If Ardern can be knighted (or become a Dame Grand Companion) for basically reading speeches in front of, like, five journalists for two years, doesn’t that diminish the recognition of people who actually achieved something impressive? It’s a bit like an honorary PhD. Does it really compare with the work someone put in over the better part of a decade to advance scientific knowledge?

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Nathan Smith is a former business journalist and columnist at the NBR. He also worked as the chief editor at the New Zealand Initiative policy think tank. He is now a freelance writer and copy editor.