HDPA on Ardern

HDPA writes:

You have to question the Prime Minister’s judgment. How good is she at running this ship? It’s now impossible not to ask that question.

The Government has had three weeks of car crash problems and Jacinda Ardern dropped the ball virtually every time.

The list of cock-ups in three weeks is astounding. International headlines over the PM’s refusal to kick out Russian spies. National headlines over the Radio New Zealand snafu. Allegations of blackmail threats over regional slush fund money. The PM’s mixed messages on the future of oil and gas exploration. The Labour Summer Camp stuff up.

What is interesting is almost all of these have involved the PM’s judgement. She decided to ignore the blackmail threats by an unnamed NZ First Minister using an NZ First backbencher. She has let Peters go soft on Russia. She did the virtue signalling on oil etc.

The impression is the new Government is at best naive, at worst (in at least one situation) potentially corrupt. Every crisis has created the sense Government MPs are still trying to figure out how to be in Government, still acting like they’re in Opposition.

Yep.

Take the Russian spies. That was a rookie mistake. Ardern should have expelled Russian diplomats as soon as the Australians did. It doesn’t matter whether they’re spies or not. That misses the point.

The point was to send a message we stand with the UK in its condemnation of Russia. Instead, New Zealand was the only member of Five Eyes not to act immediately. The incident was A-grade embarrassing on the world stage. New Zealand became the butt of international headlines.

Yep. Its the symbolism. It was about sending a message to Russia that we are united against their aggression. It wasn’t about how many undeclared intelligence agents there are.

At times like these it’s easy to blame those who give the PM advice. Her officials, her media people, Winston Peters. But again, the buck stops with the PM. She must take advice, then decide the right course.

Remember the election campaign? Ardern’s captain’s call on tax was the only mistake Labour made. It nearly cost the party the election. The saving grace was her decision to reverse that captain’s call. You have to wonder at the PM’s judgment.

Very true.