March 22, 2017
Maori Party thanks Key for chance
Former Prime Minister John Key bows out from parliament today with a valedictory speech.
Mr Key's resignation kicks in after Easter when it will no longer trigger a by-election in his Helensville seat, but with parliament taking a break until then he doesn't need to go back to Wellington any time soon.
Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell says the former Wall Street money man had been great to work with.
"Now the Maori Party is in the position we are in on the basis of an invitation he thought about some nine years ago. He didn't need us. He never needed us … well probably now he does because he's sitting on 61, that's what you need to pass the Budget and we happen to be the backstop for stable government, and he allowed us to vote against them whenever we wanted to and yet still get some gains," he says.
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