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There’s been a bit of comment around here lately in regard to where the old fella who runs New Zealand First is. Many are complaining that he has been nowhere to be seen and as such must be shirking, probably sneaking out for a quick fish up in Whananaki maybe.
Well I don’t think it could ever be said that I was a Peters fan, and I’m not here to protect or promote him, but I think we’ll find he’s busy working away in the background, putting out Ardern’s fires and generally doing statesman stuff.
As most regular viewers will realise, our own Cam Slater has pretty good connections, not only with those that run our country but also with those who report on things.
So when Cam tells us that Winston is busy beavering away in the background, I take it as read that this is what is happening and I can only say I am very grateful for that. God knows, someone needs to be beavering right now, the Minister for Health certainly isn’t.
There can be a fair bit of disdain from these parts when Winston does something a bit dumb, says something supercilious, or falls asleep in a meeting after a long haul flight, but hell, who hasn’t done that? The man is seventy-four for goodness sake! I fall asleep most afternoons in my old-man lounger and I’m only mid 50’s.
But of course he gets paid pretty handsomely to do his job and as the source of his funding, I guess we are entitled to see if he is doing his work and to satisfy ourselves that he is acting as the handbrake that we have so often hoped that he would be.
BFD writer Xavier has highlighted some of the work that Winston has been doing behind the scenes, helping to ensure that our people were able to get out of South America and getting Scott Morrison around to our way of thinking, looking after Kiwi’s in Oz. So there’s definitely good work being done.
At least “ScoMo” Scott Morrison doesn’t think he’s a fool and is prepared to work with him, unlike Jacinda who he seems to have no time for.
As much as we here mock Peters with the ‘handbrake’ tag, he’s actually being pretty effective at slowing the out of control Labour juggernaut. Think second attack of the firearms legislation etc.
Now I’m very conscious of the fact that Labour, and of course the toxic Greens, are there because of Peters in the first place, but, this is what we’ve got now so we’re stuck with it. And we’re likely to be stuck with it for at least another year, if not another four?
As your esteemed moderator HR has opined recently “Who would you rather have running the country right now, Jacinda or Winston”?
We all know that Jacinda Ardern is simply a figurehead. We all know that she is completely out of her depth and treading water. I reckon the only reason she hasn’t sunk to the murky depths yet is because of all the frantic hand waving. (Is it just me or does everyone think those national press conferences are like watching a spastic octopus with epilepsy trying to swat away particularly aggressive wasps?)
So who would we rather have running the country?
Davis? Nah, he’s only in the job because he can speak Te Lingo and he’s on permanent witless protection anyway.
Robertson? Well maybe. He’s at least stepping up to the mark a bit and seems to be growing into his role.
Little “Chippy” Chris Hipkins? Nope, grinning inanely while being ginger and destroying everything you touch isn’t a winning combination.
Doctor David Clark? Haha, sorry, that one was just a joke. Lolz.
Ooh I know, how about Twyford? Hmmn, funny how no one is saying “where is Twyford when we need him?”.
What about Megan Woods? No, apparently she is self isolating in a bakery so she’s not about to burst her bubble.
So that pretty much leaves us with Winston and “Angry” Andrew Little, being the only other two who have a modicum of ability. I am not sure why Mr Little has been sidelined so much lately. Yes, he doesn’t come across as the ‘kind, compassionate’ Labour Party ideal but at least he’s prepared to put in the hard work.
And there you have it. I believe that behind the scenes, this is who is running the country, Peters, Little and Robertson, and they for sure know that the emperor not only has no clothes but has no ability either.
But what would it look like if Mr Peters had bestowed us with a National led coalition back in 2017? Who would be running the country right now in our time of need?
I guess at the top and running the books, we might have had a certain Mr William English, a chap who was renowned as an excellent money manager. Ably assisted by folk like Mr Steven Joyce who has solid disaster management cred, Mrs Judith Collins who is intelligent, thoughtful, sincere and extremely capable, Mr David Seymour, who has been most excellent in opposition and Winston, who would still be doing what he’s doing.
How different things might be in New Zealand at the moment had Bill been a better negotiator?
Still, it is what it is, and it might be election year this year, so we may get the chance to decide who gets to try and pull our little country back from oblivion.
You good folks are the ones who can decide. Will it be more of the same? Being treated like kindy kids and being made to stay locked up in our naughty corners for weeks, having our livelihoods repeatedly flushed down the drain every time someone so much as coughs?
Or will we be relying on our saviours in the National Party?
How will our future look under a Government run by Bridges, Bennett, Adams and all the other dripping wet do nothings that are currently in favour on the blue side of the big debating hall?
Oh dear, perhaps I’ll just stay in my bubble and come out when it’s all over, like maybe 2024.
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