Nick Offerman gushes over New Zealand's ability to 'act like grown ups' during COVID-19 pandemic

Actor and comedian Nick Offerman has praised New Zealand's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, telling The Project NZ it's only added to his list of reasons he's jealous of the country. 

The Parks and Recreation star was speaking about his new reality show Making It, a crafting competition series he hosts alongside Amy Poehler, but he couldn't resist including a shout out to the way Kiwis have coped with coronavirus. 

"Give my best to the gang - and nice job!" Offerman said at the end of his interview with Project NZ host Jeremy Corbett.

"I'm jealous of New Zealand in many ways, but recently, I'm very envious of your leadership and your ability as a civilisation to band together and act like grown ups," he added. 

"[You're] listening to the scientists, instead of the politicians. So hats off." 

While Offerman didn't name names, his comments appeared to draw comparisons between NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and US President Donald Trump. 

Ardern's swift lockdown measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic have been widely praised around the world and upheld as a "very systematic" response by the World Health Organisation. Conversely, Trump's erratic, "belated" actions have been dubbed a "failure" and accused of "undermining scientific expertise".

Offerman's show Making It airs Thursdays, 7.30pm on Three.