Political diary

MONDAY

Prime Minister John Key heads to Florida for a family holiday, taking wife Bronagh, daughter Stephie and son Max but they still manage to stay in the limelight as the cover story on this week's Australian Women's Weekly. Among the new things learned about the First Couple is that they will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in Trinidad and Tobago, during the Commonwealth heads of Government meeting in November. They once made a pact to spend no more than $25 on buying each anniversary gifts. Bronagh bought him a lilo but he spent $200 buying her a bracelet - the sort of broken promise no one is going to complain about.

TUESDAY

Maori Television's Wena Harawira and Julian Wilcox do an outstanding job of presenting live coverage of the funeral of Sir Howard Morrison from Ohinemutu in Rotorua. Acting Prime Minister Bill English, who delivers a fine address on behalf of the Government, joins the broadcasters for a chat while the final prayers are said over Sir Howard's coffin in St Faith's Church. Harawira is so impressed with English's commentary on Sir Howard and the tangihanga that preceded it, she says she thinks he could get a job with MTS if he left politics.

Perhaps the only unfortunate line is delivered by Wilcox when he is attempting to ask English if delivering such eulogies are part of the privileges that go with responsibilities of Government. Only when it comes out, he asks him if it is one of the perks of the job! Not by any stretch.

WEDNESDAY

A tsunami devastates Samoa and Labour MPs Chris Carter and Luamanuvao Winnie Laban are on a plane that afternoon getting there to offer support. Carter is not only foreign affairs spokesman but has had recent personal associations with Samoa. After last year's election loss he and colleague Darren Hughes took former Prime Minister Helen Clark away for a break in Samoa, staying at the Sinalei Reef Resort run by Tui Annandale, who died in the tsunami and was buried on Thursday. Prime Minister John Key, who heads to Samoa this morning, also visited in July during his four Pacific countries tour. He was especially taken with the village of Poutasi which won his heart, reporter Claire Trevett noted, where he was met by the village men proudly wearing New Zealand-themed T-shirts as a tacit "thanks" for the seasonal labour scheme. Poutasi has been one of the hardest hit by the tsunami.

THURSDAY

Industrial action at Parliament as security guards who belong to the Public Service Association hold a stopwork meeting in protest at pay negotiations. But at 11pm it is too out-of-hours to have much effect; Monday's stop-work at 3pm by 120 staff - librarians, researchers, receptionists and messengers, might have more impact. The MPs are kept at arm's length, not only because it is a recess and most are away but because Parliamentary Services is the employer.