PM John Key not coming to Parachute

Prime Minister John Key has told organisers of the Parachute Christian Music Festival that he won’t be attending the festival this weekend after all.

Ahead of the festival organisers said Mr Key’s attendance at the Mystery Creek event near Hamilton looked likely. After the event kicked off yesterday they said that he would not be attending.

Mr Key became the first New Zealand Prime Minister to attend the festival last year.

He appeared on Mainstage, where he bantered with Parachute founder Mark de Jong, and spent the morning mingling with festival goers.

His attendance prompted speculation that he was after the Christian vote ahead of last year’s election.

Phil Goff, then leader of the opposition Labour party, also attended last year.

Mr Key’s press secretary told the Waikato Times, this morning, that Mr Key would not be attending because he was at a unilateral cabinet meeting with the Australian cabinet in Australia. He will not be returning until Monday when the festival wraps.

Deputy Prime Minister Bill English, who usually attends camps at Parachute with his family every year and was instrumental in getting Mr Key to attend last year, is also absent this year. He too is in Australia with Mr Key.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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