John Key announced today that Jim Bolger will replace Hon Sir Anand Satyanand as Governor-General. Opponents are calling it Jobs for the Boys, whilst Key maintains Bolger's choice was not based along party lines.
"Mr Bolger has served this country for many years under a wide variety of governments," John Key said. "Helen Clark thought he had excellent governance skills, appointing him to several SOE boards including KiwiRail. Sir James will make an excellent contribution in this new role."
Leader of the Opposition, Labour leader Phil Goff, is not so sure. "This is just one more example of Jobs for the Boys," he said in a telephone interview with Radio New Zealand from a helicopter above Mt Albert." This is more rank than Spankin' Rankin's baubles of office," Goff shouted.
National candidate for Mt Albert Melissa Lee defended Bolger's appointment as well, saying that Bolger represents some of the rich diversity of New Zealand heritage. "We haven't had an old white guy as Governor-General since Keith Holyoake," she said from a safe house somewhere in the electorate.
When it was pointed out that the last old white guy head of state was Sir Michael Hardie Boys, who then prime minister Jim Bolger had suggested in 1996, Lee refused any further questions stating that talking was interfering with her campaign strategy for Mt Albert.
