MAXIM INSTITUTE Chris Hipkins’ trust challenge

• Author: Jason Heale Communications manager
• Published date: 26 January 2023
• Publication title: Northland Age, The

But there’s a deeper problem our new PM must contend with; the issue of trust in institutions, particularly in the Government. A recent NZ Herald poll showed 32 per cent of respondents found the Government untrustworthy, and 15 per cent found them very untrustworthy. The Herald also found that 64 per cent felt the country had become more divided

It is important to remember that leadership choices and decisions have far-reaching consequences. Leaders are responsible for the environment they create. Cheerfully saying that you are happy to create a two-tier society with vaccine mandates after consistently rejecting the idea erodes trust. Trying to vote through an entrenchment clause in the already controversial Three Waters bill does the same. As do financial stimulus packages that exacerbate the gap between rich and poor.

Please note that this is not to legitimise threats against people in leadership positions; certainly, there was a rise in threats against Jacinda Ardern, which is unacceptable.

Some commentators insist there are other forces at play. Former Prime Minister Helen Clark weighed in, saying, “We’ve become very polarised ... I think it is time to reflect as a society how we’re letting ourselves be so divided.” Others suggested it was misogyny, saying, “I don’t know that she got the same amount of credit that she might have got if she was a man.”

But former senior ministerial adviser for the last National Government...