Days before the country goes to the polls, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was berated by Australian political commentators with one writing wearing a “shabby, deceptive halo” and another that her signature policy has become a “signal flaw”.
But the overseas snipers angered some ardent Ardern advocates, who labeled the comments “idiotic”. Australia is a “sad country” and Aussies should “leave New Zealand to the kiwis”.
New Zealanders will vote on Saturday. According to opinion polls, Ms. Ardern’s Labor Party has almost 50 percent of the votes required to govern independently without a coalition partner.
The Nationals, much like the Liberal Party of Australia, lag behind in the polls, but chairwoman Judith Collins hopes to create a stir and form a government with the help of the libertarian ACT party, which could become the kingmaker in a close vote .
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On Thursday the NZ Herald published a piece with excerpts from The Australian, Sydney Morning Herald and the BBC under the heading “Oz Columnist Swipe at Ardern”.
It contained an editorial published in The Australian, owned by the same company as news.com.au, by Greg Sheridan.
“No international halo is as shabby or as fraudulent as Jacinda Ardern’s,” said the political writer.
Sheridan compared the Prime Minister to the Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews.
“They are characterized by waking gestures and progressive symbolism. Their real political successes are minor or negative. ”
In the opinion, some of Ms. Ardern’s strengths were recognized.
“She almost wiped out COVID-19 … and she responded to the Christchurch massacre with moral clarity and decency.”
Still, he wrote, she was a “poor prime minister” whose party received fewer votes than the opposition in the last election, but was “almost accidentally elected under the Byzantine protocols of her country’s eccentric electoral system”.
RELATED: Follow our coverage of the New Zealand elections on Saturday October 17th
„VIRTUAL ARDERN“
Sheridan wrote that the global Jacindamania was based on being a young left woman born in office.
“It’s all wonderful, but it has no impact on political performance.”
He said the world is in love with a “virtual ardern” that bears little resemblance to reality.
Australia would accept more refugees per capita than New Zealand, the article said, and New Zealand’s COVID-19 successes were partly due to its isolation, and the lockdowns were “excessive”, which shattered the economy.
Sheridan said key policy goals such as eradicating homelessness, reducing child poverty and improving transport had been largely missed.
The NZ Herald also published less-than-flattering remarks from the Sydney Morning HeraldPeter Hartcher on the same topic of political failure.
“She has taken power and promised to solve real world problems. A signature promise – the affordability of living space – has become a signal flaw.
“New Zealand real estate prices are some of the least affordable in the world. Prices in Auckland are not as fancy as Sydney or Melbourne, but they are more inaccessible than in London or New York when measured against average income. ”
The BBC also mentioned its Australian correspondent Shaimaa Khalil, who came up with the criticism of how much had really changed under Mrs Ardern’s Prime Minister.
“During her stormy first term, Jacinda Ardern has kept a message of kindness.
“But when she tries to find another term in power, critics say it takes more than kindness and charisma to get the economy going and lift tens of thousands of people out of poverty.”
‘LET NZ THE KIWIS’
A post of the article about NZ HeraldThe Facebook page attracted 1,300 comments.
One said the criticism was a “smear campaign” that “kiwis will see through”.
“Australian journalists criticize politics in New Zealand? Maybe they should focus on their own internal political chaos, ”said another.
“Take care of your own sad country. Leave New Zealand to the kiwis, ”was another comment.
However, one commentator who claimed to be a Labor supporter agreed with many of the observations made by various international commentators.
“I have concerns too. Housing and poverty keep getting worse. ”
“Ardern is a fabulous person, but not a policy maker and has no real direction for New Zealand,” said another.
“Quite right,” was a concise comment.
RELATED: How New Zealand Opposition Leader Judith Collins plans to beat Ardern
Regardless of the opinion of the overseas experts, however, it is becoming more and more likely that Ms. Ardern will frolic home.
Surveyor Roy Morgan said today that Ms. Ardern was set for a “devastating” election victory on Saturday.
The organization predicts support for Labor of 47.5 percent, but for nationals only 28.5 percent.
While Labour’s coalition partner New Zealand First has slumped to just 2.5 percent, Ms. Ardern’s party could still form a government with support from the Greens and their potential 12 seats.
But they may not even need the support of the Greens as Roy Morgan predicts in a poll that Labor with 61 seats in parliament will only squeal a majority with 120 seats, 15 by 2017.
“Jacinda Ardern’s crucial actions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in March and April are key to Ardern’s re-election,” said Michele Levine, CEO of Roy Morgan.
“Support for National is unchanged, indicating that new executive Judith Collins has not seen a surge in support since winning the top job just three months ago.
“National will get the worst result in an election in more than a decade.”
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