John Key on Knighthoods: “I decide it”

Reports from rugby world cup celebrations reveal how much unchecked power the Prime Minister has with regard to handing out honours. Official information requests about the criteria for handing out honours are routinely rejected but when pressed by journalists on the matter John Key has revealed that, when it comes to honours that, in effect, it’s all down to his personal preferences. He put it simply “I decide it”.

Herald journalist Isaac Dawson began looking into the issue yesterday interviewing Dame Susan Devoy. In his article published, this morning, Dawson highlighted the Prime Minister’s 2009 comment on a possible knighthood for Ritchie McCaw. Back then Key told McCaw: "It's very simple. You lose the Rugby World Cup and in my mind you will always be Richie McCaw, a great bloke. And you win the World Cup, it's 'Arise, Sir Richard'."

Dame Susan Devoy, was not supportive of such an approach, "I would like to think that [my knighthood] was for some other contribution than my sporting one, otherwise it seems a bit shallow. "If its just sport, you haven't made a difference in the world. "There's no rhyme or reason for [giving out knighthoods].

APNZ pursued the matter and in an updated story the Herald reported that "when pushed on the issue, The PM didn't go so far as to say a knighthood for at least Henry and Captain Richie McCaw were guaranteed, but he hinted it could be on the cards."That's for another day but they certainly had a tremendous tournament," Mr Key told APNZ with a broad smile on his face. "They certainly had a tremendous
tournament,"  he repeated when pushed on the matter. "We will see how it all goes. There is precedent [with five previous All Black captains knighted for their services to sport].

The five All Blacks, Wilson Whineray, Brian Lochore, Colin Meads, Fred Allen and John Graham have been knighted but all five had distinguished careers in business, coaching, charitable work or education.

John Key then boasted "The next list is the New Year's honours list which comes out on New Year's Day. I decide it. I chair the appointments and honours committee.  He then added "and the Queen obviously has to make a decision on who she approves".

While his comment implies the Queen has some input, John Key knows  that it is a constitutional convention that the Governor-General , and not the Queen, always approves the choices the Prime Minister advises and directs them to approve.

What John Key has revealed in an exuberant and unguarded moment is that he will be the one deciding who gets a knighthood. At this point it seems apparent that there is no criteria other than the Prime Minister of the day's personal preferences and prejudices. It is also clear he would like us all to think the awards are handed out by the Queen so that his office can keep on rejecting official information requests.