Wendy
Further comments post Friday’s press conference on his ‘favour for a friend’ debacle will only see government minister (and former associate immigration minister) Kris Faafoi dig himself further into a hole. An apology including your own excuses is not wholehearted neither is it unconditional.
Jumping to your own defence is lame and weak (sadly straight out of this government’s playbook,) as is refusing to offer his resignation. Faafoi needs to find a backbone.
As a public servant the New Zealand public are the ones to decide if he ‘did the right thing’ as he insisted on telling us and if there is any defence for his actions. I, for one, have found none.
Faafoi seemed not to know that he immediately put on his ministerial hat when the talk with Jason Kerrison turned towards doing a favour for him. He should have shut it down by diplomatically refusing. Not wanting to disappoint a friend during an ‘unguarded’ talk (Faafoi’s word) shows his cowardice, not kindness. He didn’t want to deal with the ramifications of a refusal, so led his friend on until the proverbial hit the fan.
Earlier on Friday the Prime Minister was opening an Auckland school and was no doubt irked to have to deal with further scandal from one of her incompetents. She dealt with it by sailing past the media smiling regally as she got into her car and ignored their pleas for comment. (Can you imagine the media wails if John Key had done that?)
Later that night on the TV news along with a replay of Faafoi’s defensive apology we also got an acceptance statement from the PM wrapping it up nicely and tying it tidily with a bow. This could be seen as a fait accompli if keeping your distance and taking no responsibility for your ministers is de rigueur for an effective leader.
A competent government led by a principled Prime Minister would have seen her take control and personally issue an apology for her errant minister’s actions and he would be gone. Faafoi’s actions in leading his friend on were morally reprehensible, even if he did not take action. The conflict of interest was clear and contravened the cabinet manual.
Opposition leader Simon Bridges informed us, post apology, he would stick to his sacking position, nicely reiterated earlier by Paul Goldsmith on The AM Show ‘I would be toast with the peanut butter being spread’. We only have Bridges’ word for that. However John Key did prove to be clinical dealing with most errant ministers, along with Helen Clark.
Ardern may see her actions as transformational but others just see her as weak and indecisive. Pragmatism helps inform her choices, with such a shallow talent pool. However she is becoming more adept at moving the goalposts, accepting lower standards and more importantly elevating herself further above the fray to avoid contamination from unpleasantness around her as we move to the end of her ‘Year of Delivery’.