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The Soap Box: Ardern and the 'experts'

Author
Barry Soper,
Publish Date
Wed, 21 Mar 2018, 6:06AM
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters (Photo NZ Herald)
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters (Photo NZ Herald)

The Soap Box: Ardern and the 'experts'

Author
Barry Soper,
Publish Date
Wed, 21 Mar 2018, 6:06AM

 

It's been a bit of a task trying to keep up with the number of working groups, advisory groups, reviews and investigations the government has announced since coming to power, as they've been rather frequent.

But the count is 39 in just five months - which averages out to one new announcement every four days.

And with each fresh announcement the opposition pounces, bemoaning the fact we have yet another one of these groups or reviews - but haven't seen any action.

So that's a lot of announcing and bemoaning in just five months. 

But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern isn't concerned or apologetic about the volume of these kinds of groups and investigations.

She says that this is a new government and this process is about getting the experts in to examine everything so that they have all of the information they need to make some significant decisions.

She also points out that governments do this all the time, but it's just that hers has been more open and public about it.

Because a big element of these groups and reviews are about consultation and wanting average Kiwis to have their say. Asking them to let the Government know what they would like to see.

Now that could either be seen as a government that wants to work in cooperation and doesn't want to dictate to people how things should be. A government that wants to be considered and make sure it gets things right. 

Or it could be seen as a government that doesn't have ideas of its own, doesn't know what the right thing is, and one that is stalling, or dodging issues.

If you're outsourcing to experts all the time, it's inevitable that you send the signal that you're not an expert.

For example, how to solve the problem of freedom campers is an issue that resulted in a working party. Local stakeholders are come up with ideas on how they think the government should fix the problem. When this was announced Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis said "it's important that I don't just come in here pretending like I know what all the solutions are".

Is that a sign of a government that recognises locals sometimes know best...or of a government that doesn't know what to do.

That's certainly the way National sees it - that despite having nine years in opposition, Labour still needs time to do their research before coming up with policies or legislation.

But Jacinda Ardern has said this initial flush, is just a flush - a chance to get stuck in on all the work now, so they can get on with making significant decisions and changes - and as it's early days for this government, they need a bit of time.

Because it has only been five months - and nine years in opposition means nine years of policies you disagree with to unpick.

So while it may seem exorbitant, Labour can be afforded some more time before we judge whether all of these working groups and investigations have been fruitful exercises or stalling tactics.

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