I feel the need for a lie-down. The reason being that I find myself in agreement with two contributors to a weekend newspaper that I am normally at odds with. First, there was Audrey Young followed by the younger Lizzie Marvelly.
Audrey’s article had a great headline- New type of leadership needed from Ardern. That fact has been obvious for the last two years but the big question is whether she is capable? Audrey starts her article with the inevitable praise for the wonderful job Ardern did a year ago in Christchurch. Most of us would be charitable enough to acknowledge that she did do well but I’m beginning to think that we won’t be allowed to forget it. Audrey intimates, correctly, that the handling of Coronavirus is a very different matter.
Audrey points out her duties as Brown Owl (that’s a hoot) this week, reinforcing the way to wash hands, sneeze and cough. That is all well and good but she then makes the following observations:
- Ardern needs a good nose for where things can go wrong in the multiple layers of official advice being tendered.
- Ardern needs to know when to ask the tough questions of officials.
- Ardern needs a finely tuned ear to detect flannel over fact.
Audrey says that while Ardern has appeared incredibly well briefed at the recent press conferences she and “wingman” Finance Minister Grant Robertson have not been tested in this crisis – nothing like it. Wingman in its true meaning is that he is her right-hand man, or should that be person? I would like to use the word in a very different way – that in terms of his ability in his portfolio he wings an awful lot of it. This does not give confidence with regard to a possible upcoming recession.
It was interesting that the wingman was due in Australia for talks with his Aussie counterpart this weekend but cancelled at the last minute. As he’s also Minister of Sport I could bring the coincidence of cricket into this but I shall refrain. So if cricket wasn’t the hidden agenda why was he going? To get ideas? To find out how to handle a crisis? The point is his priority is to be here working on a package for assisting businesses and protecting jobs. The US, UK, and Australia have already done so. As Audrey points out, a recent survey shows that’s what most people are concerned about.
Audrey pointed out that Ardern has a busy weekend reviewing border restrictions and preparing the finance package. I trust it’s not her actually preparing the package although it’s questionable whether the finance man will do a better job. Maybe they’ll decide to just wing it.
Lizzie will have to wait for another day.
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