Andrew Dickens Afternoons

Judith Collins’ first weekend in charge of the National Party has passed and she has faced the weekend media. And shock horror, the 61-year-old veteran politician handled the questions from Tova O’Brien and others with aplomb causing an outbreak of yahooing that the tide has turned. It shows you how far our expectations of our politicians has fallen over recent times. We’ve got used to the struggles of the David Clarks and the Todd Mullers and the Phil Twyfords of this world to answer straight questions.  We’ve got used to politicians pretending to have convictions and positions and then flannelling when push comes to shove. But it all bounced straight off Judith Collins because she knows what she believes and thinks and what she will hold to. It surprised me how much relief and energy and belief swept through the National Party and its supporters because, to be frank, the policies announced were less than inspired. Collins announced a $31 billion infrastructure spend that even at first look appears to have b