Former Deputy Prime Minister Sir Jim McLay has been quietly shuffled into a cushy diplomatic role in Hawaii.
It comes a day after NZ First leader Winston Peters blasted the Government's so-called "white bro-rocracy", with plum appointments to overseas posts -- and this one wasn't even publicised.
Sir Jim -- mentor to John Key, former National Party leader and deputy prime minister to Rob Muldoon -- now gets a lavish pad just a block from the beach in Honolulu in his acting role as Consul General.
It looks exactly like one of the "bro-rocratic" appointments Mr Peters was talking about: "I'm talking about far too many white males from NZ politics being put in positions off shore. I mean they barely put a woman there."
The luxury digs in Hawaii have been vacant since late last year when Robert Kaiwai left for the private sector.
Usually every diplomatic appointment is announced; however this time Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully discreetly slotted him in.
"The Ministry are presenting recommendations to me now, but I was keen not to have a gap there in what we regard as an important post," says Mr McCully.
The UK High Commission -- an important job that got Winston Peters started on the "bro-rocracy" -- was expected to go Speaker David Carter.
However, today he ruled out taking the role saying that despite persistent speculation, it's never been his interest or intention to take the job.
Mr Carter reiterated that he's honoured to be Speaker and wants to carry that on as long as his parliamentary colleagues back him.
Murray McCully also ruled out taking the post, saying he would refuse to take the job in London if he was offered it.
He does have someone in mind though -- not a "bro-rocrat" this time.
"I'm not going to tell you who that is," he says, "but as far as I'm concerned it definitely will not be a politician."
A non-politician in the London job will be a break with tradition and a break with the white "bro-rocracy". Seven of the last 10 people posted there have been retired white male politicians.
Newshub.
