John Armstrong has rated the first year performances of the Cabinet Ministers in the Labour-NZ First government (Greens are missed, presumably because their ministers are outside Cabinet).
Labour ministers:
- JACINDA ARDERN, Prime Minister, Arts, Culture and Heritage, Child Poverty Reduction. Score: 9/10
In short, Ardern is a class act. The public is entranced by her. - KELVIN DAVIS, Corrections, Maori Crown Relations, Tourism. Score: 2/10
…has been a huge disappointment in Government.
- GRANT ROBERTSON, Finance, Sport and Recreation. Score: 8/10
As solid as the proverbial rock. Has done much to dispel Labour’s “spend, spend, spend” reputation
- PHIL TWYFORD, Housing and Urban Development, Transport. Score: 7/10
And he may well get close enough to claim victory from the jaws of defeat.
- MEGAN WOODS, Energy and Resources, Christchurch Regeneration, Research, Science and Innovation. Score: 6/10
Smart and feisty, she is one to watch.
- CHRIS HIPKINS, Education, State Services. Score: 6/10
Walking a tightrope on teachers’ pay.
- ANDREW LITTLE, Justice, Courts, Treaty Negotiations. Pike River Re-Entry. Score: 8/10
Little has flowered into being one of Labour’s ministerial stars.
- CARMEL SEPULONI, Social Development, Disability Issues. Score: 5/10
…it is taking a long time for anything to happen in her portfolio.
- DAVID CLARK, Health. Score: 6.5/10
…is not looking like ending up being a loser.
- DAVID PARKER, Attorney General, Trade, Environment, Economic Development. Score: 7.5/10
Labour’s wise owl. Not just smart, but street-smart to boot.
- NANAIA MAHUTA, Māori Development, Local Government. Score: 5/10
Pretty much invisible media-wise. But has quietly worked away…
- STUART NASH, Police, Fisheries, Revenue. Score: 6/10
Has hardly set the world alight.
- IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY, Workplace Relations, Immigration, ACC. Score: 5/10
Prior to this week’s snafu over his decision to grant New Zealand residency to a Czech kick-boxer serving time for drug-smuggling, he had impressed as someone solid, careful and unflappable in portfolios…
- JENNY SALESA, Building and Construction, Ethnic Communities. Score: 3/10
Who?
- DAMIEN O’CONNOR, Agriculture, Biosecurity. Score: 7/10
So far, his decisions seem to have been all the right ones.
NZ First ministers:
- WINSTON PETERS, Foreign Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister, State Owned Enterprises, Racing. Score: 8.5/10
Deserving of huge plaudits for refocusing New Zealand’s foreign policy…Deserving of equivalent-sized brickbat for his obvious, but yet-to-be explained, reluctance to admonish Russia…
- TRACEY MARTIN, Children, Internal Affairs, Seniors. Score: 6/10
Martin stumbled badly in her handling of the inquiry into the appointment of Wally Haumaha…Far more important as far as her party is concerned is that the flow of bad-news stories seeping out of Oranga Tamariki… - RON MARK, Defence. Score: 6/10
At long last, New Zealand has a defence minister who actually wanted the portfolio. - SHANE JONES, Regional Economic Development, Infrastructure. Score: 8/10
…a Comedy of Errors or All’s Well Which Ends Well. On his current form, you have to lean towards the latter.
More details: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/john-armstrong-s-opinion-rating-ministers-in-labour-nz-first-cabinet