The resignation of Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has given rise to the question of whether he should be knighted for leading New Zealand through the COVID-19 pandemic.
While it's too late to sneak him into the Queen's Birthday honours in about two months' time, he could be a good bet for New Year's.
AM's hosts discussed that on Thursday's show, with newsreader Bernadine Oliver-Kerby saying that's where the line should be drawn.
"Stop right there. He has done a great job. He looks like a lovely man, very personable, highly intelligent, but he is doing his job. One thing that really, really grinds my gears, people getting knighthoods for doing their job. Yes, he's has done an incredible job, but that was the point of him being there."
Co-host Melissa Chan-Green said Dr Bloomfield had done an "extraordinary job" leading the country's high response through a pandemic and should be recognised.
Ryan Bridge said while the Director-General had done a good job overall, "there were parts of the job he could have done a lot better like being a little more honest and upfront about some of the stuff-ups... around testing".
"He is a master of the dark arts that man too."
Watch the full debate above.
