PM does question time in Sumner

MARC GREENHILL

Last updated 05:00 07/05/2011

 

A puppy, river and lolly dispenser would be part of a Christchurch school's revamped hall if pupils had their way.

Sumner School's new hall was opened yesterday by Prime Minister John Key, after the February 22 earthquake delayed its original opening planned a day later.

Sumner principal Stuart Cameron said that while the children's ideas were welcomed, a more functional design had been created by architects who were all parents of pupils.

"I don't think we were able to achieve all those [ideas], but I think we've done pretty well anyway," he said.

Sumner had been hit "pretty hard" on February 22, but residents' input into the school hall project was a "blueprint" for the quake recovery, Cameron said.

Key said he liked the idea of free sweets but knew how addictive they were because his sister once worked in a lolly factory.

He had praise for how well the Sumner community had dealt with the quake.

At a mock press conference, pupils questioned Key about his workload, taxes, earthquake recovery, his preferred super-power and his favourite moment of the royal wedding.

"We see you on TV a lot. What else do you do?" one asked.

Key insisted he put in "a lot of hours" each day.

"I pretty much get up about quarter to six in the morning and I get to bed about midnight or 1am," he said.

He told pupils his favourite part of the royal wedding was the Queen showering confetti on Prince William and his bride as they left Buckingham Palace.