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Top 10 Astonishing Facts about John Key

Sir John Phillip Key is a New Zealand retired politician who served as the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand and Leader of the New Zealand National Party.

John Key was elected leader of the party in November 2006 and appointed Prime Minister in November 2008, resigning from both posts in December 2016.

Under the direction of Key and Finance Minister Bill English, New Zealand experienced a robust economic recovery from the international financial crisis of 2008鈥�09, and by 2014 it had become one of the first developed countries to return to normal performance after the global crisis.

Below, we discuss the top 10 Astonishing Facts about John Key;

1. John Key has a Jewish ancestry

Judaica Shabbat candlesticks, handwashing cup, Chumash and Tanakh, Torah pointer, shofar and etrog box – Wikipedia

Key was born in Auckland, New Zealand, to George Key and Ruth Key on 9 August 1961. His father was an English immigrant and a veteran of the Spanish Civil War and World War II. Unfortunately, his father died when he was only six and was raised by his mother.

His mother was an Austrian-Jewish immigrant. In an interview Key explains that his mother was a very determined Jewish matriarchal woman. She always used to say, 鈥淵ou get out of life what you put into it.鈥�

Key is the third prime minister or premier of New Zealand to have Jewish ancestry, after Julius Vogel and Francis Bell.

2. Viewing religion as 鈥渄oing the right thing鈥�

Religious symbols – Unsplash

For many, religion helps in creating an ethnical framework and also a regulator for values in day-to-day life. Or simply put, by John Key, religion is “doing the right thing”.

Having been raised by a devoted Jewish mother, we would expect John Key to have followed in his mother鈥檚 footsteps. However, this is not the case Key attends.

Key attends church frequently with his children, but he is not an agnostic. This means that he believes that “human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify either the belief that God exists or the belief that God does not exist.”

3. John key began his career as an auditor

Audit business and finance concept – Unsplash

Key’s first job was as an auditor at McCulloch Menzies in 1982. He then became a project manager at Christchurch-based clothing manufacturer Lane Walker Rudkin for two years.

He began working as a foreign exchange dealer at Elders Finance in Wellington, and rose to the position of head foreign exchange trader two years later, then moved to Auckland-based Bankers Trust in 1988.

In 1995, he joined Merrill Lynch as head of Asian foreign exchange in Singapore. That same year, he was promoted to Merrill’s global head of foreign exchange, based in London.

Some co-workers called him “the smiling assassin” for maintaining his usual cheerfulness while sacking dozens (some say hundreds) of staff after heavy losses from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.

4. The beginning of Key鈥檚 political career

Jenny Shipley, 2013 – Wikipedia

In 1998, on learning of John Key鈥檚 interest in pursuing a political career, National Party president John Slater began working to recruit him. Former party leader Jenny Shipley describes him as one of the people she “deliberately sought out and put my head on the line鈥揺ither privately or publicly鈥搕o get them in there”

John Key entered politics by becoming representing the Auckland electorate of Helensville as one of the few new National members of parliament in the election of 2002 following National’s significant defeat of that year.

From there he quickly rose through the ranks and was elected leader of the National Party in 2006. Key led his party to victory at the November 2008 general election, and repeated this feat at both the November 2011 and September 2014 elections.

5. A historical victory

John Key, 2013 – Wikipedia

As Prime Minister, Key led the Fifth National Government of New Zealand, which entered government at the beginning of the late-2000s recession in 2008.

He is credited with steering the country through tough times in response to the global economic downturn and as New Zealanders faced tragedy and loss brought about by the Christchurch earthquakes of 2010鈥�11.

After performing very well in his first term, he earned a second term as prime minister when the National Party won a historic victory in the general election in November 2011, capturing 48 percent of the vote (the highest total for any party since mixed-member proportional representation was introduced in 1996) and 60 seats in the House of Representatives (Parliament).

6. A leading advocate for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)

John and Bronagh Key with Barack and Michelle Obama in New York, 23 September 2009 – Wikipedia

Key was a leading advocate of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), also supporting the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership (TPSEP).

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), or Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, was a highly contested proposed trade agreement between 12 Pacific Rim economies, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, and the United States.

The Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPSEP), also known as P4, is a trade agreement between four Pacific Rim countries concerning a variety of matters of economic policy.

In a September 2016 speech to the Council of Foreign Relations, Key said “[TPP] will boost our economy by at least $2.7 billion a year by 2030. It will help diversify our economy and create more jobs and higher incomes for New Zealanders”.

7. John Key knighted

Key with Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy, shortly after his investiture as a Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, August 2017 – Wikipedia

Key was appointed a Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, in recognition of “services to the State”, in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, “for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits”, to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity.

8. John Key attempted to change New Zealand鈥檚 flag

New Zealand’s flag – Unsplash

For several decades, alternative designs for the New Zealand flag have been proposed, with varying degrees of support.

Common criticisms of the existing form of the New Zealand flag are its similarity to the Australian flag and the inappropriateness of retaining the Union Jack in the design.

Sir John’s Government spent $26 million on a referendum on the subject of changing the flag, conducted over two votes in 2015 and 2016. Sadly, the flag did not change, with 56 percent of people voting to keep the current flag.

9. Life after politics

Key resigned as Prime Minister and leader of the National Party effective from 12 December 2016, and instructed the party to put into motion the processes to elect a new leader.

He expressed interest in spending more time with his family, stating that he had “never seen [himself] as a career politician” and that “this feels the right time to go”.

Following his resignation, Key was appointed to the board of directors of Air New Zealand, and took up the position on 1 September 2017 and stepped down on 31 March 2020. He was also appointed chairman of ANZ Bank New Zealand, taking up the position on 18 October 2017.

10. When love conquers all

John Key and his family – Wikipedia

John Key met his wife Irene Dougan in 1984 when they were both students at Burnside High School. The two got married a year after Key graduated with a degree in commerce in 1983.

Irene graduated with a BCom degree, and worked as a personnel consultant before becoming a full-time mother.

Their marriage has stood the test of time, as today the two are parents to two children, Stephie and Max. Max is a nighttime radio host for George FM, and is also a singer. Stephie is a performance artist.