Jones doing his job - advocating for regions
The honeymoon is over. Well and truly.
We know that because the best man, who can usually be relied on for an entertaining, cheeky, occasionally mildly offensive, speech has delivered quite the shocker. One to get the bride’s eyes rolling and skin a darker shade of indignant red.
The last couple of weeks have been a true test of new Prime Min- ister Jacinda Ardern’s "relentless positivity". Her still fresh political union, this potential marriage of inconvenience, has displayed its first cracks.
Cracks that Regional Development Minister Shane Jones is threatening to bust wide open.
The man who wants to put all of NZ first, not just the well-heeled, highly populated bits, has his sights set on Air NZ, and particu- larly those running it. He’s accusing the national carrier of running down services in the regions to run up profits for foreign fat cats and the uncaring corporate class.
For its part Air NZ is reminding the Government that its majority stake in the company doesn’t give it a say on strategy or operations.
Jones, of course, is in the wrong. Just as Air NZ shouldn’t interfere in the politics, neither is a minister allowed to muscle in on their business. Even if he represents a sizeable portion of those with a sizeable portion of the airline’s ownership.
But Jones and ’ wrong’ have their own understanding, a marriage of convenience that allows him a leeway few others can claim, or would ever aspire to.
His comments might inspire a sharp intake of breath by his prime minister - he goes too far in calling for heads to roll - but there will be a corresponding release of tension from those Kiwi quarters forced to cope with the ongoing withdrawal of vital services and infrastructure.
It is not relentlessly positive in those smaller places where banks, post offices and schools have closed; where transport options are fewer and those between.
Jones is right to highlight that cutbacks in flights and services run counter to regional development - his job - and represent a sorry trend.
He’s right to suggest, albeit forcefully, that Air NZ should consider its role and impact in all of New Zealand, not just the most accessible and profitable bits. And left far also the weight of any possible ’debt’ owed to a nation that bailed the company out of trouble and still owns a majority shareholding.
Jones has again inspired worthy debate, and debate inspires and invigorates a robust democracy.
And potentially a good marriage.
Even if that causes the occasional blushes for the bride.