Clark knew his time was up
Departing Health Minister a liability for Labour’s election plans
After hearing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern talk about her heart-to-heart conversation last week with David Clark, the only surprise was that it took him almost another week to actually resign as Health Minister.
She clearly wanted him to reflect on his future and resign following the public outcry over the news video showing Clark talking about Ashley Bloomfield while Bloomfield himself watched on self-consciously.
There was no contest against the super-hero status that Bloomfield earned during the height of the Covid19 pandemic.
Ardern and Clark came up with the face-saving lines that he had recognised he had become a distraction for the Government’s focus on combating Covid-19.
In truth he had become a distraction for the Government’s aim of retaining power and, worse, an electoral liability.
Such was the visceral reaction to imagined hurt on Bloomfield’s face that Clark could not recover in the public’s estimation.
The proverbial shutters were not only down on what he said, but the public was throwing rocks at them and eroding support.
The Government lost control of the Covid agenda last week.
Ardern shifted into emergency mode on Monday and announced she would resume the podium for Tuesday and Wednesday to give Covid updates. Megan Woods and Air Commodore Darryn Webb would take the Thursday slot and Grant Robertson the Friday slot.
Clark did not help himself. He was remarkably slow in assuming any ministerial responsibility for the testing failures in managed isolation.
Bloomfield needed to take responsibility for the failures and did; Clark needed to take responsibility for his failures of oversight and did so reluctantly.
In the end, it was not about who was to blame and who was responsible. Lines of accountability and logic were not relevant. David Clark was costing Labour support and he had to vacate his post.
Ardern was right not to have sacked him at the height of the crisis for his 20km trip to the beach for a walk. National leader Simon Bridges at the time agreed with her that the focus had to be on the response. She read the mood of the country then. She has read it again yesterday.
Were it is not such a vital portfolio as health, he may have been able to shuffle into the background until the September 19 election and be reassigned something less challenging under a Labour win.
But given the importance of the portfolio in the time of Covid, and the importance of the portfolio to Labour, Ardern needed someone she could totally depend on.
The fact she has given it to Education Minister Chris Hipkins shows how limited her options are.