JOHN KEY BREAKFAST

Full marks to the energetic and wise Charles Finny and the Wellington Chamber for putting on the breakfast address by John Key this morning . It was inspiring and as we walked down the waterfront on the way back to work - people were enthusiastically talking about Key and his message.

The venue was good - the breakfast was the antithesis of the healthy eating healthy action breakfast of the past. hash browns, cheese filled franks, bacon and a cheese filled omelette and white toast bread with a passing reference to healthy food in the form of a cooked tomato and a lilliputian bowl of bircher meusli.

Starters were heaving baskets of danish pasteries. Bliss.

Anyway - to the serious stuff. Key reiterated that he thinks we are well placed to weather the global financial storm. Our banks are some of the most solid in the world and they are still lending.

Our economy is based on exporting food and we are well regarded as producers of excellent food so that will stand us in good stead.

And the government is peeling back all the government restrictions on business growth such as the RMA and other regulatory impediments.

And they are refocussing the public service effort into areas that have an impact. No more "hug a polar bear campaigns" that sounded good but were bloody useless ( we resisted the urge to rush up to the stage and give him a hug at that point)

And he said that Broadband roll out plan is to be announced by Stephen Joyce in the next few days.

All good stuff and a very pleasant way to start the day. We met some very nice people and John stopped at our table to talk to a lovely woman about a helicopter trip. He really is a good bugger.