Fran O'Sullivan: Mid-point of first term is time for Key to get serious

Prime Minister John Key. Photo / Natalie Slade

John Key is just of a particular vintage to have been read tales from the Brothers Grimm as a child.

But 40 years on, the Prime Minister has a very different take on the powers of using the magic mirror than the queen in Snow White.

It may seem simplistic, but one of the dark arts of politics that stands Key in good stead is his uncanny ability to "mirror" others.

He could have learned this art during one of those interminably onerous coaching sessions that aspiring business managers go through. Particularly, if he had ever been a "screamer" during his earlier period on the floor in the volatile world of foreign exchange trading.

But watching the PM work the room at a business function, while he is talking with ordinary folk out in the community, dancing with drag queens, facing up to political opponents, or, even pesky questions from journalists - it would seem it is an innate quality.

Typically, a hard-nosed question at a social occasion (even in situations where he is occasionally head-butted by someone who strongly disagrees with his Government's actions) will be greeted with a "that's right", or, "you may be right" - before Key patiently explains just why his questioner is on the right track. Or, why he disagrees with their point of view.

Management theorists will tell you "mirroring" has a particular advantage as a tool in the leadership skill-set. The theory goes that people usually accept their mirror image. By validating the self-image of your opponents - even if you disagree with them - you take the wind out of their sails.

As a technique it is very disarming.

The upshot is that even Key's press conferences tend to be relatively tame affairs.

He is rarely subjected to sustained hard-nosed interviewing, particularly on the extraordinarily banal PR gift slot he gets on state television every Monday morning to kick off his week.

To journalists he is too often "John" - rather than simply "Prime Minister".

This courtliness can catch his opponents off-guard as occurred when Labour's Phil Goff heaped some rare praise on him by saying, "I've got to give it to John Key - he's a very good politician, very slick, very professional at what he does, very good at photo opportunities and that helps him".

For a newbie political leader still to make much headway in the polls, Goff's comments looked more like a bid for a post-political career job than a full-blooded response from a politician who wants the PM's job.

Or, maybe Goff has decided the best way for him to make headway is to occasionally mirror Key.

Frankly, with what's on the Government's plate right now, it is time for everybody to harden up - not simply succumb to the PM's continuing charm offensive - and do their own jobs.

Key is now at the halfway point of his first term as the head of the National-led Government.

He has broken very few of his election promises except around taxation where he trimmed National's personal tax cuts plan but now plans to break another election commitment by raising GST to underpin personal cuts.

He has (so far) spurned business blandishments to defer the emissions-trading scheme.

He has raised the price of cigarettes, looked at raising drinking and driving ages. He also wants to mine parts of the conservation estate and lift NZ's economic game.

But nowhere is there an over-arching narrative that spells out exactly what sort of New Zealand Key wants to leave behind him when he finishes his swing with domestic politics.

Yesterday, Key took off again for the Middle East where a free-trade deal with the powerful Gulf States is to be signed.

Eighty business people - who have paid the thick end of $20,000 each to go on the trip - will be present.

There has been muted criticism that he broke from the trip to come back for the funeral of the three airmen who died on Anzac Day.

But cutting short or even abandoning foreign trips to attend to domestic issues is part and parcel of modern politics.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton cancelled her Auckland visit because of the Haiti earthquake. Barack Obama also cancelled his Australian trip.

From Gallipoli to New Zealand and the Middle East again, the Key bandwagon will boost his popularity at this mid-point post.

But we will respect him much more as a political leader and person if he puts that "smiley face" away once in a while and engages deeply and seriously on the challenges facing New Zealand.