It seems to me that there are certain kinds of people whose minds seem to operate with an understanding that getting something done is not as important as the perception by others of getting something done. A characteristic of the ‘socialist mind’ perhaps, in the sense of living firmly in the world that people create amongst themselves, whilst being relatively detached from the physical world where logic prevails. Politicians and particularly the kind of politicians in our current leftist/greenie government in New Zealand, it seems are of that ilk.
The current government really do seem to be unable to distinguish the Politician’s syllogism from reality:
- To improve things, things must change
- We are changing things
- Therefore, we are improving things.
Though its more like:
- To improve things, things must change
- We have created a working party and are spending money therefore we must be changing things
- Therefore, we are improving things.
So by promising to build 20,000 houses in 3 years, putting a minister in charge 
and calling it Kiwibuild we are improving things.
Similar to the ‘gun buyback scheme’, which was a knee jerk reaction to the Christchurch mosque massacre. We’re doing something, therefore we are improving the situation.
There’s an associated idea that ‘improving the situation’ is good enough. No need to solve the actual problem.
The same applies to ‘climate change’ related legislation and taxation. Never mind that those don’t in reality achieve anything (apart from damaging the economy), as long as we’re perceived as being engaged in dealing with the ‘climate emergency’.
No doubt most of those politicians really do believe this it is a reasonable goal to be seen to be doing something as a useful goal in its own right, almost irrespective of reality. Social momentum (that translates into votes) is enough reality.
So almost everything is about token gestures, virtue signalling, and immediate perception, as long as it can be achieved by banning, taxing, or in some cases liberalising … thinking about the impending referendum to legalise cannabis. However anything that requires planned systemic change, setting the vision and an organised plan to get there, is beyond their interests and experiences it seems (no ex military generals here).
Also though, the people on the ground doing the work, the public servants, particularly more senior ones, are equally, overly concerned with ‘look and feel’. A low paid public service does not attract top performers of the sort needed to tackle the challenges involved in successfully achieving substantial change.
Current Government’s socialist psyche together with too many incompetent ministries appears to be a perfect storm of non achievement.