Wyn Drabble: A week’ is a long time in politics

The number of threats to our prime minister had almost tripled in the previous three years, writes Wyn Drabble. Photo NZME

Just over a week ago I was typing last week’s newspaper contribution. At that time I had no idea of the political drama about to unfold. Did anybody? I certainly never imagined I would be writing about it now.

Naturally enough the media were straight onto it but the unfortunate thing that struck me most was the level of public vitriol aimed at Jacinda Ardern. If you’re a high-profile figure, you have to have thick skin and accept criticism but there’s a huge difference between constructive criticism – even non-constructive criticism – and nasty, personal vitriol.

The social media age seems, for many people, to have given rise to a feeling of entitlement to slandering others in public, even engaging in very personal nastiness. It’s a way more serious version of throwing your toys out of the sandpit but surely just as childish.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern poses at her desk for the last time as Prime Minister. Photo / Getty Images

I seldom read people’s posted reactions after an online news story as, in my experience, I have seen them largely as ill-informed and often too personal and frequently very poorly expressed.

National PM John Key copped it too but when you saw him referred to as John Keys (or even Key’s) you couldn’t give the comments a whole lot of credence; if you’re going to criticise someone, you should at least know how to spell their name.

Unfortunately, my eye caught the first few responses to the Jacinda news and I started reading. But not for long. My stomach was already churning.

If I keep reading, I thought, I’ll lose all faith in humanity. I’ll lose sight of the fact that, although it’s the bad eggs who seem to steal all the publicity, most people are good. It is very hard to cling to that belief when you see so much personal vitriol, such violent language, such abuse.

I could not even quote some of the comments here in this newspaper because of the unacceptable nature of the language; that’s how vicious people can get.

Within hours of Jacinda Ardern’s announcement, a small group had gathered outside the Labour Party’s Napier caucus venue holding banners that I am not even willing to quote here; I certainly don’t want to publicise or promote the placard bearers.

New Zealand’s Disinformation Project director, Kate Hannah, believes Ardern has had to endure more vitriol than any other political leader in our country’s history. While this was not cited as a reason for the unexpected announcement, Hannah feels the violent abuse had to be at least a contributing factor.

And in June last year it was revealed that the number of threats to our prime minister had almost tripled in the previous three years. Freedom of speech, yes, but violent language, personal abuse and threats, definitely no.

So, I’m sorry that I have not been able to put too much of a light-hearted spin on all of this, difficult when the evidence suggests that the norms have shifted so much and that this might be the new “normal”? Social media to blame?

According to George Burns (well before social media) it used to be taxi drivers and hairdressers: “Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving taxicabs and cutting hair”.

Now it appears to be online open slather.

Next it’s Chris Hipkins’ turn and he sure has a tough act to follow. Does he have thick enough skin? Does he have the skills? Does he have enough in the tank? Can he win an election? These questions will all be answered in the near future without, I hope, the need for vitriol.

If I may even be so bold as to borrow my concluding phrase from Jacinda: “Be kind.”