John Key 'not fazed' by National rebellion

This is exactly the responce I would have expected from Key and this government to the news that National faces a rebellion from traditional National supporters upset by the government sale of the Crafar farms.

The election is over and thanks to National and the media pulling the wool over the eyes of a largely credulous public National is back with an increased majority and they can push through their ultra--Right, globlaist agenda without much resistance.

You can bet that this issue will never get any traction because right from this morning the corporate media is burying it.

In any case by the time the next election comes (if we still have any pretence of being a ‘democracy’) Key will be planning his move to furthering his career in the world of international finance - much bigger potential to further enrich himself there - perhaps his time as PM is seen as a service - to his corporate and banking cronies?

PM dismisses Crafar farm backlash

Yahoo, 5 March, 2012

Prime Minister John Key is not fazed by a backlash by some National supporters over the sale of the Crafar dairy farms to a Chinese buyer - even though many have vowed they will never vote for the party again.

Government ministers approved the sale of the 16 North Island farms to Milk New Zealand Holdings, a subsidiary of Shanghai Pengxin, in January.

Some National backers have written to Mr Key to express their distaste for the deal, with more than 100 emails or letters opposed to the sale.

"I personally feel that such sales are an act of treason and gross betrayal of trust and will not be voting National next election," the Sunday Star-Times reported one letter saying.

However, speaking on TVNZ's Breakfast, Mr Key said he was not worried about the impact the sale would have on National's support.

"I've been around quite a lot of rural events recently and there's no evidence it's eroding our support at all," he said.

"Some farmers come up to me and say `I own the farm, it's my property and I should be able to sell it to whoever I like.

"Others say they don't want farmland going overseas. So there's definitely a range of views but I don't see it hurting National."

Mr Key said he gets a similar amount of correspondence on "pretty much any issue in New Zealand".

The Shanghai Pengxin deal - reportedly worth $210 million - remains on hold after a rival consortium, led by businessman Sir Michael Fay and offering $171.5m for the farms, went to the High Court to overturn the decision.

Justice Forrest Miller ruled that the ministers "materially overstated" the economic benefit of the transaction to the New Zealand economy and they must reconsider Milk New Zealand's application.