Eight-year-old Corin Jack handed a personal birthday invitation to Prime Minister and National party leader Bill English when he visited Te Puke at the weekend.
Eight-year-old Corin Jack handed a personal birthday invitation to Prime Minister and National party leader Bill English when he visited Te Puke at the weekend.
Eight-year-old Corin Jack can't vote in this weekend's general election.
But if he could, he's in no doubt about who he'd vote for, even if it meant his invited guest of honour couldn't attend his 9th birthday party next year.
Te Ranga School pupil Corin was disappointed when National Party leader Bill English had to turn down the invitation to his 8th birthday last May, but understood the PM's trip to Japan was more important.
When English was in Te Puke on Saturday, Corin gave him another invitation - for his next birthday party.
Corin's mum Jen says she initially thought Corin might be happy if English was no longer Prime Minister after Saturday's election, as it might mean he was less busy and therefore able to get to the May 18 birthday party.
"But then he said he wanted him to win because he thinks he'll do a good job. Although, I think he'll still want him to come even if he doesn't win," says Jen.
A fellow member of Orchard Church who is a friend of Corin and his family is a distant cousin of English.
"When Corin found out about this, he said 'Bill's almost family', so that's how it came about - there was no fascination with John Key at all," says Jen. "It's all about Bill."
Corin's birthday party invitation was created as a homework assignment and was ready to send when Jen discovered on Saturday morning that English would be in Te Puke that afternoon.
An opportunity too good to pass up, Corin took the invitation along to deliver personally.
The homework assignment required him to make a card for someone special.
"I got double points for choosing Bill English and giving it to him got bonus points," says Corin.
As the candidate entered the room on Saturday, young Corin handed him the handmade invitation and told him he wanted the Prime Minister at his birthday - in May next year.
Prime Minister Bill English with a Corin Jack's birthday party invitation. Photo/Samantha Motion
English was in Te Puke for a public meeting at the Citizens RSA and told the packed house it was the first birthday invitation he had received for after the election.
He was joined on stage by wife Mary, Rotorua MP Todd McClay, Tauranga MP Simon Bridges, Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry and told the crowd there was "a lot to fight for" this election.
In a 25-minute speech he talked about the economy, roading, housing, jobs, trade and tax.
Corin decided not to stay for the speeches on Saturday, as it would have meant not getting home "until nearly bedtime".
Asked if he would go to Corin's birthday party, English told the Bay of Plenty Times he would have to be re-elected Prime Minister first.
