Hang on, Girl: Do not be distracted by Pundits of Doomsday

Thakur Ranjit Singh

It appears the curse on Labour Party of having a deficient and wanting media and communication cell has weighed down on the Party since leadership era of Phil Goff, David Cunliffe, David Shearer and Andrew Little. And that jinx seems to be an obstinate one, has not been exorcised and stuck on for the millennial Labour Prime Minister and Hail Mary conversion scorer, Jacinda Ardern.

While having the blessings of Opposition Leader, Simon Bridges digging a hole in the travel leak fiasco, she nevertheless is cursed with some right-wing commentators in certain mainstream media. We get an impression that such commentators are doubling as cheerleaders of the National Party, and still haven’t fathomed the fact that we have a change of government now.

Jacinda Ardern, the first ever millennial Prime Minister has been carving out  a new culture granting natural justice to those caught in disciplinary issues. While she is seen as a PM with a heart, unfortunately her government appears to be cursed,  by her media team unable to communicate, project reality and facts to the general public and counteract many media wolves trying to devour this Government. 

Lest I be accused of hate speech, one glaring fact in New Zealand is that the mainstream media is still very White. Despite some plea, even the Labour Party did little to colour its media team. What I am writing should have been written by one of their well-connected and well paid media expert, and not this Fiji Indian, writing voluntarily for his blog, FIJI PUNDIT.

There is no problem in having an Anglo-Saxon (White) team. Nevertheless, their weakness is lack of exposure to alternative kaleidoscope, and missing on diversity of wider views appropriate to a rapidly changing world.

Some mainstream commentators, including Mike Hosking and Matthew Hooton, among others appear to be spin doctors of the opposition party, tainting the fourth estate with their questionable and unbalanced views, masquerading as neutral media commentary.

In fact such blatantly blinkered media commentary haven’t gone unnoticed. One NZ Herald writer observed: 

Has there ever been a more concerted attempt to undermine a NZ government than that we are seeing from the National Party and its apologists such as Hooton, Hosking and Business NZ? If it weren't so serious, it would be seriously funny.

There is a frenzy of views on Ardern’s lack of business experience, drop in business confidence and her lack of decisiveness in party discipline. The latter refers to Labour youth conference scandal, and issues affecting two of her Ministers. They expect Ardern to be her brother’s keeper. While the editorial writer of NZ Herald could appreciate the issue on cabinet discipline, some of its celebrated columnists and radio commentators appear to be very naïve.

While being accused by some blinkered media commentators of lacking decisiveness, she nevertheless has proved to be  PM with a heart, and can be firm and resolute when need arises. Unfortunately she has been subject of unbalanced media commentary.

NZ Herald of Saturday 1 September, 2018 really summed it well when it rejected former Labour Party President, Mike Williams’s contention that such lack of discipline reflected a lack of training for those appointed ministers.

The Herald corrected him, by stating:

Voters and taxpayers have a right to expect that all of the people a political party offers for election - let alone those chosen to be ministers in government- possess the personal qualities needed at any level of leadership.

The question that arises is, did Clare Curren and Meka Whaitiri meet this criteria? Do you expect Ardern to nanny-sit these two, or any Ministers, who are experienced in management in their own rights? Should she be held responsible for their lack of judgement? And should she be castigated for what comes naturally to her - having a heart? Why should she not allow them natural justice that her older predecessors may have denied them? Should heads roll for all moments of indiscretion? (Read Bill Clinton)

We have for the first time in New Zealand history, a millennial Prime Minister. Being of the new generation, she introduced immense personal charm and aura. Having delivered for the vulnerable and the so-called underclass in our community, she has proved she also has compassion for poorly paid people ignored by previous governments.

Thankfully, Ardern rightly lacks ruthless and cold-blooded management style of her predecessors. She believes in natural justice and has a right to carve out a new culture that delivers mercy. That is where lack of diversity in media becomes noticeable. Kiwi journalists need to appreciate the Pacific Way of leadership with compassion, humanity and forgiveness. This is not a sign of weakness.

Media has failed to acknowledge her virtue and justice in halting undeserving pay rises for highly paid parliamentarians as well as state Chief executives in recognition of so many lower paid people who really deserve a pay rise.

Neither have these media commentators given her deserving kudos for outstanding achievement in working with the “enemy.” The fact that she has roped in rock star chief executive of Air New Zealand, Christopher Luxon as chair of Prime Ministerial Business Advisory Group speaks volumes for her charm offensive. As we are aware, Luxon was caught on the wrong side of Shane Jones, when Jones criticised Air New Zealand for ignoring the region and calling Luxon to resign and enter politics if he wanted to play politics. 

Working with the "enemy": Air New Zealand CEO Christopher Luxon  heads Prime Ministerial Business Advisory Group, despite being caught on the wrong side of Regional Minister Shane Jones.  Jacinda Ardern's ability to build and mend Bridges (pun intended) has not been recognized by certain section of the mainstream media.

And the fact that she has not reigned in Jones makes sense, and speaks highly of her maturity. Government needs a loose cannon the boom of which can open up the eyes and ears of corporate that were seen as treating the region with scorn and arrogance. Jones deserved the loose rope that Jacinda has given him - he is a hero to a great number of people who have been victims of big corporate (read Air New Zealand, Warehouse and, Australian Banks, among others) and had nobody speaking for them until Jones came on the scene.

The pundit of doomsday need to realise that so-called lack of economic confidence is not supported by economic indicators. (That will be visited by FIJI PUNDIT in another article). Media commentators who humiliate the Fourth Estate need to realise that New Zealand now has a new government. It has the agenda to correct weaknesses they inherited: skills shortage, lack of investment in productive sector (inflated house price is not productive), under-investment in infrastructure, low productivity, low-wages, environment neglect and little care on social welfare with an obsession for healthy books but extremely unhealthy everything else.
 

Shane Jones, the secret weapon, a loose cannon that the government deservedly needs. He has been given a loose rope to tie in delinquent corporate who have been used to bullying public under protection of previous government they supported. He is seen as the savior of the region.

Perhaps it is not too much for an ethnic (read Fiji Indian) journalist to request better understanding from the mainstream (read Anglo Saxon) journalists who need some refresher course on ethics, morals and balance in journalism. Hope that is not asking too much from a media which still fails to reflect the country’s demographic colour in its newsrooms.

Sadly, political parties also mirror such deficiency, including PM Ardern’s Labour Party.

[Thakur Ranjit Singh runs his blog, FIJI PUNDIT, and is a media commentator]