A comedy of errors
Stacey Kirk writes in Stuff on the comedy of errors that is the Government:
There was always a risk of NZ First-induced migraines when the Prime Minister signed on the dotted line to form a Government with Winston Peters.
And political soothsayers have all had short odds on Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran being one of the weaker links within Labour’s own ranks.
In a triple bill of unnecessary political dramas this week, Jacinda Ardern has been forced to battle two fires that go to the heart of her Government’s transparency and one that has left New Zealand the butt of international jokes. They’ve likely exacted a toll in the currency of Ardern’s political capital.
We’re the country with no spies!
The slowburner is the approach from Jenny Marcroft to National MP Mark Mitchell. She’s the hapless Fredo apparently sent by an anonymous NZ First Minister to make him an “offer he can’t refuse”, but she didn’t have the nous to realise the compromised position she was being placed in.
Trying to heavy the Opposition into silence by threatening to withhold Government funding for development projects in their electorates is about as mafioso as it gets; an image only compounded by the male caucus’ penchant for pinstripe suits and pocket squares.
Marcroft’s and her party’s saving grace appears to be that she is such a non-entity the threat holds no credibility without a minister to pin it on.
Ardern has sought and received assurances that no minister was behind the thuggish act, and is left with little choice but to take them at their word.
Or she could do an inquiry, as Bill English did with Alfred Ngaro when he made some silly comments at a conference. This was far more serious as this was a private threat.
Meanwhile, National leader Simon Bridges has just passed his first month in the job and is looking sure-footed in comparison, without lifting a finger.
On the contrary, he might be learning that there’s little need to go hunting for wins at all, provided he keeps his own troops in line.
The targets seem to present themselves and coming up on the horizon, when Peters becomes acting Prime Minister, a six-week shoot-out seems likely.
Going to be an interesting six weeks.