PM fields hard-hitting questions from junior audience
and Shawn Mcavinue Asset sales and New Zealand’s financial situation were among the hard-hitting questions thrown at Prime Minister John Key yesterday, but the people posing the questions weren’t even old enough to vote.
Mr Key and Deputy Prime Minister Bill English were special guests at Mataura School yesterday, joining the school staff and children for a cooked breakfast and question-and-answer session.
The menu was designed by 9-year-old Jordan Franks, who had won a competition entered by about 40 of the school’s pupils to create the morning’s feast.
Principal Susan Dennison said bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, toast and a fruit platter were served, as well as juice, Milo, tea and coffee.
‘‘It was just brilliant. It was a whole community effort to get to that point,’’ she said.
Crockery and cutlery were provided by the Mataura Marae, produce from the community garden had been used, the cook for the senior citizens had made the scrambled eggs, and lots of parents and grandparents had helped out, she said.
The children had been extremely interested in questions about money, Mrs Dennison said.
‘‘They asked him lots of good questions, especially about the finances of the country. They were very interested in money,’’ she said.
It had been a good learning opportunity for the pupils, she said.
During the visit, Mr Key gave out books to some of the pupils and thanked Jordan for creating a great breakfast menu.
It was the first time he had stopped in Mataura, he said, and he told the group a story before opening the floor to 100 children.
‘‘How much is 1 million and gazillion?’’ one child asked.
Mr Key looked at Mr English and said: ‘‘That’s about how much money he day.’’
How do you get all the money? ‘‘We don’t have any; that’s the problem,’’ Mr Key said.
One boy at the back of the mat asked why he was selling New Zealand, to which Mr Key replied: ‘‘We need money for schools and other things that your mum and dad want.’’
He also fielded some easier questions: His favourite colour? Yellow. Favourite vegetable? Mushroom. Bodyguards? 25. Cats’ names? Moonbeam, Smokey and Fluffy. And if he wasn’t the prime minister, what would he be? An airline pilot or a butcher.
is
borrowing
every