Editorial: Slight change of direction

OPINION: There is such a thing as a U-turn so sensible, so swiftly reactive to changed circumstance or newfound revelation, that it is at very least appropriate, and quite possibly a real credit to the person spinning the steering wheel, writes The Southland Times in an editorial.

Even when it's a politician.

Then there's the "get me outta here" U-turn that corrects a really dumb navigational error. Although this sort is no less necessary, it should leave the driver abashed.

Even when it's a politician.

We've been seeing a few of these from the National Government, albeit in the tradition of its predecessor.

In the case of the civil service shakeup, what we have at the moment is perhaps more akin a showjumper pulling his horse out of its first attempt. Another is coming, and more purposefully. The problem this time around seems to have been that the whole proposal was taken to the Cabinet without anything much in the way of detailed costings.

But a much more emphatic reversal of direction happened when Transport Minister Steven Joyce clarified that his only-just-announced review of the SuperGold Card scheme for the over-65s wasn't going to have anything to do with the over-65s themselves somehow losing travel privileges.

Heavens no. Where on earth did we get that idea? The Government is looking to make savings solely by cutting the payments to the transport operators who have been doing so well out of it, on operations like the Waiheke Island ferry.

Apparently that should have gone without saying, were it not for scaremongering.

You have to wonder what has happened to those twin pillars of successful government in New Zealand – the perception of close-knit unity and the reality of close-control leadership.

Normally either pros and cons are thrashed out beforehand around the Cabinet or caucus tables, and the MPs then head out, whether happy about it or not, either to toe the party line, or to rebel at the imperilment of their careers.

Other times, and less often, the distinction between a good idea and a bad one doesn't present itself when it's needed, so some poor sap gets to fly a kite.

Both Labour and National have done this quite cleverly in the past, when the hierarchy was unsure about an initiative and wanted to test public reaction.

But what Mr Joyce did wasn't kite flying. It wasn't that orchestrated.

Rather, it smacks of a swiftly formed plan of action that had not been thought through.

There was clearly a problem that the usage of the card – not one of National's own favoured schemes anyway – was costing more than the Government had budgeted.

This by no means indicates that the card has been been universally embraced. Far from it. And southerners are, collectively, rather ambivalent about its functional usefulness hereabouts. But its patchy use has become considerably more expensive than the Government is happy about.

Correcting (sorry, clarifying) the parameters of the card review was symptomatic of a problem. National seems, to an alarming degree, willing to leave it to its individuals to come out with policy and make it public. Then, quite often swiftly, the flaws are revealed and it's reversed.

No great harm done? Some harm, yes, and it's not inconsiderable. We look to our senior politicians, especially our ministers, for reassurance about where they see the direction of the country. A stronger sense that they know what they're doing really isn't too much to ask.

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