Former National Party leader Simon Bridges says the Government did an "excellent" job handling the various unprecedented crises over the last three years.
Since forming in 2017, the Labour-NZ First coalition has had to deal with the country's worst-ever terror attack, a deadly volcanic eruption, a global pandemic and the biggest economic shock in nearly a century.
Fifty-one people lost their lives in the Christchurch mosques attacks of March 15, 2019; 21 died when Whakaari/White Island erupted on December 9, 2019; and 22 have died so far in the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen the borders closed for the first time in history and tens of billions borrowed to ease the impact of the global recession it's triggered.
Despite his bullish approach and eagerness to criticise the Government's responses while Leader of the Opposition, Bridges admitted on Friday they'd done a good job when it counted most.
"In the crises - March 15, COVID, the day-to-day stuff has been excellent," he told The AM Show. "I think though on the execution or delivery, it's an E. An E for A, B, C, D, E - not so good."
Labour MP David Parker, appearing alongside Bridges, was asked what National had done best over the last three years. His initial response was to make fun of the party's recent leadership woes - Bridges being rolled by Todd Muller in May, who stepped down just weeks later to make way for Judith Collins.
"They haven't had four leaders in two months," Parker joked, before getting serious.
"They're a credible opposition. We don't as a country suffer that terrible division a lot of other democracies seem to be going through at the moment. So that's something we should celebrate."
"We were on a foreign affairs panel last night together, and what was deeply concerning to me was how much we agreed," replied Bridges, suggesting Labour and National might be the only parties left in Parliament after September's election, based on recent polling.
Asked what he's most proud of achieving in the last three years, Parker cited the ban on foreigners buying existing New Zealand housing stock.
"I have a view that the New Zealand housing market should be for New Zealanders, and you shouldn't be outbid by a foreigner."
National opposed the ban, but Bridges wouldn't commit to overturning it should National win the election - suggesting copying Australia's system instead, which also bans foriegn buyers but has various exemptions absent from New Zealand's legislation.
"You wouldn't go back to open slather."
Despite their common ground, Parker in July said there was no chance of a grand coalition.
"We've worked well with Winston Peters, we've worked well with the Greens. We're not going to work with National."
