Quote of Year benefits Nat boss
New Zealand has listened and voted, awarding Simon Bridges’ slip of the tongue as this year’s best quote in Massey University’s annual Quote of the Year award.
In July, the leader of the Opposition accidentally referred to his deputy Paula Bennett as “Paula Benefit” during a media interview.
“Winston Peters spends a huge amount of time on me, on Paula Ben- Benefit-Bennett,” he said at the time.
The gaffe resonated with New Zealanders, attracting 21 per cent of the 3322 votes cast by those who took part in the competition.
Competition organiser and Massey speech-writing specialist Dr Heather Kavan said she was blown away by Bridges’ taking the top spot.
“I didn’t expect voters to experience Simon Bridges’ unconscious mind as more entertaining than some of New Zealand’s best comedians,” she said.
“I think the win comes down to the twinge of delight we feel when we see people in power make a mistake.
“The stumble itself isn’t that bad — even eloquent speakers like Barack Obama make slip-ups,” Kavan said.
“And Simon Bridges’ error probably won’t resound in history as much as George Bush Senior’s ‘We’ve had some sex, uh, setbacks’.”
The runner-up was filmmaker Taika Waititi describing discrimination in New Zealand, who claimed 18 per cent of the vote. “It’s racist as f***. I think New Zealand is the best place on the planet, but it’s a racist place,” he said.
Third was Sir John Key and his comments about Australia’s constantly changing prime ministers.
“I used to say, ‘Mate, I don’t really mind who turns up, just wear a name badge so I know who it is’,” the former NZ Prime Minister said.