Today, Jessica Mutch interviewed Jacinda Ardern and Labour’s new deputy leader Kelvin Davis, with Scoop reporting:
Q+A: Jacinda Ardern and Kelvin Davis
JESSICA What is the Jacinda effect? Tell me about it.
KELVIN Well, I will. Look, the Jacinda effect – pure optimism. When we look over the other side of the house–
JESSICA How long will that last for, though?
JACINDA How long will I be optimistic?
JESSICA No, how long will the effect last for?
KELVIN Let me tell you this. We look over at the other side there, and we see a prime minister with a personality of a rock. We’ve got the Jacinda effect.
JESSICA That’s a bit harsh.
KELVIN And then we’ve got Paula Bennett, who’s mastered the Lyn of Tawa effect. We’ve got Jonathan Coleman, the doctor of death. We’ve got Steven Joyce, who’s as authentic as a $4 Rolex. We’ve got Gerry Brownlee, who’s got the energy of a small hill. We’ve got Simon Bridges, the only person under 80 who still buys Brylcreem. And Judith Collins. Look, her stare caused that ice shelf in Antarctica to crack off and float away.
JESSICA On behalf of the National Party, I think that’s a little bit unfair. But tell me about this Jacinda effect–
This might seem a bit negative by Kelvin Davis, but it’s actually clever politics by Labour. The opposition needs to attack the National party while also promoting a positive message to the public.
Having Ardern conveying a progressive message and being genuinely affirmative while her deputy dismantles National’s front bench will be driving them crazy. They cannot attack Ardern without looking nasty and if they attack Davis nobody will care.
It’s likely that National’s flatfooted stooges will instead continue their personal attacks on Metiria Turei. Having a Green party MP do anything wrong is unique, and National's propagandists will try to capitalise on this for a very long time.
Let’s hope the Green party also has a game plan to once again positively gain the media and publics attention, particularly for their comprehensive environmental policy and social justice initiatives.
