Mike Hosking: Delivery and confidence - that's what we want from governments

Early Edition on Newstalk ZB

I think we got enough out of Nicola Willis on the programme Friday to know that today, cabinet’s gonna sign off this money for Pharmac to solve the cancer problem.

The big outworking of this is - I hope they've learned their lesson.

This government has a couple of problems. The biggest one is the mess they inherited. We are going to spend at least the next year deep in it.

Two years of economic misery is a lot to ask of an electorate, and it's a lot to expect of a government to rectify.

Even on a good day - with plenty of intent and hard work - voters get grumpy with whoever’s in charge, whether it was their fault or not.

So given that, problem #2: self-inflicted wounds. The cancer promise was mad. It was mad because governments don't pick drugs.

That's what Pharmac is for. If you don't like Pharmac, fine, change it. But don't keep the same system while trying gerrymandering.

They also put out a list of thirteen drugs, some of which aren't even fit for purpose anymore.

And then, Problem #3: failure to deliver, I mean OMG – did they learn nothing from Labour?

And then last week, scrutiny week, Shane Reti says they'll deliver the 13. Nicola Willis says they will deliver some. David Seymour says he can't make a comment because Pharmac is independent.

Three people, three messages. Mixed messaging - is that problem #4?

So this week, an answer. And seemingly, an elegant one - more money.

The money gets spent on stuff that's needed. Not automatically the 13. It's spent by Pharmac. And it might well mean some spending on other drugs as well.

So, sorted. But big lesson: it never had to be this way.

And if all they're doing this week is handing out money, why didn't they do it in the budget when they had the chance?

Delivery and confidence, that's what we want from governments.

If this is a one off, they'll get away with it. If it's a habit. They're toast.

LISTEN ABOVE.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.