John Key facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Key
GNZM AC
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Key in 2014
|
|
| 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand | |
| In office 19 November 2008 – 12 December 2016 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Deputy | Bill English |
| Governor-General | Sir Anand Satyanand Sir Jerry Mateparae Dame Patsy Reddy |
| Preceded by | Helen Clark |
| Succeeded by | Bill English |
| 31st Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 27 November 2006 – 19 November 2008 |
|
| Deputy | Bill English |
| Preceded by | Don Brash |
| Succeeded by | Phil Goff |
| 11th Leader of the National Party | |
| In office 27 November 2006 – 12 December 2016 |
|
| Deputy | Bill English |
| Preceded by | Don Brash |
| Succeeded by | Bill English |
| Chair of the International Democrat Union | |
| In office 21 November 2014 – 21 February 2018 |
|
| Deputy | Tony Clement |
| Preceded by | John Howard |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Harper |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Helensville |
|
| In office 27 July 2002 – 14 April 2017 |
|
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Chris Penk |
| Majority | 20,547 (56.49%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Phillip Key
9 August 1961 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Spouse |
Bronagh Dougan
(m. 1984) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
|
| Alma mater | University of Canterbury (BCom) |
| Signature |  |
Sir John Phillip Key GNZM AC (born 9 August 1961) is a New Zealand retired politician who served as the 38th prime minister of New Zealand from 2008 to 2016 and as leader of the New Zealand National Party from 2006 to 2016. After resigning from both posts in December 2016 and leaving politics, Key was appointed to the board of directors and role of chairman in several New Zealand corporations.
Contents
Early life and education
Key was born in Auckland, New Zealand, to George Key (1914–1969) and Ruth Key (née Lazar; 1922–2000) on 9 August 1961. His father was an English immigrant and a veteran of the Spanish Civil War and World War II. Key and his two sisters were raised in a state house in the Christchurch suburb of Bryndwr by his mother, an Austrian-Jewish immigrant. Key is the third prime minister or premier of New Zealand to have Jewish ancestry, after Julius Vogel and Francis Bell.
He attended Aorangi School, and then Burnside High School from 1975 to 1979, where he met his wife, Bronagh. He went on to attend the University of Canterbury and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree in accounting in 1981. He also attended management studies courses at Harvard University.
Career before politics
Key began a career in the foreign exchange market in New Zealand before moving overseas to work for Merrill Lynch, in which he became head of global foreign exchange in 1995, a position he would hold for six years. In 1999 he was appointed a member of the Foreign Exchange Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York until leaving in 2001.
Early political career
Key entered the New Zealand Parliament representing the Auckland electorate of Helensville as one of the few new National members of parliament in the election of 2002 following National's significant defeat of that year. In 2004, he was appointed Finance Spokesman for National and eventually succeeded Don Brash as the National Party leader in 2006. After two years as leader of the Opposition, Key led his party to victory at the November 2008 general election.
Prime Minister (2008–2016)
Key was sworn in as prime minister on 19 November 2008. The National government went on to win two more general elections under his leadership: in November 2011 and September 2014. Key was expected to contest for a fourth term of office at the 2017 general election, but on 5 December 2016 he resigned as prime minister and leader of the National Party. He was succeeded by Bill English on 12 December 2016.
In his first term, Key's government implemented a GST rise and personal tax cuts, while enacting several austerity measures. His government refused to renew license agreements for multiple television channels, including TVNZ 6, TVNZ 7, Kidzone and Heartland, while reducing funding for Radio New Zealand in real terms. In February 2011, after a major earthquake in Christchurch the nation's second largest city significantly affected the national economy, the government formed the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.
In its second term, Key's government implemented a policy of partial privatisation of five state-owned enterprises, while voters in a citizens-initiated referendum on the issue were 2 to 1 opposed to the policy. He also faced a severe housing crisis, especially in Auckland, and was widely criticised for a perceived lack of action. In foreign policy, Key withdrew New Zealand Defence Force personnel from their deployment in the war in Afghanistan, signed the Wellington Declaration with the United States and pushed for more nations to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Post-prime ministerial career
Following his resignation, Key stated that he would leave Parliament before the 2017 general election. However, he stated that he would resign within six months of the election so as to not trigger a by-election in the Helensville electorate. He gave his valedictory speech in Parliament on 22 March 2017 and formally resigned the following month, on 14 April.
In May 2017, Key was appointed to the board of directors of Air New Zealand, and took up the position on 1 September 2017. He was also appointed chairman of ANZ Bank New Zealand, taking up the position on 18 October 2017. On 31 March 2020, Key stood down as a director of Air New Zealand.
Personal life
Family
Key married Bronagh Irene Dougan in 1984; they met when they were both students at Burnside High School. She has a BCom degree, and worked as a personnel consultant before becoming a full-time mother. They have two children, Stephie and Max. Max is a night-time radio host for George FM, and is also a singer. Stephie is a performance artist.
Honours
On 3 August 2010, Key gained the style "The Right Honourable". Previously, as he was not a privy councillor, he had not been entitled to use the style—his predecessor ended the appointment of New Zealanders to the Privy Council. However, in 2010 the Queen approved the use of the style by prime ministers, governors-general, speakers of the House, and chief justices.
Key was appointed a Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, in recognition of "services to the State", in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours. Later Key was appointed an honorary Companion of the Order of Australia, for "eminent service to Australia-New Zealand relations", by the Governor-General of Australia on the personal recommendation of the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull.
On 7 August 2017, Key was awarded an honorary doctorate by his alma mater, the University of Canterbury, to become a doctor of commerce.
See also
In Spanish: John Key para niños
- Electoral history of John Key
- List of New Zealand ministries
- Contents of the United States diplomatic cables leak (New Zealand)
Images for kids
-
John Key (right), with (from left to right) son Max, wife Bronagh, and daughter Stephie, celebrating on election night, 8 November 2008
-
John and Bronagh Key with Barack and Michelle Obama at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, 23 September 2009.
-
Sir Jerry Mateparae, the Governor-General, arrives at Parliament to be met by Key, July 2011.
-
Key with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 31 March 2016.
-
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets Key at Premier House, 13 November 2016.
-
Key with his predecessor, Helen Clark
.jpg)
