NZ Initiative, Summarised by Centrist
The beginning of Hipkins’ tenure as Prime Minister could not have been any better, but public opinion in New Zealand has turned negative.
There is hardly any area of public policy that is not in crisis right now: cost-of-living crisis; crime; education; and health. Hipkins is also wrestling with internal governmental turmoil.
Some problems can be attributed to the policy choices made by his predecessor (and indeed his own policy choices since he was a prominent minister in Ardern’s government). But he has also been badly let down by ministers who should have known better.
Politics is all about narratives.
Hipkins’ narrative now is that of a prime minister presiding over a disintegrating government that has lost control of key areas of policy.
Betting markets currently see a 1 in 3 chance of Labour remaining in power.
There is only one certainty. Whoever may be Prime Minister after 14 October will inherit a deeply troubled nation.
