PM faints
January 18th, 2013 at 9:13 am by David FarrarStuff reports:
Prime Minister John Key fainted and collapsed while out for dinner last night.
He was at dinner at the Italian restaurant Tutto Bene in Merivale, Christchurch.
He was taken to Christchurch hospital in a police car and assessed. He was there for two and half hours before being released.
Key is in Christchurch to fly to Antarctica and has been cleared to leave this morning.
A spokeswoman for Key said he was seen by three specialists during his time at the hospital but they had not given a reason for the fainting.
“They said these things happen sometimes.”
Key returned from his summer holiday in Hawaii yesterday and has not been unwell, she said.
“He was given a clean bill of health,” his spokeswoman said.
It is well known that the PM is often up soon after 5 am for a morning run before work, and is often working until close to midnight. Being Prime Minister is the sort of job where you never can say there is no more work to do, but the hours take a toll. Even on so called holidays, you are working a fair amount of the time.
It may indeed be just one of those things, especially as it was just after a return from a break. I hope so.
Tags: John Key
January 18th, 2013 at 9:18 am
I agree with your view David, I recall seeing him and his DPS jogging around Bowen St a couple of times at some unholy hour like 5:30am when my wife use to work early and I’d drive in with her.
Fairfax also says: “He was preparing to leave the restaurant when he fainted.”. So I wonder if perhaps he just stood up too quickly after sitting down for too long.
Here’s hoping it is “just one of those things”.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 9:20 am
At least it wasn’t anything really embarrassing like the infamous George H. Bush technicolour ‘yawn’ over the Japanese ambassador during his single term as US President.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 9:21 am
Just have a read… http://www.facebook.com/3news/posts/191372101008999
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 9:21 am
Probably saw the bill…Ive eaten there , aint cheap..
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 9:24 am
In saying that he works hard — that work would be very rewarding.
It is not work in the sense of cleaning for 8 hours a day.
Yet, everyone still needs a break from their usual ‘routine’ (if you can call trips to Antarctica / meeting queens & presidents routine ha ha).
I doubt the fainting thing means anything if the docs checked him out as OK.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 9:32 am
I really wouldn’t mind a PM that works less hard for “us”.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 9:44 am
Infused, more than a few candidates to suffer SFNS amongst that lot of sicko commenters. Interesting how easy it is to trace them which shows how dumb they really are. Makes you despair for the education system when so many have their school or university backgrounds shown as well.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 9:54 am
As per infused’s link, there’s some very nasty stuff there. Eg
There are also quite a few supporting decency:
There’s a distinct lack of decency on show.
It’s worth noting that most of the comment on it at The Standard (so far) is decent.
Vote:http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-18012013/#comment-575036
January 18th, 2013 at 9:54 am
Not sure how anyone noticed, if you faint at that restaurant you’ll stay upright because of all the people jammed in elbow to elbow around you.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 10:04 am
Our Prime Minister suddenly faints in public for no apparent reason?
This is a worry folks – and you heard that here first!!~
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 10:12 am
That sends a chill. Imagine life in NZ these days without him as PM.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 10:13 am
It can easily enough happen if you’ve skipped a meal or been on your feet for a long time – especially if your blood pressure is naturally on the low side anyway (though I have no idea if JK fits this criteria.)
On a side note I don’t rate Tutto Bene at all – they are an average pasta restaurant but really deeply believe they are something more.
(When I took the wife & kids to see Chch we went there for dinner, vegetarian options on the menu for the girls were poor, and when asked they wouldn’t leave the meat out of something else would have been an awesome mushroom thing, so we went across town to studentville and had an excellent meal at Spagalimi’s of all places
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 10:28 am
RRM – vegetarians? you poor bastard.
Dimes last gf was too. Beyond painful.
Anyway, hope JK is all good
Dime likes him. As much crap as people like to give politicians, i think if youre in govt and in the top 10 its a hard job. PM must be absolute grief. No way you could wind down on a 3 week break. ya just wouldnt get to switch off. always crap coming through email, phone, txt etc
no way you could do the job unless you were physically fit me thinks.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 10:41 am
Gosh I hope so. But this is a warning. I think he is pushing himself too much. Incessant running is not that good for the body in my view. Moderate exercise sure, good diet certainly and having good genes. I note his father died young but I assume his mum lived to a good age.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 10:44 am
Dime
Don’t you love how people say, “Oh, I don’t eat meat, I’m a vegan” rather than just admitting that they have an eating disorder.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 10:57 am
tvb, he doesnt run incessantly. He runs probably around 5k at a stretch, 3 or 4 times a week. Very gentle pace, and good on him. I invited him to join me on one of my expedition type runs, he politely declined and asked how long I had been so clearly insane. I liked that
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 11:20 am
Paradise springs to mind.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 11:20 am
@Infused and PG:
See here too:
https://www.facebook.com/ONENewsNZ/posts/408597099218915
Some nasty shit
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 11:30 am
Other than his personable and likable character, what are Key’s outstanding contributions to NZ political history?
He’s been a mediocre, ho-hum PM, one who promised very much and delivered almost bugger all, and who will make a footnote as an undistinguished PM.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 11:35 am
@Manolo
Got rid of Klark the impaler.
You must admit the sun has shone a little brighter, the birds twitter a little sweeter without her.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 11:36 am
@ Infused and The Contrarian – Clare, Darien, Trevor et al will be pleased to see people following their lead…
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 11:38 am
Agreed. I’d be the first one to give JK credit for that.
I was overjoyed by the demise of the socialist spinster, as much as I am disappointed by Key’s mediocre performance as PM.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 11:43 am
Jeez I just had a micro panic attack when I thought of NZ without JK as PM.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 11:47 am
Manolo, his ambition is to become part of the furniture – bed in incremental changes by maintaining office continuity, so that society becomes accustomed to the transformation. The role model being Holyoake like longevity.
No one is supposed to notice too much change too quickly – lest it create a reaction that results in replacement in government.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 12:01 pm
I wish John Key good health and I know that in various prayer meetings we pray for him and his family. I just think he would be a lot more blessed if he got back to the basics. A good economy, getting people back to work and less government interference in our lives. Instead he is allowing to pass into law and even championing the wrong things, namely Gay marriage, gay adoption and euthanasia. He needs to change course. Then our nation’s fortunes would improve and I reckon his health would improve as well.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 1:00 pm
Anyone told him that planking is sooooo two years ago ?
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 1:13 pm
Many people fall down when they drink too much – I wonder if he was aware of this.?
As he is unaware of some many other things (like Dotcom for starters….) then I guess its possible.
Maybe hes got Banksy-itiss
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Event the elite have succumbed to chem trails. That’s why they never go to Gisbourne.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 1:31 pm
Surely I am not alone in being thankful we had John Key as PM during the earthquakes, Pike River, the GFC – he gave us support, the right words at the right time, sensible action, a good balance of carrot and stick, some humour and hope in dark times. He inherited an economy shredded by Clark and Cullen and global forces but has maintained health, education and welfare as well as welfare and has built up infrastructure.
So many of us have been able to get through the GFC relatively unscathed thanks to his government that we often forget to give thanks where it is due. It is not hard to see what we could have been like when we look at countries like Spain and even the UK which has been printing money faster than you can say Russel Norman.
Kiwis love to sneer and belittle even (especially?) when they have little to boast of themselves. No wonder we lose our brightest and best when even on this blog so many refuse to give credit to a PM and government perfect for the times. Perhaps the knockers are looking forward to the Shearer/Norman/Peters government. You’d better start hiding your assets now!
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 2:01 pm
BeaB (1,424) Says at 1:31 pm: “It is not hard to see what we could have been like when we look at countries like Spain and even the UK which has been printing money faster than you can say Russel Norman.”
You missed out the US, which apparently ‘printed’ $16 trillion from 2008 to 2010(According to the US Government Accountability Office audit.[pge.131 for a rundown of whom got what.])
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 2:06 pm
“[pge.131 for a rundown of whom got what.]“
Vote:pge.131 translates to pge. 144 in the scribed document.
January 18th, 2013 at 2:45 pm
A Lot of nasty comments in CHCH. Many don’t share your sentiments Beab.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Being from there myself, I know what a bitchy backbiting lot many of them can be. And it wouldn’t matter if we taxpayers stumped up 50 billion for the rebuild, they’d still complain and want more and want it spent differently and want black to be white and white to be black.
In difficult economic times I think we are doing the best we can as a nation for Christchurch and most of us are ungrudging about it. If it was left to them on their own the city would never be rebuilt as they’d still be arguing about a corner of Hagley Park in twenty years time. One day Brownlee will get the credit he is due for giving them all a bloody great shove and getting the city up and operating again.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 6:32 pm
I am quite sure a lot of you people don’t understand how tough it has been for those on the bottom of the pile, and their hatred of not just the rich, but especially those who flaunt it, is understandable.
Christchurch is our New Orleans and the way they have been treated is disgusting.
I say the few comments posted on those F pages are only a tiny number of the people who are sick to death of paying for these slimebags, who insist on selling our country.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 6:50 pm
BeaB @ 3.55
I am off topic but I know where you are coming from. My Sister lives in Christchurch. Her and her Husband own 3 properties and are forever going to meetings. I asked her what she is doing to help, she said “nothing, it is the Govts problem”
Typical Socialist – man does she get upset
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 7:04 pm
Beab…if you were here , you would be very on your own. Out of 50 comments re Key , only about two were positive. As for Gerry getting credit , most would rather give him a one way ticket out of here.
Vote:Most of the rebuild money will come from insurance and private money..CHCH people have been treated like trash.
You have insulted a lot of people by praising his efforts on Pike River.
January 18th, 2013 at 7:56 pm
joana @ 7.04
“CHCH people have been treated like trash”
Utter bullshit.
People have been bailed out of land that cannot be built on. The govt had no obligation whatsoever to do this – is this being treated like trash?
EQC are hopeless but what would an alternative government have done to improve their performance? Nothing as that horse has already bolted. (You can expect change in a couple of years as to how EQC will operate in future events though).
Brownlee? He has the worst job in NZ. Nothing he does will satisfy everyone. If he didn’t kick people into action then bugger all would have happened here.
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 8:36 pm
Joana, What a load of utter horseshit!
Again!
or should that be “still”?
Vote:January 18th, 2013 at 9:17 pm
@joana; your comment does not match my experience.
I live in Christchurch. In all the conversations I’ve had with friends/family/coworkers about the quakes, opinion on the government’s actions have been generally positive. There were complaints about the EQC definitely, there were complaints about insurance companies definitely. But the only complaints I have heard about Key or Brownlee have been online and/or from opposition MPs.
Much as the left is trying to talk it up, there is no surge of anti-National anger in Christchurch. The government’s response immediately after the quake was excellent. It’s actions in the aftermath have been reasonable. The half-dozen people I know who own red-zoned properties are all satisfied with the outcome.
Vote:January 19th, 2013 at 12:15 am
Likewise I live in Christchurch and have no ill feeling at all towards the way the government has handled things. It has not been perfect and would not be perfect under an alternative government.
The problems have largely been with insurance companies and EQC. Plus the CCC and infighting has been a pain in the butt. The majority of people are grateful for all that has been done in the past 2 years and in the years to come. Thank you to the rest of NZ
I wish JK well and hope that he does not have a repeat. If the same thing happened to Shearer then I’d certainly wish him well too.
Vote:January 19th, 2013 at 2:43 am
Do you ever wonder why people are losing respect for Christianity Scott? It’s not because they’re not as faithful to God as you. It’s because you dress up your hatred for a person with fake compassion and superstition, and use their unfortunate circumstances as an opportunity to attack them.
Vote: