$250,000 raised for Kidz First
Time for a new flag?
The question splits a room full of corporate high fliers and guests during a black tie dinner with the Prime Minister at SkyCity on Friday night.
But guest speaker John Key isn’t letting it go.
‘‘Give me three minutes,’’ he says. ‘‘ And then let’s see another show of hands.’’
A hardy few stick to their guns after a compelling call for change but the majority swings toward a new look.
One thing’s for sure, the PM says four months ahead of a general election and on the back of promise to debate the issue further in a new parliamentary term – say no and you’ll probably be stuck with what you’ve got for another 50 years.
The speech, hinged on national pride and prosperity, came in the midst of a fundraiser organised by the Mad Butcher and Suburban Newspapers Community Trust.
And it may well have been what inspired some of Auckland’s wealthiest residents to dig deep through the remainder of the evening as proceeds from an auction, pledges, donations and ticket sales amounted to a massive $250,000. The money will go to the Kidz First Children’s Hospital for the treatment of premature babies.
‘‘We’re absolutely thrilled with what the team managed to raise for such a worthy cause,’’ trust chairman and Fairfax Media northern region general manager David Penny says. ‘‘It’s a great result and a fantastic example of what you can achieve with the support of so many good sponsors.’’