Many Kiwis wake up to a whiteout, economy proves resilient post-Covid and why more are taking 'extreme measures' to avoid socialising in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
OPINION:
As if the Government didn't have enough trouble a year out from the election, they are starting to look like a party set on self-destruction.
The economy all by itself is going to be a massive headache for them next year, before you get to policy ideology like co-governanceand Three Waters, not to mention their social insurance scheme and so-called industry-wide fair-pay arrangements.
Connected to some of the more unpopular ideas is the Māori part of the Labour caucus who appear to, 1) wield an undue amount of power, and 2) look like they are keen to wreck the joint.
Last week's Kantar poll once again confirmed what a battle Labour already have, a trend that's been in place pretty much all year, and now you can add three key players who are refining the art of the own goal.
1, Kelvin Davis last week had his Michael Cullen "rich prick" moment. It's the value of the House and question time. When you get under the skin, the truth sometimes comes out. We got to see the real Davis, and it was ugly. In Britain, Rupa Huq displayed similar qualities and got suspended. Jacinda Ardern was never going to suspend Davis, which is part of the problem — she couldn't because of the Māori caucus push back and because she's not actually good at that stuff anyway and would rather hope that her problems go away.
So the same crime, but different outcomes ... depending whose Labour party you're dealing with.
2, Nanaia Mahuta apparently has an astonishingly skilled husband. Never has the public service seen such a genius in arranging meetings.
A skill so heavily in demand it now needs the Public Service Commission's attention. Skills so singular that many a ministry decided that they didn't even need to take their requests to the market. One agency has already looked at its processes, and wouldn't you know it — there were deficiencies.
Willie Jackson, Kelvin Davis and Nanaia Mahuta. Photo / Mark Mitchell
And then 3, Willie "I know broadcasting" Jackson.
It takes quite a skill to undermine people the way he did last week. Apparently, TVNZ and Radio New Zealand are not to be trusted anymore. And it's only by banging those square pegs into round holes that somehow under the Jackson magic, trust will be restored.
He had to backtrack of course and that is one of Willie's many problems: he is a big mouth.
If you haven't followed it, the vast majority, if not all of the rest of the media, have lined up to tell Jackson his idea is a combination of pointless and expensive.
It might have come as a surprise to Jackson but a lot of us in the industry know what we're talking about, we've been around a while, worked for a fair few people, seen a lot of different models, and know a bad idea when we see one.
Also as part of Jackson's unique view of the broadcasting landscape, he tells TVNZ it's they who have to change their outlook not RNZ, because RNZ "gets it".
We had all assumed it's the other way around, due largely to the fact that TVNZ is sort of successful, as opposed to RNZ whose audiences have slumped badly in recent years. The point being, no matter what sort of broadcasting you're doing, you need an audience, and TVNZ appears more capable of that than RNZ.
It becomes even more imperative if you're using other people's money. What's the point of hundreds of millions of dollars for something no one hears or watches?
The upshot is the minister has got up the nose of the whole industry, and given his party a headache it doesn't need. It's hard to know what's worse, being active and trouble, like these three, or under the radar like Poto Williams or Tāmati Coffey.
Either way, if the PM has the stomach for it, she might like to tell them to pull their heads in before they bury the whole party.
