The AM Show co-host Duncan Garner has come out swinging at Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, saying that overseas views of her as a hero are "shallow".

His comments came after National Party Justice spokesperson Mark Mitchell appeared on the show to discuss a prisoner who was released after he went on a 25-day hunger strike.

Ardern is yet to comment on this situation, and Minister of Corrections Kelvin Davis released a statement saying it was an "operational matter" and would have little further to say.

Garner says Ardern distances herself from "tough issues" like this.

"She dodges questions and doesn't say what she really thinks - if she thinks anything at all.

He believes the foreign view of her is "like reading kids a picture book".

"The viewpoint overseas is shallow... they don't see the detail.

"Yes, overseas she's regarded highly. New York - regarded highly. New Plymouth - I'm not so sure."

Co-host Mark Richardson adds that her empathy is only part of the job of running a country.

"On empathy, she passes with flying colours. On actually running the country, well she fails miserably. And they don't see that overseas."

But co-host Amanda Gillies has a different view of Ardern.

"The sky hasn't fallen in New Zealand. We're okay," she says.

Watch the full video from The AM Show here.