Brash puts the squeeze on tension

National leader Don Brash meets students James Freeman (left) and Lance Vazey and their Jufi ball yesterday.Picture / Martin Sykes

When life as leader of the Opposition gets a bit stressful, a group of Kings College boys have the answer: the Jufi.

National Party leader Don Brash found the Jufi - which stands for Just Feel It, a cushion with a stretchy skin filled with tiny beads - at a trade fair for budding entrepreneurs.

Designed as a stress and relaxation tool by The Wisemen - a group of 11 year-13 students at Kings College, it was billed as "simple, honest happiness that just plain feels good".

Dr Brash found happiness just in time - he and National Party MPs including Judith Collins and Allan Peachey left moments before Prime Minister Helen Clark arrived.

There were 100 ideas, ranging from babysitting clubs to solar energy systems, from 38 Auckland secondary schools at the Auckland Showgrounds yesterday for the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme fair.

Under the scheme, groups of students come up with an idea for a product or service, develop a business and market it.

The fair allows them to showcase, and hopefully make some sales.

Pinehurst School year 12 group Eco-Energy showed the politicians their solar energy system, which powers every appliance in the house and allows excess energy it generates to be credited to the national grid and bought back when solar power is low.

Student Scott Henderson said both leaders had been appreciative of their efforts.

"Don Brash was very interested in it. Helen Clark didn't seem too interested, but she was in a hurry.

"Brash stopped for about five minutes, but Helen Clark only had 30 seconds."