Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: It took courage for Goldsmith to turn up to the Silver Scrolls

Now, there's a headline today that deserves a bit of discussion. It's this: "Silver Scrolls: Why does Paul Goldsmith keep turning up to these things?"

And the reason for that headline is that Paul Goldsmith went to the Silver Scroll Awards and, yet again, the musicians gave him a hard time.

Madeleine Sami, who was the MC, got up and started it off with, "You're brave." Then Rob Ruha got up to collect an award and said, "Kick these punks out." Then Don McGlashan, who you know can get feisty about this stuff from time to time, said, "Send these ideas back to the Dark Ages, where they belong."

And Paul had to sit there in the audience and take it. Every time his name was mentioned, according to this particular report, someone in the audience made retching noises.

So he went home early. And frankly, who can blame him for going home early? Because he copped it.

And remember, this is a pattern now. He copped it at the Taite Music Prize in May. He copped it at the Aotearoa Music Awards from Lynda Topp mid-year. And frankly, not everyone can take that kind of heat without reacting or crumbling.

Just think about Chris Bishop, who went along to another music event and got a bit mouthy when protest flags were raised.

Personally, I actually think Paul Goldsmith deserves respect for turning up despite the hostility. He should turn up. That's what politicians and ministers have to do.

Politicians should have the courage of their convictions and, if they make decisions that people don't like, still face those people and hear what they have to say about it.

But it does take courage to do that. It's hard.

It's an interesting contrast, I think, to the admission from Jacinda Ardern's former press secretary that the real reason she stopped doing interviews with Mike Hosking was because he wasn't being nice enough to her.

So contrast that with Paul Goldsmith. Rather than asking, "Why does he keep turning up to these things?" maybe the comment should be: "Good on him for turning up to these things."

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