Politically speaking however, any leader of any party needs to be able to stand before the nation with self confidence and a degree of presence, with integrity a must, even when ominous clouds within their party are gathering.
Muller failed politically, not personally. In many respects, to fail politically may, I believe, be a very good indicator that you are up in the stakes governing good personal qualities, as backed up by surveys which put politicians as professionals among the lowest ratings for public esteem.
Muller should take comfort in the fact that most of the nicest of people don't take up politics and politicking but for those who do, I think they should be sure they know how to play the game while maintaining personal integrity.
PAUL BABER
Whanganui
Lore and order
The two-page expose concerning the iwi roadblocks during lockdown (Chronicle, June 14) has brought cheer to my otherwise sad body. The author, David Fisher, detailed the whole sorry debacle and exposed the difference between the law of the land and the lore of Māoridom.
I feel totally vindicated in that I wrote two letters to the Chronicle that never saw the light of day and yet David Fisher's article mirrored my attempted missives.
He reaffirmed my concern that although the action taken by iwi was illegal in every sense of the word some shonky perspective at governmental level enabled the new Commissioner of Police to authorise the positioning of police at these roadblocks, thus giving the impression of legality.
Please do not get me wrong, I do not question the intention of iwi in restricting entrance into areas where they have a predominance, but I wonder if a couple of mates and I (non-Māori) established roadblocks on SH3 and SH4 to protect the citizens of Whanganui they would have lasted more than a few minutes.
[Abridged]
D PARTNER
Eastown
