The language of John Key, akshually
CHARLIE MITCHELL
Last updated 11:47, January 3 2015
MARK TAYLOR/Fairfax NZ
JOHN KEY: He's a Kiwi from his toes to the top of his hat.
We all know Prime Minister John Key's unusual speech patterns, and his fondness for "at the end of the day" and "akshually".
But when he strolls to a podium for a political speech, what does he like to talk about?
His subjects have changed considerably over the years.
Analysis of 157 of Key's political speeches, as posted on his website, show his political concerns have been flexible since he became National's leader in 2007.
Some topics fell out of favour; others surged to relevance. Some he didn't mention at all.
"Climate change" was a big issue for 2007. It came up 121 times - more than other popular topics such as "teachers" and "farmers".
But in the last three years Key has referred to "climate change" three times. On one of those occasions he was saying there were more important issues.
In 2012 he didn't say it once.
In his first full year as leader Key loved talking about "young people" and "youth".
"Young people are a group I'm passionate about. For they, more than anyone, will determine the future shape and prosperity of New Zealand," he said then.
He spoke about them 170 times as National leader, mostly in reference to the crime they commit but, nevertheless, they were one of his favourite topics.
"Young people" soon fell out of favour. Except for a brief election year spike in 2011, they trickled downwards every year. Last year they were mentioned 37 times, plumbing the depths of his interests behind "settlement" and "flag".
Other topics that have fallen out of favour over his reign have included "schools", "farming", "wages" and "crime".
Some of his favoured topics vanished, but others came out of nowhere.
"China" didn't get Key's tongue wagging until 2012, but has been a big talking point since then. A handful of mentions in his first term turned to a very keen interest by the end of his second - it came up more than 200 times over 2012 and 2013.
"Housing" was also never a big issue early on for Key, with fewer than 70 mentions before 2013.
He more than doubled that in 2013 and last year alone.
Other topics that increased included "teachers" and "Maori".
What about the subjects he neglected to mention at all?
Key's critics target him for a perceived lack of interest in "poverty".
The evidence supports his critics.
He referenced "poverty" 15 times since 2007, barely twice a year. On several of those occasions, Key was claiming an absence of poverty in New Zealand.
Topics he's referred to in his political speeches more than or equal to poverty include "rugby" (21), the "Act Party" (17), and his "mother" (15).
But it wasn't all about big issues and new policies.
Key used to talk about political parties relentlessly.
The Labour Party was on the end of a rhetorical blitz from Key before his election win in 2008.
He referenced it nearly 500 times in 2007/2008 - an average of 10 times per speech. In a single speech to the Southern National Party Conference, Labour came up 38 times.
There's one unanswered question. Forget climate change, poverty and the Labour Party.
What topic was John Key's favourite over his eight years as National's leader?
He said it more than 3500 times, about 23 times per speech.
"New Zealand."
"New Zealand" never waned. "New Zealand" was always top of mind.
No-one could accuse Key of being unpatriotic.
- The Press
http://www.stuff.co....n-key-akshually
