John MacDonald: I thought we were over celebrity politicians

Paul Henry is everything Christopher Luxon isn't. He’s everything Chris Hipkins isn’t. He’s everything his potential new boss, ACT leader David Seymour, isn’t.

Which is why his announcement that he’s standing in this year’s election has taken a lot of people by surprise. And has got some people excited.

But aren’t we over celebrity politicians? I certainly am.

Nevertheless, if there was a political party in New Zealand that Paul Henry might be a good fit for, philosophically, it would be the ACT Party.

But is he a good fit for Parliament? Or is Parliament a good fit for him?

Or, more to the point - is this personality and wit that people are talking about - are they the kinds of things we need in our politicians right now?

I don’t think so.

It’s what the ACT Party needs right now. Because, of the three parties in the current coalition government, it needs a bit of a boost.

And there’s no doubt that Paul Henry’s announcement has put the spotlight on the ACT Party.

But, a lot of the time, publicity doesn’t lead to substance or delivery.

Take Jacinda Ardern, when she became leader of the Labour Party just weeks out from the 2017 election, she was a publicity darling.

She was someone who could spin a good yarn. A great communicator, as they say. But we all got sick of that.

And, as Thomas Coughlan points out in the NZ Herald, Paul Henry’s announcement yesterday was a communications “masterclass”.

Thomas writes: “After a brief introduction from Seymour, Henry gave probably one of the best ‘new job’ press conferences since Dame Jacinda Ardern’s famous 2017 effort after becoming Labour leader.”

He does point out, though, that there were some differences.

Yesterday, Paul Henry wasn’t facing the full gallery of political journalists. He didn’t need to defend any policies. And he didn’t have to look like he could credibly be Prime Minister in a matter of weeks.

Nevertheless, he made a good fist of it. Which you would expect from someone who’s been in the public eye for yonks. Who is well used to talking about himself in front of an audience and who has a truckload of experience in the live broadcast environment. Where you have to think on your feet all the time.

No wonder David Seymour and the ACT Party welcomed him with open arms. Because they need him way more than he needs them. And he has said as much.

But I thought, after the Jacinda Ardern experience, that we were over celebrity politicians.

I certainly am. Which is why I can’t get excited about Paul Henry potentially being in Parliament after this year’s election.

Because I don’t care about charisma. All I care about is substance.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Morning's Podcast with John McDonald
from News Talk z'b Paul Henry.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Now, Paul Henry is everything, Christopher Luxen isn't. He's everything,
Chris Hopkins isn't. In fact, he's everything. His potential new boss,
ACT leader David Seymour isn't, which is why his announcement

(00:35):
that he's standing in the Say's election has taken a
lot of people by surprise and has got some people excited.
The question is thought, aren't we over celebrity politicians? I mean,
I certainly am. Nevertheless, if there was a political party
in New Zealand that Paul Henry might be a good

(00:55):
fit for philosophically anyway, it would be the ACT Party,
wouldn't it consider this? Is he a good fit for parliament?
Or otherwise is parliament a good fit for him? Or
is this personality and wit that people are talking about
have been going on about over the last eighteen hours

(01:18):
or so, are they really the kinds of things we
need or want in our politicians right now? And for me,
I don't think so. It's certainly what the ACT Party
needs right now. Because of the three parties in the
current coalition. It needs a bit of a boost, and
there's no doubt that Paul Henry's announcement has put the

(01:40):
spotlight on the Party, which, let's face it has been
certainly lacking in the personality department, and a party in
the situation it's in could be forgiven for thinking any
publicity will take it. Any publicity's good publicity. But a
lot of the time publicity doesn't lead to substance. It

(02:03):
doesn't necessarily lead to delivery. Does it take someone else.
Jacindra a dune when she became leader of the Labor
Party just weeks out from that twenty seventeen election. She
was and whatever you think of it, whatever you think
of her, you got to admit she was a publicity darling.
She was someone who could spin a good yarn. She

(02:25):
was at a great communicator, as they say, but we
all got sick of that. And as Thomas Coglan points
out in the New Zealand Herald Today, Paul Henry's announcement
yesterday was a communications master class. That's what he's say,
Thomas writes, quote after a brief introduction from Seymour, Henry
gave probably one of the best new job press conferences

(02:48):
since Dame decinder A Dune's famous twenty seventeen effort after
becoming labor leader. Thomas goes on to say a press
conference that marked the start of Jasindomania. Remember that He
does point out, though, and his peace in the Herald,
that there were some differences. Yesterday Paul Henry wasn't facing
the full gallery of political journalists, which would have been

(03:11):
different kettle of fish. Thomas says, he didn't actually need
to defend any policies, and he didn't have the pressure
of having to look like he could credibly be Prime
Minister in a matter of weeks. So you know, it
was similar but a bit different as well. Nevertheless, he
made a good fust of it, which you would expect,
wouldn't you from someone who's been in the public eye

(03:31):
for Yonks, who was well used to talking about himself
in front of an audience, and someone who has a
truckload of experience in the live broadcast environment where you
have to think on your feet all the time, especially TV.
You know, so he's done it all, which is why
when he decided just very recently too, by the way,

(03:52):
when he decided just very recently that he was so
unhappy about where the country's heading that he had to
stop complaining for the site from sidelines and you know,
do his bit when he decided that it's no wonder.
David Seymour in the ACT Party welcome to him with
open arms, ah, because they need him way more than
he needs them, and he said as much as well.

(04:14):
But this is what it comes down to for me.
I thought after the disindera Durn experience that we were
over celebrity politicians. Well I certainly am, which is why
I can't get excited about Paul Henry potentially being in
Parliament after this year's election because I don't care about charisma.

(04:34):
All I care about is substance.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
Canterbory Mornings. For more from Caterbory Mornings with John McDonald,
listen live to news talks It'd be christ Church from
nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio