If you want to land an interview with a politician, you often have to give them assurances that they’ll be lobbed a few softball questions, so that they can get their talking points across.

Clearly, that’s not how Newshub’s political editor, Tova O’Brien, operates.

Her interview with the leader of the Advance New Zealand party, Jami-Lee Ross, has been widely heralded as an example of how politicians should be held accountable for the views they hold, and share with the public, during interviews.

Ross’ party bombed quite spectacularly in the recent elections, having spent months peddling rumours and misinformation on social media about the dangers posed by COVID-19.

You may recall how New Zealand’s deputy prime minister, Winston Peters, shut a conspiracy theorist down last week (“sorry sunshine, wrong place”), and Ross’ nonsense was treated with about as much reverence by O’Brien.

She comes out firing from the first whistle, and that intensity is sustained throughout:

As the interview went viral, O’Brien’s technique was widely praised, reports the Guardian:

CNN’s Jack Tapper said O’Brien “had some fans in the US” as a result of her skilful political interviewing, while journalist Glenn Greenwald called it a “masterclass”.

“An absolute masterclass in interviewing a politician by New Zealand’s @TovaOBrien – one of the best interviews of a politician I’ve seen. Also one of the most entertaining,” Greenwald tweeted.

O’Brien has been criticised for her hardline approach in the past, and consistently put Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern through the wringer during the country’s daily briefings under lockdown, but has said she won’t change her style.

I’d pay good money to see some of South Africa’s politicians on the other side of her desk, facing the heat.

[source:guardian]