Kate Hawkesby: Poto Williams is acting immaturely and naively

This Government has an image problem and that may be partially reflected in their poll result.It's the bury the head in the sand approach - 'I reject the premise of the question', nothing to see here.But worse than that now I think, is this push back we're seeing where the Government is gas lighting its critics.If you dare to question co-governance, you are racist.If you criticise a female minister you are sexist.And now, Poto Williams has taken it next level - she's claiming that saying the Government is 'soft on crime' is a gendered issue and an attack on her, because she's female. Are you serious?That one is a such a stretch it's hard to believe she even said it out loud, but then she did also call the Police's handling of the Parliamentary protest "fabulous".That was her word - "fabulous".I can think of a lot of other words to describe how Police handled the Parliamentary protest but 'fabulous' isn’t one of them.But to think that soft on crime is a personal attack on her for being a woman? That's madness.I mean, if she was paying attention, and thinking rationally, she'd know the person most in the spotlight as being soft on crime is the Police Commissioner Andy Coster, widely known as ‘Cuddles Coster' because he is so soft on crime.So how can she claim it's a gendered or sexist issue against her, because she's a woman, if the person in for that criticism the most - is in fact a man? It makes literally no sense.And this is the new low of worryingly low bars inside this Government.To question or criticise anything they suggest or do, is to be 'attacking them'. In a position of public office you need to be accountable, you need to be up for robust debate, you need to be able to defend your policies and your decisions, without descending into name calling of anyone who questions it.This gas lighting shows an immaturity and naivety, but also an unwillingness to accept that they're paid by us, to work for us, and to be accountable to us. It's public service.They are not there to arrogantly stand at pulpits and declare that anyone who disagrees with them must be crazy or sexist or racist or fascist. It's just not how it works.Simon Bridges made a very good point in his valedictory last night when he said politicians have to watch that debates don't become too narrow, too watered down, just because people get scared to have them. We have got to be able to be honest as a democracy and have robust exchange of ideas, without feeling like we're going to be sidelined or ostracised or labelled, just because what we said doesn't match their ideology. We are allowed to question, we are allowed to hold them to account, we are allowed to have opinions and views on their policies and ideas because I'm sorry Poto, but that's how democracy works.Not every criticism is 'gendered' just because you're a woman.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.