An Australian columnist has unleashed on Jacinda Ardern, saying she "excels" in "woke gesture and progressive symbolism" and is undeserving of the global reputation she has gained.
Greg Sheridan of The Australian penned the explosive column on Wednesday blasting the Prime Minister.
"No international halo is so shabby, or so fraudulent as that worn by the New Zealand Prime Minister," he wrote.
Sheridan says Ardern's policy is weak and her reputation as a strong leader is "partly" due to her being a "young, left-wing woman who gave birth in office and took maternity leave".
He also took aim at the Government's COVID-19 response, saying Ardern was "slow" to realise the severity of the virus and then responded with "overkill".
"[The Government] instituted one of the most severe lockdowns in the world. To give it its due, this was substantially effective in stamping out the virus," he said.
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He went on to slam Ardern's "progressive" government as being "bossy".
"Progressive governments have typically been attracted to the most extreme versions of lockdown possible. Progressive pol-itics is inherently authoritarian and enjoys bossing people around."
The criticism didn't stop there though - he called Ardern's failed policies "staggering" and said it was due to COVID-19 that she was able to build up her reputation globally.
"She could do her high priestess of the woke religion stuff, day after day. Validated by a swooning international media, unchallenged by a tepid and under-resourced local media, she has sold the narrative that her government has saved New Zealand."
But for Sheridan, there is a silver lining - he says that when Ardern wins - yes, he says when, not if - all of "the best" New Zealanders will move across the ditch to live in Australia.
