Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

PM saddened at passing of Jonah Lomu

Rt Hon John Key
Prime Minister

18 November 2015

PM saddened at passing of Jonah Lomu

Prime Minister John Key today expressed his sadness at the unexpected passing of All Black legend Jonah Lomu.

“Jonah Lomu was an inspirational athlete who was generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union,” Mr Key says.

“He was the rare combination of size, speed and power, and was a game changer whenever he stepped onto the field.”

Jonah remains the youngest All Black ever when he debuted in 1994 at the age of just 19. He went on to make 63 Test appearances, scoring a total of 37 Test tries in the All Blacks jersey.

In 2007 he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame and in 2011 the IRB Hall of Fame. He was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007 for his services to rugby.

“Jonah was not only a great ambassador for rugby union, he was a great ambassador for New Zealand, and he made a significant contribution to the community through his support of numerous charities,” Mr Key says.

“I caught up with Jonah and his wife Nadene a few weeks ago in London during his Unstoppable charity tour. He was in great spirits and moved the audience with stories from his childhood, through to his time as an All Black and the illness which ultimately ended his rugby career.

“On behalf of all New Zealanders, I thank Jonah for his contribution to New Zealand.

“My thoughts are with Nadene and his family at this time.”

ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.