Guy Hatchard: The Political Science of the Unbelievable

Yesterday I was enjoying a cup of tea with Gary Moller overlooking Wellington Hospital. Over the course of an hour, there were six flights of rescue helicopters presumably ferrying injured or sick people for emergency treatment. Gary tells me the current frequency of these flights is very often at a rate unprecedented over the many years he has lived there. At night we hear the wailing of ambulance sirens.

Wellington is the seat of government. I wonder if our politicians have noticed? Or are they just putting a brave face on the carnage? When they read the international papers, do they wonder about people collapsing or dropping dead suddenly? Are they concerned about the record levels of excess mortality? As very few of them answer the concerned emails of their constituents, we can only guess what they are thinking. We have entered the political era of the unbelievable. Don’t ask, don’t answer, and talk about something inconsequential.