I get a lot of texts about coming on the show but this one was from Stuart Nash.
He wonders why I haven't called to talk to him about his stats on arrests of gang members. It's a good news story, he says.
I think that’s fair enough, we give the Government a good session of accountability each day. No one holds them to account more than us.
To his credit, Nash is a regular listener and despite the fact he personally takes a fair bit of heat on this programme, he's never run for the hills like some did.
I want to talk to him about the retail crime stats. That's how these things work - he wants on, I see an opportunity to get a few answers about other matters, we set it up.
That, sadly, will be the last time he appears here as Minister of Police and if he could have his time again, would he text me wanting on the program?
Part of his downfall is his desire to show he is doing the right thing.
And that is the sad part about yesterday. His heart and intention are in the right place.
The original reason we got him on this show years ago on a Wednesday was because we saw him as a centrist. In a party of crazed ideologues, he was comparatively normal.
And on matters like police there is no doubt he is passionate about it and fully understood the trouble his Government is in with crime.
All he could ever end up saying though was that we put 1400 more cops on the beat. Would he personally have liked to have done more and been tougher? No doubt.
But in a Government like this with your Kelvin Davis' and Andrew Little's, you're hamstrung.
So, by default he turns up here and wants to talk tough. He wants to be seen as, at least, defending his corner. I ask him about charges not leading to judicial consequences and whether the judiciary is the issue. I ask that for very deliberate, and fairly obvious, reasons.
Often I can guess the answer but I hope for something a bit illuminating.
Yesterday we got it.
That, for all the consequences that came out of it, is the real world. Nash was being honest - of course he calls Andrew Coster. Wouldn't you? Aren't you frustrated at judges that are soft?
Police oppose bail to no effect, sometimes they don’t oppose bail, and criminals walk and thumb their noses.
Yes, to do what he did is, of course, against the rules. And yes, he should have engaged his brain before he spouted off here.
But you saw the real frustration of a minister not getting what he needs to get in an election year where crime is out of control.
Say what you want about Stuart, but of all the people they could have lost yesterday he was far from the worst of them.
Mike Hosking is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently hosts The Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB on weekday mornings.
That, sadly, will be the last time he appears here as Minister of Police and if he could have his time again, would he text me wanting on the program?
Part of his downfall is his desire to show he is doing the right thing.
And that is the sad part about yesterday. His heart and intention are in the right place.
The original reason we got him on this show years ago on a Wednesday was because we saw him as a centrist. In a party of crazed ideologues, he was comparatively normal.
And on matters like police there is no doubt he is passionate about it and fully understood the trouble his Government is in with crime.
All he could ever end up saying though was that we put 1400 more cops on the beat. Would he personally have liked to have done more and been tougher? No doubt.
But in a Government like this with your Kelvin Davis' and Andrew Little's, you're hamstrung.
So, by default he turns up here and wants to talk tough. He wants to be seen as, at least, defending his corner. I ask him about charges not leading to judicial consequences and whether the judiciary is the issue. I ask that for very deliberate, and fairly obvious, reasons.
Often I can guess the answer but I hope for something a bit illuminating.
Yesterday we got it.
That, for all the consequences that came out of it, is the real world. Nash was being honest - of course he calls Andrew Coster. Wouldn't you? Aren't you frustrated at judges that are soft?
Police oppose bail to no effect, sometimes they don’t oppose bail, and criminals walk and thumb their noses.
Yes, to do what he did is, of course, against the rules. And yes, he should have engaged his brain before he spouted off here.
But you saw the real frustration of a minister not getting what he needs to get in an election year where crime is out of control.
Say what you want about Stuart, but of all the people they could have lost yesterday he was far from the worst of them.
Mike Hosking is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently hosts The Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB on weekday mornings.
4 comments:
in view of all the circumatnces the beat up on Nash by National seemed gratuitous. But a beat up over the forrestry problems would be entirely appropriate.
Does not change the fact that he has proved that he certainly lacks the qualities to be a competent or trustworthy minister of anything.
After all Aaron "Do you know who I am?" Gilmour had to resign from parliament.
Strip Nash of all of his port folios and demote him to the back benches. Better still sack him.
Mike, please tell your daughter to have a listen to Kathy Mattea and also Mary Chapin Carpenter, I was introduced to them when I was teaching in Vancouver during the early 90s. For something country alternate put her onto Rednex, the female vocalist has an incredible voice. Kiwialansz@hotmail.com. PS , I think Stuart should do the decent thing and step down from all his Ministries, consequences of actions.
Judges, like politicians, act with their personal safety in mind. Especially worrisome when dealing with eccentric gun owners. The Chch rampager escaped close Police scrutiny. It would be a bold cop who visited such a nutter at home and told them no go with their toys. The walk to the car to leave would be harrowing. A few years ago a farmer beyond Rissington was shot apparently just for not allowing a hunter on his property. Similarly with so many nutters evident at Waitangi each year and in the grounds of parliament it is a bold politician who takes a strong line with maori.John Key was very soft on them but still maintained a huge security contingent, and not entirely for their boyish company. It is in maori interests to amintain a high level of inherent threat, and they do. The gangs, haka and associated cultures a major component
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