No, it's not. It involves a lot of meetings with counterparts and diplomats. I shouldn't imagine it's much different than other ministerial positions i.e they all have speechwriters for public events (and civil servants to advise them), and while they are in charge of overseeing policy and action, I hope that no minister unilaterally drives New Zealand's entire policy around their portfolio.

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yeah that makes sense. I'm just wondering if the side we see in the speeches transfers through to the less structured engagements. I suspect his political nous suits him in the very political role of diplomat, as well as in his role of keeping NZF in the spotlight. Those two roles require two very different sides of himself, and he seems to play them both very well.

[–] liv@lemmy.nz 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I think it probably does transfer through. If you look at his overseas press coverage it's so different from the Winston we get here, and he seems well-respected. I've never seen him trolling foriegn press. It tends to look more like this.

It's like he's two different people.