In part two of the year in politics 2019 (see Champs and Flops, yesterday), we asked our punditry pantheon: Give us the year in a sentence.
Gosh it’s warm today.
Alex Braae
Pitchfork politics, big improbable lies, bad hair and a 16-year-old climate change warrior whose mere presence sent a certain sub-group into an irrational hateful frenzy; every time you thought things couldn’t get more weird they just did – is it any wonder so many tuned out and tuned in to Love Island?
Linda Clark
Fucked; Australia is on fire yo.
Emma Espiner
Fucked.
Morgan Godfery
Despite it all, there was nothing new under the sun.
Liam Hehir
Inward-looking, protectionist, confused, angry.
Stephen Jacobi
The year lots of babies died unnecessarily because of anti-vaxxers.
Annabelle Lee
Don’t be a tough guy, don’t be a fool, I will call you later
Toby Manhire
Faster, yet slower.
Danyl Mclauchlan
The prime minister’s pitch-perfect response to Christchurch not only defined her leadership in New Zealand but offered the world a glimpse of a starkly different style of politics from the rabble-rousing and finger-pointing that characterises the Trump era.
Shane Te Pou
In existential crisis.
Claire Robinson
Full of hot air.
Trish Sherson