Safe pair of hands

Vale John Key. The Economist , after listing nine international league tables covering happiness, healthiness, anti-corruption, democracy, freedom and prosperity in which New Zealand sits at or near first place, describes Key as one of New Zealand’s most respected leaders, under whose stewardship we can claim to be one of the most successful countries in the world and a haven of prosperity and stability. What a a great pity to see you go.

Of course the rag tag bunch who make up the Opposition will bang on about supposed poverty, inequality and housing prices, mainly because there’s nothing else they can attack, but if any of those factors have deteriorated as Key’s Government has steered us through the most challenging world economic meltdown since the Great Depression, just imagine how much worse things would be if the unholy alliance of Labour, Greens and NZ First had been running the show. JOHN DENTON

Eskdale