Subscribe to Archivestuff Have your say Everyone has their heroes. Whether yours is a family member, a movie star, a sports legend or even a political leader, elevation to cult status is based on a subjective set of preferred qualities. One person's hero can be another's zero.
That is why Prime Minister Helen Clark is full of admiration for the first Labour prime minister Michael Savage, while National leader John Key's political role models include former National prime ministers Sid Holland and Keith Holyoake. It is not just political beliefs but race, social status and age that determine who is a hero and seldom does one person capture the hearts and minds of an entire population and prompt a collective swelling of chests. Sir Edmund Hillary did it when he "knocked the bastard off", as did Peter Jackson when he conquered Hollywood.
But last week saw the birth of the next true Kiwi hero. Corporal Willy Apiata emerged from the secret world of the Special Air Service with a tale of daring straight from the pages of a Commando comic. He did what most men, if placed in similar circumstances, could only dream about doing.
He picked up a severely injured comrade, slung him over his broad shoulders and hauled him 70 metres through a strafe of bullets to safety and medical help. His reward the first Victoria Cross won by a Kiwi since World War II was a proud moment for all New Zealanders. And as sure as eggs, the Government made sure that when he emerged from the shadows they were riding shotgun, firing accolades with more ferocity than an insurgent ambush.
You cannot blame them for joining rank. It is a tried and tested formula for anybody seeking greater status. Surround yourself with heroes and something might rub off.
Corporal Apiata's actions became the genesis of a PR dream. It may be more than a coincidence that at the same time word was filtering back to the Beehive that attempts to have Corporal Apiata's deeds recognised with the country's highest military honour were likely to succeed, Defence Minister Phil Goff announced to a select committee that he planned to pull back the veil of secrecy surrounding the SAS and its actions. At the time, he said people would be "overwhelmingly proud" of what the SAS did.
It was a dramatic about-turn from the previous pigheaded policy of maintaining SAS secrecy seemingly at pain of death. Other countries were more open about their special forces' movements, a sign that New Zealand's secrecy was more about minimising the collateral political damage of being seen to support the United States in its war on terror, rather than any risk to operational safety. The ridiculousness of our hush-hush policy was highlighted in 2002 when US media published the location of an accident in Afghanistan that injured three Kiwi SAS troops information that officials in New Zealand tried to keep under wraps.
Only in the past 18 months has the country started to shake its almost pathological anti-American sentiment. In the 24 hours before the Government announced Corporal Apiata's decoration a week ago and there was no way anyone else but Miss Clark was going to break the news it worked furiously to make sure it ran smoothly. Corporal Apiata was given a once- over and the message to the ninth floor from its spies was that he was perfect media fodder earnest, humble and photogenic.
He was given a crash course in dealing with the media and then put out to woo the nation. Given the guarded nature of SAS soldiers and their activities, it is unlikely anything will surface to backfire on the Government. If Corporal Apiata is upset that his new exposure has virtually wiped out his chances of future operations with his SAS buddies, then he is not letting on.
And the prime minister has an uncanny ability to detect trouble from 20 paces. She would have run a mile if there was any suggestion his gallantry was less than that portrayed. It would have been seen as a safe bet, and rightly so, to get a piece of Corporal Apiata and bask in his reflected glory.
Painting a picture of success is the priority for any political party. The Clark government has separated its successes and aspirations into three areas; economic transformation, families young and old and national identity. It is the third tenet that has always been hard to define.
Is it anything that promotes pride in the country? Certainly under Miss Clark the role of our small- but-perfectly-formed military which, with the exception of the SAS, has been used almost exclusively for peacekeeping missions has been a metaphor for New Zealand's role as a peace- loving nation. The America's Cup team straddles the fence between national identity and economic transformation.
With $34 million of taxpayer dollars to fill its sails, Team New Zealand lost its final race and their chance to be yachting champions by just a second. That did not stop the H-word from coming out again. Miss Clark labelled them heroes for coming so close, but unlike Corporal Apiata, this accolade did not stick.
At least they were able to claim an economic windfall from the investment. The challenge pumped at least $85 million into the economy, with the team paying $22 million in tax, according to Sports Minister Trevor Mallard who, surprise surprise, was in Valencia with the team ready to shake hands and slap backs if victory was theirs. Already $10 million has been pledged for the next challenge and, while other cash-strapped sports codes may grumble, it is tough to criticise.
The economics are good and the latest regatta has undoubtedly raised New Zealand's profile on the world stage, if not to a level the Government wanted. Luckily there are more potential heroes waiting in the wings. The All Blacks go into the World Cup this year, again as favourites.
While history has not been kind when the men in black go into the tournament with the weight of the nation's expec tations on its shoulders, that pressure will be there. If they win, there will be parades, parties and one of those parliamentary receptions where the players stand around looking bored and divide their time between scoffing hors d'oeuvres and signing autographs. And as sure as Corporal Apiata has cemented his place as a living legend, the Government will be there with fawning speeches and bright smiles to claim its share of the glory at least till the next hero comes along.
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