The Prime Minister’s kindness schtick is under attack after the disaster of Afghanistan caught her flat-footed. Judith Collins has wasted no time in labelling the Prime Minister “staggeringly cruel” for the way Ardern and Kris Faafoi have mishandled everything to do with Afghanistan:
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is being branded as “staggeringly cruel” by National leader Judith Collins over the pace of the Government’s response to the Afghanistan crisis.
The Prime Minister responded by saying she would “really push back” on the Opposition leader’s comments, insisting her Government is doing everything it can to help.
Ardern announced on Monday plans to send a C-130 Defence Force plane with about 40 troops to the region to bring back an estimated 53 Kiwis and 37 Afghan nationals who have assisted New Zealand, along with their families.
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This Government, through Kris Faafoi’s actions, denied 38 Afghan workers visas on July 5. Those aren’t the actions of a Government doing everything it can to help.
In fact, this Government couldn’t possibly do less to help.
They were late to the party and now are scrambling to adjust the narrative.
As the situation worsened, the Government indicated last week it was considering revisiting a 2012 policy initiated by the previous National-Led Government, which oversaw 140 Afghans – interpreters employed by the Defence Force and their family members – relocated to New Zealand.
But by the weekend, the Taliban had already taken most of the country, and the safety of Kiwis on the ground – as well as those who had helped New Zealand during its deployment – was looking precarious. By Monday morning, Kabul had been captured, and Ardern was preparing for her announcement.
Collins believes the Government could have acted much quicker. Canada announced last month it would resettle Afghans who worked with them, and the first group had already touched down on Monday.
“While our Five Eyes partners mobilised over the weekend, the Labour Government all but said, ‘we will get to it on Monday.’ The Taliban wasn’t willing to wait for business hours,” Collins said on Tuesday.
“Just last month Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi refused help to a group of 38 Afghans who worked for our Defence Force. These people are now being hunted by the Taliban for aiding Western troops and highly likely will face violence or death.
“For a Prime Minister who has built a brand of ‘kindness’, this is staggeringly cruel. Either Labour is unkind or tragically incompetent across foreign policy, defence, and immigration.”
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The Prime Minister, like Joe Biden, was on holiday as this unfolded. Her vacillation and prevarication are likely to cost people’s lives.
The plane being sent to go help hasn’t even left yet. The chances of them saving a single Afghan are remote. Jacinda Ardern and Kris Faafoi look like they will have blood on their hands by the week’s end.
No wonder a community Covid outbreak has miraculously manifested itself.
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