COMMENT: How about Jacinda Ardern?
So the trip to New York was a PR exercise, there's no question about that. And if there was any benefit of her going to the United Nations Leaders Week, it was to fly the flag for the country.
Small nation, we box above our weight, a lot of people are interested, she turns up in American media, that's all good for the country. There's no doubt about that.
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• Jacinda Ardern hires ad agency for US trip - and taxpayer pays
But what we didn't realise is she had an ad agency in tow - that you and I are paying for.
A crew of three, from some agency called Augusto, which has a New York office. And basically they just wandered around filming her, and photographing her.
And it's not unusual for a leader to be photographed, but normally it's the office staff who do it. You know, get the ol' phone out and take a few snaps.
She had a whole ad agency with her, and she's defending it. Because they're building up library stock and you know what they're building up library stock for. They're building it up for the election, and the election campaign.
It will be Ardern and Trudeau. It will be Ardern and Trump. It will be Ardern at the UN. And you and I have paid for all of this.
They think, National, this is against the rules. Ardern defends it.
She says it's paid for out of Labour's Leader's Budget. And so you're supposed to go 'oh whew, well that's okay then'.
But who supplies Labour's Leader's Budget? We do. It's all taxpayer money.
You and I have paid for an ad agency of three people, and what do you reckon that costs?
Ardern says it's not expensive. But she wouldn't have a clue, because she doesn't give any numbers.
She says it's not excessive. But she wouldn't have a clue.
This is the party that spends $1.6 million on three days to chat about justice.
So three people from an ad agency, wandering around in New York.
And you and I have paid for that.
