TheHerald’s Dilemma

The Herald must find itself on the horns of a dilemma.

On the one hand, it wants to show itself as supporting the national interest – hence its commendable campaign to achieve a 90% vaccination rate.

On the other hand, it wants to ensure that the government loses the next election to National (or even, heaven help us) Act – hence its determined efforts to undermine the government by constantly chipping away at it on a number of issues and from a number of viewpoints.

The dilemma arises because it can achieve the second objective of undermining the government only by fragmenting the national effort to counteract the pandemic – an effort whose best chance most of us see as lying in a nation-wide resolve to stay strong, as represented by a government whom, and whose strategy, the people trust and support, as the polls show.

So, which is it to be? The standard-bearer for the national interest or the scourge of the government in the “National” interest?

Bryan Gould
3 October 2021