Jacinda Ardern – How will her five years in power be remembered?
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7:13 am, January 24th, 2023 - 52 comments
Categories: Andrew Little, assets, bill english, chris hipkins, election 2017, election 2020, election 2023, elections, helen clark, jacinda ardern, labour, polls, privatisation -
Tags: chris hipkins, coronavirus, jacinda ardern, Labour leadership, Labour Party, leadership, nick kelly, nz labour party, they are us
Originally published on Nick Kelly’s blog
Last week people in New Zealand and around the world were shocked to hear that Jacinda Ardern had resigned as Prime Minister. An unexpected end to her extraordinary five years in this role. Her exit, like everything else she had done as a leader, was on her terms.
Jacinda Ardern has surprised people throughout her political career, not least when she took over as Labour Leader in August 2017. She took the New Zealand Labour Party from a long way behind in the polls to government in just a few weeks.
I first heard of Jacinda Ardern just after the 2008 election. Labour had just lost power after nine years in office. Ardern was one of the new MPs being touted as the future of the party. At that time I was not a party member, having left in 2002 and did not rejoin until 2013. Whilst I was hearing Jacinda’s name a lot, much of the noise was from the Wellington bubble and party insiders. It was only later that I, like most New Zealand voters was to see the political force she really was.
I first met Jacinda at Labour Leadership campaign hustings in Auckland in 2014. She was Grant Robertson’s running mate and I was the campaign manager for Andrew Little, who went on to narrowly win that leadership contest. We were standing outside this hustings event leafleting for our respective campaigns. I realised just before the meeting that my cell phone was about to die, so asked if I could borrow her charger. Unfortunately, she did not have one, and for the next 90 minutes, I nervously watched my phone’s battery bar decline.
Jacinda came in as a list MP, having unsuccessfully contested the safe Tory seat of Waikato in 2008. In 2011 and 2014 she ran in the Auckland Central electorate, which prior to 2008 had been considered a moderately safe Labour seat. Jacinda was unsuccessful both times and remained a list MP until 2017 when she won Helen Clark’s old electorate of Mount Albert. Shortly after this, she became Deputy Leader of the Party.
Up till this point, Jacinda only had limited support outside the political bubble in Wellington. She was a strong performer in parliament and from 2014 onwards had started getting some very good soft media building her brand as a relatable politician. But it was once she became deputy leader that her profile really began to grow. When polling started to show her personal support was ahead of the party leader, her promotion was only a matter of time.
In August 2017, just a few weeks out from the New Zealand General Election, Andrew Little resigned as party leader as it was clear that he was unlikely to win. A few days later Jacinda was elected leader. In the days that followed Labour’s polling numbers started to bounce. As the campaign wore on, National Party (the NZ Tory Party) Prime Minister Bill English, who had taken over the role only a few months earlier, began to sound rattled. By the time of the main leader’s debates, Jacindamania had taken hold.
Despite all this, it was still far from certain that Labour could win the election. After nearly a decade of polling behind the National Party, the last-minute polling surge still felt like it could still fall away again.
In my blog post from 2020, I described the last time I met Jacinda, just one day after she became the Leader of the Opposition:
A few weeks before leaving New Zealand, my friend Rob and I were in Burger Fuel on Cuba Street the hipster trendy part of Wellington. Piko was renting an office space in the old Wellington Trades Hall and we were doing painting and renovations of the space. In our crappy paint-covered work clothes we sat in Burger Fuel when Rob alerts me to who had just walked into the restaurant. 24 hours beforehand, Jacinda Ardern had replaced Andrew Little as leader of the Labour Party. We both knew Jacinda so said hello and talked about the Stand with Pike campaign we had been working on which Jacinda had pledged to support a few hours before. This slightly awkward conversation with the new leader of the opposition did not last long. None of us, I suspect even Jacinda, knew that in a few weeks’ time, she would achieve one of the greatest upsets in New Zealand’s political history and become Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Government: Style over substance or a guiding light for progressive politics?
A few weeks later I moved to London. By the time I had left, the polls had narrowed and it looked as though the election would be close. I arrived in London on Monday 11 September, and that afternoon went down to New Zealand House in Haymarket to vote for the New Zealand Labour Party. Whilst I wanted NZ Labour to win, I still did not believe they would. As I watched the election results come in just under a fortnight later, it still seemed like the National Party would just hold on for another term. But a series of factors conspired, resulting in what is still one of the most surprising NZ political victories in living memory.
Social democratic values and policies are in fact far more aligned with the New Zealand public than the Tories. I believe the same is true in Britain, as I outlined in my blog posts on why the UK Labour Party lost the 2019 election. Yet in both countries, the Tories win more elections than they lose. In the years 2008 to 2017 when the NZ Labour Party were in opposition, Labour policy often had far more support than the Labour Party. For example the Key Governments’ partial privatisation of state-owned assets in 2011 which Labour opposed. On that specific issue, polls showed public opposition to privatisation. Yet in 2011, National was easily reelected and Labour’s share of the vote declined.
Jacinda’s strength as a leader became apparent during the 2017 campaign. She was able to bridge the gap between policy and people’s perceptions. She convince people that Labour values were aligned with their own, in a way that many of her predecessors simply had not. Her warmth, her strong communication style and her positivity gave a human face to centre-left politics, one that voters could relate to.
The results of the 2017 election were close, and whoever formed a government would need to form a multi-party coalition. Here again, Jacinda showed skill and strength by being able to build bridges with New Zealand First, a socially conservative centrist party, and the Green Party. This required compromises which disappointed much of Labour’s base, yet got Labour into Government so they could implement at least some of their policy agenda.
Over the last five years, Jacinda has held up as a model of progressive political leadership throughout the world. There are many examples of where she has shone as Prime Minister. The best example is her response to the Christchurch Mosque shooting in 2019:
Her statement immediately following the attack against the Christchurch Muslim Community was clear “they are us” , a clear condemnation of Islamophobia by a world leader. When Donald Trump asked what he could do to help Jacinda replied he could show “sympathy and love for muslim communities” Jacinda and Gun Control
They are us. Three words to the Muslim world showed compassion, humanity and inclusion after an act of evil.
The New Zealand Government’s initial response to the pandemic in 2020 was another example of strong leadership. In crisis management, it is crucial that you quickly assess the relevant information and then act decisively. The decision to close the border and put in tough restrictions was not an easy thing to do, but it undoubtedly saved thousands of lives. Not least as the health system Labour inherited when they came to power in 2017 had been badly underfunded and under-resourced for a decade. After only 30 months in power, there had not been enough time to turn this around. The restrictions were tough both for people in NZ and for people like me living overseas and unable to return. Much as people may now blame Jacinda and the Labour Government for the tough restrictions, they might also want to consider the impact of National’s mismanagement of the health system for nearly a decade. This mismanagement of the health system left it vulnerable to collapse during the pandemic.
In October 2020, Arderns’s Labour Government won the biggest majority of any New Zealand government in half a century. Jacinda’s crisis management and clear communication during Covid, the Mosque shooting and the White Island eruption all contributed to this victory.
After Labour won its second term in office, I outlined some of the challenges the government would face:
The coming term will not be an easy one for Labour, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rumble on and the world plunges into the worst financial crisis in decades. On Saturday Labour were rewarded for their handling of the crisis so far, but the hard part is yet to come. On the one hand, they need to rebuild the NZ economy at a time when international tourism is dead and export markets are volatile. But even prior to this the New Zealand economy was unbalanced and in a precarious state. Its over-reliance on dairy exports has made it vulnerable if anything happens to this market and resulted in over-intensive dairy farming which has harmed the environment – not a good look for a country that brands itself as clean and green. It also faces growing inequality with significant growth in homelessness and poverty in recent years. NZ election 2020: Labour win is a watershed moment in the country’s history
The above was a fairly accurate summary of the challenges Ardern’s government would face in its second term. What nobody expected at that time was the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the havoc this would cause the world economy, already severely strained by the pandemic. Governments around the world have struggled with this crisis, with New Zealand being no exception. In May 2022 I wrote the following:
In New Zealand, the opposition has been quick to blame the Labour Government in New Zealand for this, at a time when support for the government is falling fast. Having won a record majority in 2020 for their handling of the pandemic, Ardern’s government now faces a backlash over coronavirus restrictions and is taking the blame for current economic challenges. Commentary in the New Zealand media also tends to focus on inflation as a domestic issue, as such much of the commentary is often wide of the mark. The politics of high inflation – can governments do anything?
At the start of 2022 there began to be a seachange in New Zealand politics. The Government’s handling of the pandemic had strong support in 2020 and for much of 2021. But as more and more people were vaccinated, and increasingly other countries lifted their travel and other Covid restrictions, public support began to wane. The protests outside the New Zealand parliament in 2022 were a minority of anti-vaccination campaigners. This group, inspired by the January 6 Capitol attack in Washington did not enjoy widespread support. But they demonstrated that the polarisation that other English-speaking democracies faced in recent years had reached New Zealand. Alt-right, anti-science and anti-government protests caused considerable disruption outside parliament in Wellington. Those opposed to the protest became frustrated that the police and government had not moved them on. By the time these protests ended on 10 March 2022, support for the government had taken a hit.
At the same time as these protests and a struggling economy, Jacinda faced a new leader of the opposition. In the lead-up to the 2020 election, National managed to go through three leaders in four months. By the time of the election, they were no longer seen as a credible opposition and suffered their worst election defeat in 18 years. In late 2021 National put forward a new leader, Christopher Luxon. A former CEO of Air New Zealand, Luxon came into parliament in 2020 and was immediately touted as a future leader. Whilst in no way a match for Ardern in terms of oratory or style, Luxon could credibly challenge the Government’s record on bread-and-butter issues like housing, economic management and its slow delivery on infrastructure projects such as light rail in Auckland. Whilst Luxon has trailed Ardern in preferred Prime Minister Polls, for nearly a year National had maintained a 5-7% lead over Labour. At the end of 2022, it felt like Ardern’s government would likely face an electoral loss in 2023.
Critics of Jacinda Ardern have been quick to say that her resignation now was a way of avoiding electoral loss later in the year. Others have pointed to the level of hate and vitriol that Ardern has had to put up with in recent years, including former NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark who said that “Jacinda has faced a level of hatred and vitriol which in my experience is unprecedented in our country.”
One Conservative Canadian politician, Michelle Rempel Garner argues that Justin Trudeau faced many of the same if not greater challenges to Jacinda Ardern in the last year, yet they were treated differently due to their respective genders.
Below is Jacinda Ardern’s resignation speech, I will leave the reader to decide for themselves what her reasons really are:
It is too soon to say what Jacinda’s legacy will be. She will certainly be remembered for becoming a mother whilst being a world leader. For her presence on the world stage as a voice for feminism and progressive politics. She ushered in a generational and attitudinal change in New Zealand politics. While internationally she offered an alternative to the politics of Trump, Bolsonaro, Scott Morrison and Viktor Orban.
Ultimately, governments are measured on their longevity. Both in terms of how long they are in office, but also how long their policies remain in place. Jacinda Ardern’s legacy will be judged not only on Labour’s successes under her leadership but also on how well Labour performs after her resignation.
On Wednesday, New Zealand will have a new Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, who will lead Labour into the October 14 General Election. Chris certainly has his work cut out for him over the next few months. That being said, the coming election is by no means a foregone conclusion. For all the challenges of the past five years, he inherits a government that has much to be proud of, not least Jacinda Ardern message of kindness, inclusion and positivity. To quote the outgoing Prime Minister, “bring it on.”
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- Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racismRemember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...4 days ago
- Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal4 days ago
- True Blue.
True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...4 days ago - Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...4 days ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...5 days ago
- Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts
Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...
5 days ago - Or is that just they want us to think?
Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...5 days ago - Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...6 days ago
- Arguing over a moot point.I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading ...6 days ago
- No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.6 days ago
- Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...6 days ago - Sad tales from the leftMichael Bassett writes – Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...6 days ago
- In Whose Best Interests?On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...6 days ago
- Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...6 days ago - Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...6 days ago - Small accomplishments and large ironies
6 days ago
- Release: Dark day for Kiwi kids as a third of Govt cuts affect them
News that 1000 jobs at the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki could go is devastating for future generations of New Zealanders. ...2 days ago - Release: Alarm as Government signals further blow to school lunchesMore essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...2 days ago
- Release: Quick, submit – stop Govt’s dodgy approvals billThe Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...3 days ago
- Government throws coal on the climate crisis fire
The Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations. ...3 days ago - Release: Public transport costs to double as National looks at unaffordable roading project insteadCancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...4 days ago
- Release: Cost of living in Auckland still not a priorityA laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...4 days ago
- Greens look to fast-track submissions on harmful lawThe Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...7 days ago
- Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homesThe National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...1 week ago
- Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on mediaThe action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...1 week ago
- Landlord Government leaves little hope for rentersThe Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. ...1 week ago
- Opportunity to build a more sustainable economyGreen Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...1 week ago
- Significant step forward in fixing cruel and unjust pastA significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...1 week ago
- Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environmentNew Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...1 week ago
- Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to GovernmentTens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention OfficeLabour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...1 week ago
- CCC issues warning over further climate delayToday’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...2 weeks ago
- Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...2 weeks ago
- Luxon targets are lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt prioritiesMinister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...2 weeks ago
- Methane target review is dangerous duplicationThe Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled studentsThe Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National must take mental health seriouslyMental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...2 weeks ago
- Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwardsThe Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cutsNew Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...2 weeks ago
- Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing planMāori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do listThe Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this AprilChanges to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...3 weeks ago
- Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...12 hours ago - Government commits $20m to Westport flood protectionThe Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...18 hours ago
- Taupō takes pole positionThe Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...19 hours ago
- Cost of living support for low-income homeownersLocal Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...21 hours ago
- Government backing mussel spat projectThe Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...21 hours ago
- Government focused on getting people into workBenefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...1 day ago
- Clean energy key driver to reducing emissionsThe Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...1 day ago
- Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forwardThe Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...1 day ago
- Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic PartnershipPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...2 days ago
- Government consults on extending coastal permits for portsRMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...2 days ago
- Inflation coming down, but more work to doToday’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...2 days ago
- School attendance restored as a priority in health adviceRefreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...2 days ago
- Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sectorOceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...2 days ago
- Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International CongressAssociate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...3 days ago
- Removing red tape to help early learners thriveThe Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...3 days ago
- RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tapeChanges to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...3 days ago
- McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationshipTrade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...3 days ago
- Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister LeePrime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...4 days ago
- PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ tiesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...4 days ago
- Antarctica New Zealand Board appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...4 days ago
- Finance Minister travels to Washington DCFinance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...4 days ago
- Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlordsThe coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...4 days ago
- Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being consideredState Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...4 days ago
- New Zealand condemns Iranian strikesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...4 days ago
- Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plansHundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...7 days ago
- Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand ChairHealth Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...7 days ago
- Roads of National Significance planning underwayThe NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...7 days ago
- Navigating an unstable global environmentNew Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...7 days ago
- NZ welcomes Australian Governor-GeneralPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...7 days ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for WinterAssociate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...1 week ago
- NZ and the US: an ever closer partnershipNew Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...1 week ago
- Joint US and NZ declarationApril 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...1 week ago
- NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperationForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...1 week ago
- Government redress for Te Korowai o WainuiāruaThe Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...1 week ago
- Focus on outstanding minerals permit applicationsNew Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “While there are no set timeframes for ...1 week ago
- Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research CallThe New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...1 week ago
- Tenancy rules changes to improve rental marketThe coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...1 week ago
- Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with ChinaTrade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...1 week ago
- Freshwater farm plan systems to be improvedThe coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...1 week ago
- New Fast Track Projects advisory group namedThe coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...1 week ago
- “Fast-track Law To Kill Kiwi”: Students Say Fight Against Anti-democracy Legislation Is Only Jus...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...1 hour ago - ‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in India
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...1 hour ago - Online schooling is not just for lockdowns. Could it work for your child?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...1 hour ago
- Hear me out: You can shove your reusable period products
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...1 hour ago - Rip It Up And Start Over – Fast-Track Approvals Bill Needs To Be Scrapped“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...1 hour ago
- Maori Authority Warns Government On Fast Track LegislationThe Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...2 hours ago
- Why the government’s haste in changing the health system could come back to haunt itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...2 hours ago
- Many suicides are related to gambling. How can we tackle this problem?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...2 hours ago
- Things that go buzz in the night – our global study found there really are more insects out after ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...2 hours ago
- Why don’t Australians talk about their salaries? Pay transparency and fairness go hand-in-handSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...2 hours ago
- ‘Character’ And Its Impact On Immigration StatusThe Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...2 hours ago
- 20,000 more on jobseeker benefits than this time last yearThe government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...3 hours ago
- All of the Raglan Roast cafes in Wellington, ranked from worst to bestRaglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...5 hours ago
- Auckland uni students threaten rent strike over rising accommodation feesResidents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously. The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...5 hours ago
- Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved
Shane Jones says people voted for change, but opponents say small cuts such as ending a special oceans secretariat are starting to add up The post Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago - Defence deal to counter Beijing’s aggression in South China SeaNew Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...5 hours ago
- Wellington’s ebb and flow of public servantsThe thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...5 hours ago
- New Zealand transport planning has gone off the railsOpinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...5 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 19 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slowsThe transport sector is currently in the slow lane The post Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Financial literacy should be on all of usOpinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Missy rustles to stardom in CanadaHineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...5 hours ago
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Jacinda Ardern… IMO no other person could have Led NZ through the terrible situations..which just kept coming. And still this for her, from the fuckwits
Jacinda Ardern a Gem. Was, and still is, someone who I greatly admire. Be Safe. All the Best.
A great summation of the whole issue(s). Thanks Nick
There are parallels with Aaron Smale's column today on Newsroom:
I feel saddened and hopeful but woe we will be if National wrecks the gains.
Oops@ 2: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/its-not-politics-and-its-not-ok?utm_source=Friends+of+the+Newsroom&utm_campaign=a5f64fb873-Daily_Briefing+12.12.2022_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_71de5c4b35-a5f64fb873-95522477
Loved when crunching the things we hate …
…. but not when crunching the things we love.
In terms of legacy, the outstanding thing Jacinda Ardern did for Labour and the Left is that she saved the party from oblivion. Labour was staring down the barrel of it's 4th successive election defeat when she won the party leadership. Had that occurred, it is neigh impossible to present a party as a credible alternative government when no one has cabinet experience. To come back from that position takes something from the governing party, such as the UK Tory party's ritualistic disembowelling.
Jacinda promised transformation but instead we got what Chris Hipkins labelled "radical incrementalism". https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/130965752/max-rashbrooke-is-the-electorate-in-the-mood-for-radical-changes
– small steps towards a transformative goal. Discussing the concept, Max Rashbooke, said the theory holds that if people liked a small initial step, they would be “warmed up” to accept a bigger one.
Rashbrooke notes the theory is flawed, firstly, because it was unclear Labour had a roadmap to a radical destination – or even wanted one, and secondly, he argues small steps don't necessary warm people to accept bigger one. They allow opposition to build momentum, exhausts proponents and burns up political capital.
The reality is that Labour under Ardern's leadership did not have the will (bottle?) to truly transform. There were two opportunities to undo the foundations of neo-liberalism which Ardern chose to bypass. Firstly, when the Tax Working Group unanimously recommended a capital gains tax and Winston Peters applied his "handbrake". Ardern was then riding mile-high in the polls and should have called his bluff — either accept or face an election where NZ First will be obliterated. Instead, she blinked and doubled down on her error by taking CGT off the table "on her watch". Secondly, after winning once in a generation one party majority in 2020. She fatally chose to continue the cautionary route of trying to keep swing voters happy instead of following a path of bold transformation. The weakness of incremental radicalism was exposed. The momentum of the anti-change brigade swayed the swing voters while core supporters got grumpy because of the failure to act on Labour's clear mandate.
This article has a thorough analysis of Ardern's administrative misses regarding economic and social health (found thru the standard's gov feed, thanks)
https://jacobin.com/2023/01/jacinda-ardern-resignation-policies-inequality-neoliberalism
Well worth a read. And my two cents' worth….
Jacinda definitely has leadership nous and political astuteness. Anyone who sailed through 3 years of consensus governance with Winston Peters is a miracle worker. And clearly, like Helen Clarke, she ran a tight caucus.
But. But. There is no coherent story to the electorate about Labour's legislative priorities this term. Some of it is, frankly, a bad idea. For example, why a government-supported Employment Insurance scheme? Those who can afford it already have it. The NACTs must be rubbing their hands in glee, as they can say, sorted, privatise this and we don't need the dole anymore.
The Public Service is a mess in many ministries. Jacinda's governments were too trusting of top officials, many of whom are OZ- and UK-trained bureaucrats. Helen Clarke tidied up a rundown Public Service by bringing in (home-grown) quality staff at the top. The strengthened Public Service helped to buffer damage done by later governments for a while. If you can hold out to the next election…
It's inevitable that a small-gov NACT government will run the Public Service into the ground. The UK is a horrific example of the societal wasteland that results.
So lots of admiration from me, for Ardern's leadership and pandemic response, far too many downticks for economic and social administration.
Not everyone who can afford employment insurance can get it because sometimes insurance company criteria can't be met, and somehow nearly every other OECD country has it, but we seem to have missed the boat on it.
But if most working people can access it, why go for a universal programme, why not a targetted support sytem at lower cost for the uninsurable and those on low incomes? And can employers say, 'no need for severence pay'. Another cost shifted from employer to taxpayer.
The private options last longer once you qualify (minimum of 2 years is standard), but take longer to kick in (3+ months) and pay less (up to 60%), and don't usually apply to part-timers – it's not just a matter of targeting, the main private product is quite a bit worse in most areas. There's also the general point that if, for example, a government scheme is only available for those who have been refused private insurance (as one way to target it), essentially the government is subsidising the private insurers by taking the riskiest customers off their hands.
Redundancy compensation is part of the total employment package (in particular, including redundancy compensation is usually agreed at the cost of something else e.g. slightly lower pay rises), but also is not common outside unionised employers, nor is it always worth 1 month wages/salary + 6 months at 80%. Employers might attempt to buy it out with an offer to trade it for higher wages or a lump sum, but they could (and do) offer that at any time – the existence of income insurance doesn't automatically make a compelling argument to agree to the trade, although no doubt some employers will offer it as rationale, and some unions will accept it if the offer is good enough. Likewise, some employers offer income insurance currently as a benefit, so there could well be a negotiation to trade that for something else of value or provide it as a top up if necessary after the government scheme runs out.
All that said, other options exist around benefit improvements and expansions – this was selected for ease of implementation and understanding since it's similar to ACC.
This also shouldn't preclude improving the rest of the social security package – benefits should be increased, eligibility expanded, Working for Families and Accommodation Supplement abatements combined and reduced (and amounts increased), more state houses built, cheaper/free dental and primary health care etc. The economy is big enough that we can afford all of that – just have to implement a higher tax take as a proportion of GDP.
Lack of cabinet experience didn't stop Labour in 1972 (hint: Hugh Watt was the only one of Kirk's ministry to have previous cabinet experience). Eventually, voters do actually get sick of incumbents, so Labour would have returned to office at some point.*
There's also much to criticise Winston Peters for, but his decision to choose Ardern over English in 2017 (he didn't have to, and one suspects that a narrow majority of voters preferred English) rather gets ignored these days. That decision had real consequences, so far as Ardern's excellent Covid handling.
*A more spectacular example is Australia in 1972. The ALP won office after 23 years.
Of course, alternative histories are never lived, therefore not analysed in the same way. But it's worth a moment to remind ourselves what didn't happen.
Bill English did not form a Cabinet with Jami-Lee Ross and Simon Bridges as senior Ministers. They did not spend 3 years lying about what good mates they were, or (alternatively) fight like rabid dogs, in the headlines every day. Judith Collins did not hold a Minister's portfolio where she could behave like she did as opposition leader, except with real power to harm. David Seymour was not a Minister during Covid. Steven Joyce was not Finance Minister, so the 2020 unemployment riots didn't happen. Winston Peters was deputy PM, as with Ardern, but he either went along with National's right wing agenda, or the government collapsed (as in the late '90s).
And that's only scratching the surface. I don't think we'll ever really appreciate what horrors Ardern saved us from.
Woah Insightful..What could have been . Gives Dystopian..a particular NZ flavour. brrr
And aye… Jacinda Ardern. : )
I went looking for an online letter of support for Jacinda, there doesn't appear to be one.
Does any one have the IT skills to set one up.
do you mean like a letter that anyone can sign?
Yes
Change.org
OurActionStation.org.nz
Hi, psych nurse.
The Labour Party have organised a card. Anyone can say few words and sign, but they would like your email address in the process 🙂
Jacinda Ardern's legacy.
Uniting various groups in Labour, leading negotiations with Winston Peters to form an MMP 51st NZ Parliament, and at the next election winning a majority MMP 52nd NZ Parliament.
From the Party scrapping over the Labour Leadership to a united team who accepted her decisions and Team building and they all valued her greatly.
They accepted her resignation with aroha, and quickly rallied round their most effective Minister to choose him as their new leader. They are a team, taking forward the unity that she encouraged.
a. Micoplasma bovis incursion. b. Fruit fly incursion. c. Terror attack. d. Eruption e. Flood events. and f. the ongoing Pandemic of Covid with the management of MIQ and the Vaccination Programme and its resulting fallout.
All of these extra to the normal expected pressures. (and latterly we learn of ongoing dangerous online abuse and threats to kill her and her family which she silently carried.)
Lauded for her clarity of message, management skill, socially progressive ideas, and ability to "open doors" and engage at all levels. Creating links Trade Deals and Expos for NZ our products and people.
4.Personal Relationships and Qualities.
Keeping her personal life and relationships going in the face of horrendous pressures. Being a good friend and colleague, being decisive when it was needed.
Her honesty in calling time when she could not do the role to her own high standards.
Others may think of things I have overlooked.
She is a wonderful person, and we have been blessed. imo.
Jacinda, have a great life after NZ politics. You did your best at every turn. When you couldn't do that any more you called" time."
The Bremner Family thank you and wish you every happiness.
Patricia B…..wow. I can think the words…but you have put them down.
Thankyou.
I have had several goes over the time. Many tears. But finally so proud of her.
Even though she is from the other side of the political spectrum as me I still think she will be remembered as one of our great leaders. Probably up there with Lange, Clark, and Key (probably not many here would agree with Key I expect).
It is a bit sad that the wheels started to fall off for her a bit towards the end of her tenure.
The abusive side of things has already been covered, and I am sure that had an impact.
I think her main strengths were her compassion, and her ability to communicate ideas. I am not so sure that implimentation was her strength, and she may have been let down a bit there by some of her colleagues.
However, I do wonder if she experienced a major conflict between her compassionate nature, and the quite uncompassionate government restrictions towards unvaccinated people. She may have found the conflict quite draining. I noticed she seem to lose her mojo a bit from thereon, and was on the defensive a lot.
Those "quite uncompassionate government restrictions towards unvaccinated people" might have saved a few Kiwis lives – maybe that was the purpose od the restrictions?
It was alway going to be a difficult balancing act for our Government – everyone was learning and responding on the fly.
Personally reckon the only 'restriction winners' are those who are alive because of restrictions/limits, and people who wanted those people to live – Plan B was not for me.
Agree with you there. tsmithfield has commented on this theme of loss of compassion for mandated people in a general way before. But it seems more personal for tsmithfield than that. I am genuinely interested in hearing about which of tsmithfield's experiences, or the experiences of those near them, make them so focussed on mandate harm. Not with the aim of trashing them, but of better understanding their viewpoint.
I can't think of a single great thing Lange, Clark or key did, ?
Clark's greatest work was to let cullin setup kiwisaver other than that I got nothing.
Lange unleased rogernics.
Key achieved nothing other than running down hospitals and exploding housing costs.
Legacy is lasting. "The Cullen Fund" and "Kiwi Saver"
And interest free student loans and Working for Families.
The ECA to ERA (Employment Relations Act 2000)
The 99 Labour-Alliance government ended market rents for state housing introduced by National in the 90's/they did this as part of a drive to sell off state housing to private owners or offload to social housing by non government agency (see Wairarapa). They also created the Ministry of Economic Development – now called MBIE, Kiwibank and eventually KiwiRail.
There was the MW increase (miserable levels in the 1990's) and then the 2005-2008 agreement with NZF for significant further increases (the other side to the 2005 election campaign policy of WFF tax credits).
To be fair, the Key government did roll out cable broadband. This had a huge positive impact on business and educational resilience during Covid. Apart from that, a half-completed national cycleway is all I can remember.
That's the danger of such governments. Ardern's first term in the Coalition apparently introduced more legislation than in all the Nats' 12 years. The damage is done in cutting budgets, contracting out government services and changing policy, not in Parliament. So the electorate thinks 'everything's OK, it's just business as usual', when actually it's not.
Yes Broadband. That was Key's legacy to be fair. However The Contract Act and other punitive laws undermining workers were very bad.
But NECESSARY government restrictions on people who CHOSE to be unvaccinated, and which were driven by public health needs, and not some arbitary political whim.
And still, though 'vaccinated' people are continuing to be infected, reinfected and dying. The effects are continuing and yet to fully play out. We will have little idea of what the ultimate consequences may be for a number of years yet. First and second 'booster' levels are only 54% and 15% respectively and it appears that many are no longer 'protected'
It may be that ‘vaccination’ wil not induce Herd Immunity – though China authorities now seems to think that the massive infection of their population may achieve that state.
https://theconversation.com/covid-is-running-rampant-in-china-but-herd-immunity-remains-elusive-197454
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blockquote>;”She has been thanked for her handling of Covid-19, noting that the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic filled the urupā there.
“You have been the right person to lead our nation during terrible times,” the Rātana speaker said to Ardern.”
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blockquote>;
This for me is her most satisfying achievement. That this did not happen again. Thanks to to all those in Maoridom who looked after the elderly in particular – both Maori and not – during this time. Food parcels, firewood, phone calls and sacrificed normal protocols as they had to do in 1918.
There is something to be said about the verbal histories rather than the written ensuring knowledge gets passed down through the generations (this can be both positive and negative of course).
I expect that efforts to counter disinformation campaigns, together with quantitative analysis of the hate posts, will show what a tiny minority are threatening the integrity of our institutions.
The perpetrators will try to make it a free speech issue, but ultimately, after the first few deaths, the judiciary will lose patience with all the Trumpist hallmarks – sovereign citizens, convoys, NWO, and Soros conspiracies.
In the longer term, it will be like Sheridan .
You need only to look at the US to see how quickly the extreme can become the mainstream.
The sad truth is that whilst a huge majority of New Zealanders approved of how the government (and by implication Jacinda) handled the first COVID epidemic, they quickly got tired of the restrictions and lack of "normality" and wanted to return to the good life whatever the fatality cost, and rejected any notion that would not be possible in the short term. Too many started to believe the false prophets of National and ACT promising salvation and manna for all.
All of this built up to – if you pardon the expression – "The Perfect Storm" for Jacinda and a snarling resentful population came to see their former benefactor as their present persecutor and blame her for everything that went wrong, most of which were beyond her or her government's control.
I have heard Jacinda compared with Winston Churchill in the sense that she successfully led her people during times of crisis and was rewarded with scorn and rejection. People can judge that for themselves but I maintain that Jacinda was actually a much nicer person all round than Churchill. She worked herself to a frazzle for over 5 years to try and keep our country safe and sound and discovered that New Zealanders were only fair weather friends.
John Key resigned at the top of his game, when National was still riding high in the polls, because the nation had rejected his flag and he decided being PM was no fun anymore – in effect he felt he was too good for us. Jacinda resigned because, sadly, she no longer felt she was good enough.
New Zealanders should thank her for having the guts to carry on in the face of adversity and uncertainty instead of throwing in the towel like her right-wing opposition urged her to do.
But they won't because so many of them are deluded ingrates.
Agree 100%.
Just to note, JA is of much better character than Churchill.
There's a bit of tosh about Churchill's effect on morale in wartime Britain. I read in a book of Churchill's wartime speeches that public response to them was more nuanced than the rapturous reception we hear about. Mind you, they're great speeches. Where he shone was in the administration and provisioning for war. I think people grew to respect his results there, as many did with JA.
But Churchill was hugely classist, imperialist and entitled. After the war, he rabidly opposed reforms to help the working class, who then made up 75% of the population. Not surprisingly, servicemen and those who worked hard and suffered in wartime Britain wanted more of the social pie, and kicked him out. He also had some pretty dodgy financial practices, running up enormous personal debt.
So no, JA is not at all like Churchill in many, if not most, respects.
Typo in headline: "Adern" should be "Ardern"
So how would we rank Ardern against, say:
– Seddon
– Savage
– Fraser
– Clark
– Key
– Muldoon
– Holyoake
– Kirk
– Bolger
I can't see her in our top ten.
I view her as simply made lucky by fate, rose to it like many have and made people feel good for a bit, but from lofty rhetoric otherwise vastly underperformed.
But hey..thats your opinion. And youve pretty much (on many occasions) said how you didnt like her.
rank on what basis? Muldoon was a bully and an arsehole. Ardern while tough also spoke and, more importantly, demonstrated compassion. That is gold at this point in history.
Why is "compassion", "kindness", or indeed any other virtue necessary in successful politics? Just because it feels good doesn't make it useful. Maybe it was useful in a crisis, but in reality those elements were just the stuff Ardern did well, not whether it was useful.
Typical measures to evaluate performance in politics which are well polled for good reason are:
– Is the country going in the right direction?
– Do you feel more or less safe than you did a year ago?
– Are public services notably more responsive to you and your family this political term?
– Standard economic matrices like: how many are employed, how many off long term unemployment, how many beneficiaries versus how many employed, how long are the queues for housing, or for operations, or speed at which crimes are solved.
You will probably argue that the Greens practise those Ardern-style emotional virtues, and one would easily respond that the Greens apart from the carbon trading legislation have delivered even less.
There's been some world news in the past 5 years, you know.
Could you tell us which leaders in comparable democracies have delivered against the global background? Nobody in the UK, USA, Australia, France, most EU countries in fact.
So who?
"made lucky by fate"
As opposed to which politcians? All of them?
You might as well argue that Clark was "lucky" that Moore didn't win in 1993 and then after she rolled him she barely held on to her job despite terrible polling, then after a poor election result in 1996 she still held on, and finally the Bolger/Shipley/Peters crew fell apart.
Clark turned out to be a very accomplished PM, but if being lucky with timing is the measure, so were many others. Brash very nearly won in 2005, and if he had then Key would not have been opposition leader in a 3rd term, but a very unpopular Finance Minister in the GFC. Step up, new PM Phil Goff in 2008!
And so on, and so on …
Curious labeling of "lucky".
I think she was unlucky, got dealt with two big problems that were unprecedented in NZ but dealt with them instead of bailing out and making excuses.
If she got plaudits for that it was because she earned them, not because she was lucky.
I love how you conclude that she wouldn't make the top ten by a demonstrative comparison to (drumroll) nine who were supposedly superior.
"I view her as simply made lucky by fate"
What an odd thing to say.
"made lucky by fate".
In a slight rewrite of the words of the song, "What's luck got to do with it?" Rather I'd cite another aphorism, "Cometh the hour, cometh the woman".
Mayor Brown got lucky with fate, too, didn't he?
The way we deal with opportunity is down to how we are constituted morally, spiritually, and physically.
I always think of what Gary Player's quote when accused of being lucky. He said, "It's funny but the more I practise the luckier I get."
What's luck got to do with it when compared to what actually works in a crisis? Here's what the Harvard Business review says.
https://hbr.org/2020/04/what-good-leadership-looks-like-during-this-pandemic
Four things to look for; act with urgency, communicate with transparency, respond productively to missteps, engage in constant updates. One final advice from HBR had to do with empathy- tapping into suffering to build meaning.
How will I remember the leaders you mention? I have lived under Holyoake- remembered for his fruity voice and shonky deals over land. Kirk for his stance on Nuclear weapons, for withdrawing troops from Vietnam, for his vision regarding race and even the alternate life stylers in their communes. Muldoon for his homosexual hatred remarks. Clark for avoiding warmongering with the US. Key for flags and ponytails. Bolger for his recognition of race issues and need for tolerance and his acknowledgement of the danger of societal inequality.
How did these leaders go in terms of empathy?
After all the shrill malcontents have left the scene; the whinging business lobbyists; the opportunistic Opposition politicians; the idiot mayor of Queenstown; the uninformed, click-chasing media commentators… after all those misquided people have had their time in the public glare, and then vanished – we'll be left with history judging Ardern as someone who probably – did – save thousands of lives when covid broke out.
Like Churchill in 1939, she was the right person at the right time. She made the tough calls which so many infantile "adults" couldn't or wouldn't accept.
The greatest of all ironies is that we'll never know how many of her detractors are still alive because of her decisive actions. How many aren't rotting six feet under, or lost loved ones. That's Jacinda Ardern.
When history looks back on the 2020s, we'll see an exceptional woman who we were damned lucky to have.
The alternatives? Boris Johnson? Trump? Bolsonaro? Judith Collins?
We dodged one almighty huge bullet.
And she did it all gracefully, with compassion, humility, and sometimes a bit of humour.
If we have daughters, point to Jacinda Ardern and tell them, "there's a real super hero. Be like her."
Thank you, Prime Minister Ardern.
Aye !
Well said KM.