ANDREW GORRIE/Dominion Post ME TOO: National leader John Key has freely admitted to visiting a strip club in his past but Prime Minister Helen Clark has said she personally doesn't find them appropriate 'entertainment'. Related Links Subscribe to Archivestuff
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National leader John Key has joined politicians from across the ditch in revealing he has visited strip clubs in the past.
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A political storm has erupted in Australia since Labor leader Kevin Rudd was exposed as having gone to a strip club in New York while on a taxpayer-funded trip.
The question of whether other politicians have frequented such establishments has become a hot topic, with some owning up, others denying and accusations over how the media came by the story about Rudd flying.
And now it has arrived on our shores, with National's Key being asked if he had been to a strip club.
Key's office told Stuff.co.nz that he had visited one strip club overseas and one in New Zealand, but that both visits were a long time ago.
Despite sending a clear signal to Australia yesterday to keep out of New Zealand politics over the issue of Air New Zealand flying troops to Iraq, when asked about Rudd's strip club visit Prime Minister Helen Clark said she had her "own personal views about it, as a woman".
"I won't comment except to say that I don't find it appropriate 'entertainment'."
High profile visitors to strip clubs have also made headlines in New Zealand in the past, with former Women's Refuge boss Merepeka Raukawa-Tait - who later joined the Christian Heritage party - causing a stir when she went to the opening of one in Wellington in 2001.
North and South Magazine's 'New Zealander of the Year' for 2000, did not think the strip club clashed with her job. It was a form of entertainment, she said at the time, and could be "very, very beautiful".
She later apologised.
The issue has been fuelled in Australia by the fact that general elections are due late this year, with the contest between Rudd and long-term Prime Minister John Howard shaping up as a massive battle.
READER FEEDBACK
I'm a 42yr old mother of six. I have a wonderful partner, who is also a loving and devoted father. I see absolutely no problem with males or females attending strip clubs.Usually it's a bit of harmless fun. Of course you have the people who always want to take it a step further. But generally you'll find that strip clubs themselves have very clear rules and boundaries about employee-client relationships. These are usually designed to protect both parties from any form of mishaps. As they say "you can look, but you can't touch". Someone who's going to touch will do it anywhere, with anyone. It doesn't take a strip club to make them do it.
Kris Mason
Why all the hoohah about visiting strip clubs? Strip clubs are just another form of entertainment for people (male and female) who like to see attractive women performing at what they do well. Helen Clark should get off her 'high horse' when she makes snide comments toward this industry from her "view of being a woman"! She should realise that the strippers are just doing a job, which is very well paid, and for which they have elected to do from their own free will. They are NOT under some form of slavery, or forced labour conditions. They are generally very attractive women with well-toned bodies, so what's wrong with them performing in a type of work that allows them to take full advantage of their natural skills and attributes. Many people, including myself, consider that Helen Clark delivers a very ordinary type of job performance, bearing in mind the income she receives for this work. She also has elected to take on her chosen role from her own free will, and, in my opinion, has many times acted in a shameful manner in representing our country. Her recent comment could be interpreted that, in her opinion, strip clubs are not a very tasteful industry I could just as easily comment from my "view of being a man" that she certainly doesn't always perform her job in a very tasteful manner! Time for her to 'come back down to ground' with the real world!
Ian L
No the strip club visit anything to be ashamed of. Everyone is entitled to a bit of down time. Take Helen Clark for example she went speeding through Timaru at light speed to get to a certain rugby match. Did she care about policemen's jobs? Mind you come to think of it she never thought much of the police.
Gavin Hill
Not an unhealthy activity to visit, as I did for my sons's stag night. Went, don't need to go again - have better at home!, curiosity satisfied and not ashamed to tell all what I found or did.
Peter Armstrong
When you are out late with business people, sometimes it seems like a good idea to go to a strip club, and from my experience, most just tag along to be polite.
Dave
Even though I believe all strip clubs should be illegal, I'll still vote for him next election. In my books he is by far the lesser of the two evils, Helen has lost my confidence three times over.
Jared Luke
A huge political storm has erupted around Australia after labor leader Kevin Rudd was found to have gone to a strip club during a taxpayer funded trip. This caused many people to ask their country's politicians questions. John Key, leader of New Zealand's National Party, has openly admitted to visiting a strip club after being posed the question by reporters.

However, unlike Rudd, Key never visited the club when he was a politician, nor on an official trip, when he went to the two strip clubs. The two trips Key has made was once as a business trip at New York while working the finance industry, and the second for a stag night in New Zealand.

Helen Clark, prime minister of New Zealand, refused to comment on the visits by Key and Rudd, but did say she, as a woman, saw it as inappropriate entertainment.

Key takes the position, however, that he would never visit a strip club now.