Every time I think politics has hit peak weird, something else just pops up and proves me wrong.

Well it's happened again - this time courtesy of the Prime Minister and his hair pulling antics.

I have to confess when I first saw the article posted at the Daily Blog I had my doubts. I tend to give about as much weight to the views and opinions of Bomber Bradbury as I do those of Cameron Slater. Both are political animals with hefty axes to grind and anything they say or claim has to be taken with a grain, nay a bucket, of salt. I put about as much faith in them as an atheist does in the second coming of Jesus Christ.

However checks were done, calls were made, and lo and behold the Prime Minister's office released a statement that effectively confirmed the story and offered an apology to the waitress involved.

The thrust of the article was right so respects have to paid. Firstly to the waitress for speaking out. It is never easy to go public with details that will embarrass authority figures, more so when the authority figure in question is the Prime Minister. Her actions took real bravery so she deserves to be commended for her courage. Secondly, good on the Daily Blog for publishing it. It's a story worth telling. The way those in authority interact with others, particularly those in the service industries, speaks volume as to the nature of their character. In this case John Key has been found wanting.

While it's easy to dismiss this episode as a case of kidding around, and the woman involved has referenced this herself, the fact remains there are standards to be maintained and respected in the way we interact in society. The Prime Minister is a public figure but that doesn't give him license to treat people any differently than the rest of us do. If it's not acceptable for you or I to treat a waitress, with whom we have no personal relationship, in such a manner, then it's not acceptable for the Prime Minister.

To some this incident might seem like minor abuse of Prime Ministerial power he holds and he himself has said, via his office, his actions were intended to be light hearted. But, if you look back to the Roger Sutton scandal at CERA last year, where the now former CERA boss was accused of inappropriate touching of female staff, it appears John Key does know how serious these matters are. He went on record at the time saying how he'd told the State Services Commission to investigate that matter thoroughly and be crystal clear of its footing.

He should have thought about that when he was ordering his coffee.