revealing details of the conversation.

Mr Peters is taking part in a TV debate with other minor party leaders on Wednesday night and could use that to launch another attack on Mr Key.

On Tuesday he told a public meeting attended mostly by elderly people that the tape proved what Mr Key really thought of older New Zealanders.

"What you're going to hear in these tapes is what some young turkey thinks of your efforts and your sacrifices," he said.

"It's that some people think they're superior to you just because you're going grey - that doesn't show much gratitude, does it."

3 News, which has a transcript of the conversation, asked Mr Key whether he talked to Mr Banks about NZ First's diminishing support and linked that with the age of its supporters.

It reported Mr Key had said in the past that Mr Peters' supporters were "dying" and that was why the party wouldn't make five per cent of the party vote.

Mr Key said he couldn't remember what was said, and turned down TV3's offer to give him a transcript to refresh his memory.

NZ First is polling up to four per cent in some surveys and if Mr Peters can get traction with his teapot tape accusations he could make it back into parliament, where he hasn't been for the last three years.

Freelance cameraman Bradley Ambrose left his radio microphone on the table in the cafe where Mr Key met Mr Banks on Friday.

Ambrose says the conversation was recorded inadvertently and gave it to the Herald on Sunday.

Mr Key on Monday laid a complaint with the police, who have warned the media that publication would be an offence which carries a two year jail sentence.

NZN

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Comments

16/11/2011 5:07:06 p.m.

Andy wrote:

Donna and Annabel are obviously National supporters,it does'nt matter if th conversation was recorded or not,what is damaging is the content. If this is what John Key thinks of the Elderly,then hopefully he won't live to a ripe old age,he does'nt deserve to after this,how dare he berate the people that help set up what we have today. Once again,the National Party has shown it's true colours,the average Kiwi is insignificant and unworthy of their attention.My father hosted the likes of Muldoon,Kirk, and Rowling,knowing what Muldoon had in store for NZ,he told me"never vote for National",their lies and deceit,their underhanded tactics,i feel sorry for the future of our beautiful country ,Thinking big,does'nt always work.

16/11/2011 4:59:31 p.m.

Robbie wrote:

Mr Key has nothing to hide but has gone to the police to stop the publication of the recording-gutless!

16/11/2011 4:15:44 p.m.

Christine wrote:

John Key is a fool if he thought having a conversation in a cafe in full view of the public and press through a glass window was 'private'. Besides which, he is our elected Prime Minister, and I do believe this government has used the term in relation to law and order legislation "if you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear". Use that same logic here, and according to Key, who one minute can't remember what he said, and the next, says it was bland, if he has nothing to fear, release the tape and stop the speculation. The only reason not to release it is because it would damage his shiny reputation as being friendly. There is a reason he was known on the markets as the 'smiling assassin', and I suspect this tape would prove beyond doubt that behind the smile lurks a pretty vicious man. I wish a media organisation had the guts to release the tape to the NZ Public... I hope TV3 decides to do it, and if they do, I would support that no end.

16/11/2011 2:19:26 p.m.

Tony wrote:

Really, who cares about all this rubbish.

16/11/2011 12:33:52 p.m.

Zane wrote:

Where is the transparency Mr. Key? You are the Prime Minister and advocate for our country and its people, you are no longer a business man and have no reason to be "protecting trade secrets". Reward the journalists my butt! This can in no way be compared to publishing conversations of people outside of government. Nothing you do relating to your position as Prime Minister should be hidden from the public, as the leader of our country you have no right to privacy when dealing with issues that affect every person in the country and the generations to come.

16/11/2011 12:19:06 p.m.

JK wrote:

All poilicians are public property, as is what they say in a 'public enviroment'. They decide to live, and profit, from that enviroment. So, they must all live with the consequences. Staging a media scrum, and then expecting privacy for 8 minutes is pathetic. I was brought up to 'put your hand up, if you screw up'. That way you get to be seen as honest, and move on. So what are these two hiding?

16/11/2011 12:06:12 p.m.

the buck's tops here wrote:

So Key is so clueless he didn't wonder what the microphone bag was doing there, and now tells us he can't remember what he said a week ago. What sort of person would want someone who is either a fool ( if you believe he can't remember ) or a liar ( if you don't ) as our PM? I will be so shamed out to be a kiwi if he wins after this.

16/11/2011 11:14:20 a.m.

berry wrote:

key needs to go down before he skips the country leaving it in a desperate state with a big pay out for himself. Sounds accusing but he's done it before.

16/11/2011 11:09:25 a.m.

jan wrote:

Nice to see him on the back foot for a change...all his supporters want us to move on well that is up to Key I think...

16/11/2011 10:46:30 a.m.

Donna wrote:

Like him or not John Key is our Prime Minister and as so, deserved some level of respect. He and John Banks had agreed to media being at the cafe for a period of time, any information gathered after that allowed time has now been recieved unknowingly to the 2 men and therefore is a breach of privacy and should not have been recorded. If the reporter 'accidently' left the recording device there then it should never have been given to anyone other than him, in which he should have wiped it and keep his mouth shut. I think it is totally disrespectable and disgusting. TV1 and 3 are no better I am sorry to say. As for Winstone Peters....what a laughable man, he comes across like a little kid who goes tattle taleing to his Mum.