Congratulations Jacinda Ardern

Written By: - Date published: 10:59 am, January 19th, 2018 - 124 comments
Categories: jacinda ardern, Politics - Tags:

In breaking news from twitter:

Congratulations Jacinda and Clarke.

124 comments on “Congratulations Jacinda Ardern ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Sanctuary 1
    19 January 2018 at 11:01 am

    My mate owes me $20, I said that was how Winnie would get to fufill his wish to be PM while Jacinda is on maternity leave.

    AND A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO JACINDA AND CLARKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    BEST WISHES. 🙂 🙂

    • Anne 1.1
      19 January 2018 at 11:07 am

      Hell’s bells. I was contemplating exactly that scenario last night and had the same thought about “Winnie”… he’ll get to be PM for a while after all. And no, there was no whisper in my less than pearl-like ear. Great minds and all that…

  2. Stunned Mullet 2
    19 January 2018 at 11:04 am

    Winston Peters acting PM… 😆
    ..and of course wishing the mother to be, father and child all the best.

  3. Muttonbird 3
    19 January 2018 at 11:06 am

    Mark Richardson will be crimson with rage.

    Nothing on Kiwiblub yet. Must still be working out the attack line although I’m surprised Farrar didn’t have something ready to go.

    • Stunned Mullet 3.1
      19 January 2018 at 11:10 am

      Why would he be crimson with rage ?
      I expect he’ll have a good laugh and say ‘told you so !’ and then wish them all well

    • Sanctuary 3.2
      19 January 2018 at 11:13 am

      The Kiwiblog sewer will finish making a moral exception and writing excuses for Trump and the hookers (and all while his wife was nursing their new born son) in order to be outraged – OUTRAGED – at having a sinful PM setting a bad example by having a child out of wedlock.

      • Muttonbird 3.2.1
        19 January 2018 at 11:17 am

        Lol, that’s happening already. But be careful – criticism of Trump is frowned upon here too.

        • adam 3.2.1.1
          19 January 2018 at 11:34 am

          Nice shiny new attack line of anyone who does not support the loony narrative coming out of the corporate democrats and h.r.c. cronies.

          P.S. trump is a wad of racist puffery and a stalwart of the 1% – he works against working people, and no I don’t think he is a russian plant. I’m convinced the elites in the USA hate working people all on their own.

      • Firend of Trump 3.2.2
        19 January 2018 at 11:36 am

        He probably does not care about a nobody, who has never done anything for anybody.

        Other than this pregnancy. which is her first real life achievement of any merit.

        [Letting this one through just to marvel at his spelling – MS]

    • Cinny 3.3
      19 January 2018 at 2:17 pm

      LMAO, was thinking the same about mark richardson, will def be watching the PM’s Monday morning interview on the AM Show.

    • Unicus 3.4
      19 January 2018 at 3:03 pm

      The right in our country have long demonstrated the absence of any moral compass what- so- ever again we are witnessing it’s paucity of character and decency in their shallow attempts to turn this marvellous event into a circus.

      The expectation and birth of a child is about the finest achievement of any species – humans included.

      To Jacinda and Clark effusive congratulations .

      To the bigoted toads and intestinal worms of the right – shame on you .

    • Hanswurst 3.5
      20 January 2018 at 5:10 am

      I’m kind of sick of the attitudes to Mark Richardson on here. He’s a lightweight but clever commentator with a sharp and highly distinctive sense of humour, who does a good job in sports and lighter current affairs. I doubt it even occurs to him that anyone might take him too seriously on politics. Yes, he put one significantly dickish question to Jacinda Ardern and he clearly isn’t a leftie, but the picture some paint of him as some sort of Neanderthal who can’t get his head around the fact that the conservatives are no longer in power… it just doesn’t tally with the fairly self-aware fellow with a gift for self-deprecation and parody who presents himself on radio and on screen.

      • Cinny 3.5.1
        20 January 2018 at 10:17 am

        He’s an ego maniac

      • Ed 3.5.2
        20 January 2018 at 10:26 am

        Richardson is an arrogant selfish ignoramus.
        Symptomatic of the ‘me’ culture of New Zealand since neoliberalism took hold.

      • Muttonbird 3.5.3
        20 January 2018 at 11:29 am

        The ‘lovable larrikin’ persona might once have been true during and immediately post cricket career on the crowd goes wild but that has certainly changed. He’s now a significant part of a very political show – in fact most of the content is political and he doesn’t shy away from pointing down the camera and giving advice directly to party leaders.

        This action and other outbursts are not “self depreciation and parody”, he is deadly serious and it shows his political broadcasting ambitions are very much in the front of his mind.

        When he was a sportsperson and sports broadcaster I had no idea what his political affiliations were. Now we are left in no doubt.

  4. Takere 4
    19 January 2018 at 11:15 am

    BREAKING NEWS! No news on how many houses have been built? Or when the MSD/WINZ Ceo Brendan Boyle is going to get the sack? Oh no, and the PM’s hapu ffs!

    • mickysavage 4.1
      19 January 2018 at 11:23 am

      Gee …

    • patricia bremner 4.2
      19 January 2018 at 12:51 pm

      Takere, what on earth? Jacinda being hapu is not going to impede progress. These issues are under review, but will take more than 100 days, or even 9 months come to that. She has appointed competent people.

      • Et Tu Brute 4.2.1
        19 January 2018 at 2:43 pm

        Just over eighty, only fifty something being business days and a lot of them being during the holidays. Not sure what people expect. Governments take time to move. If it was rushed people would point to all the mistakes done in haste.

    • Marcus Morris 4.3
      19 January 2018 at 2:36 pm

      Sir Geoffrey Palmer gave the perfect response to utterances of this kind of trash.

    • NZJester 4.4
      19 January 2018 at 8:01 pm

      The biggest impediment to fixing the problems and building those extra houses is the financial mess that the last National Government left the current Labour government. The previous Labour government before the last National one left them with a balanced budget with all essential services properly funded, international debt paid off and good future income from tax and SOEs. Something they immediately started to screw up by borrowing money to pay for a tax cut for the rich that was meant to help stimulate the economy but instead started to stagnate it.
      This Labour government inherited a budget heavily in the red. Most essential services underfunded, record international debt, and a low tax intake, and SOEs hamstrung by forced debt. One of the most profitable not hamstrung by debt no longer returning the same returns to the government as it was partly sold off and a lot of that money is now going into others pockets.
      National claimed it was going to increase the number of state hoses, but instead by stealth actually sold a lot off so that the number shrunk. A lot of houses were not properly kept maintained and become so run down that people could no longer live in them and some got closed after testing positive for P by testing methods that experts say where very questionable and prone to high false positives. Testing that was in a lot of cases done by subsidiaries of companies that also owned cleaning companies that offered P decontamination services and so had an incentive to keep using the testing method that returned a lot of false positives.

  5. Ad 5
    19 January 2018 at 11:25 am

    Awesomeness!

    She’ll be a great example.

  6. Pat 6
    19 January 2018 at 11:27 am

    “In a statement, Ms Ardern confirmed deputy prime minister Winston Peters will take on the role of Acting Prime Minister for six weeks after the baby is born.”

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/348447/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-announces-pregnancy

    Congratulations are indeed in order

  7. Muttonbird 7
    19 January 2018 at 11:28 am

    This will be big world news. Talk about putting NZ on the map! Er, at the same time as having a baby.

  8. veutoviper 8
    19 January 2018 at 11:32 am

    Wonderful news!

    According to the RNZ 11am, the (current) plan includes Winston Peters taking over as PM for six weeks (?) at the time of the birth, then JA will return to work.

    Jacinda’s parents will be returning to live in Auckland in the very near future as her father moves from his position as NZ High Commissioner in Niue to take over as Administrator of Tokelau, based in Auckland. Apparently her sister may also be returning to NZ with her husband and two children from London where she has lived for some years. So, plenty of wider family support, including Clarke’s family.

    Link re Jacinda’s fathers appointment to Administrator of Tokelau announced in mid Dec 2017
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11960450

    (Dreadful picture of her father …)

    As an aside, congratulations also to the (bearded) DPS officer in the above picture – he and Jessica Mutch of TVNZ’s Q & A announced their engagement in late December!
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/100389478/tvnzs-jessica-mutch-engaged-to-political-bodyguard

  9. Firend of Trump 9
    19 January 2018 at 11:35 am

    Congratulations to the two of them. Winston and Jacinta, both getting what they wont.

    [Letting this one through so we could marvel at the spelling … – MS]

  10. Ovid 10
    19 January 2018 at 11:37 am

    Brilliant news. I wish Jacinda and Clarke all the best.

  11. JessNZ 11
    19 January 2018 at 11:38 am

    At least THIS baby news is relevant to NZ… unlike the other baby news frenzy 🙂

  12. eco maori 12
    19 January 2018 at 11:47 am

    Congratulations Jacinda and Clark wish you all the best you will be excellent parents Ka pai. Winston will hold the Fort down well while you have six weeks off the baby will be like a new moko to Winston. Ka kite ano

  13. BM 13
    19 January 2018 at 11:50 am

    Why is Winston Peters going to be PM?

    Was that part of the secret coalition agreement? as for six weeks and back to work.
    Bollocks, she’s gone in April/ May and that’s her role done.

    Peters for a year as PM as she “makes her mind up about coming back” and then it gets passed on to Andrew Little.

    • mickysavage 13.1
      19 January 2018 at 11:54 am

      BM …

      How about we have a bet on this? $100 to charity of other’s choice that Jacinda will still be PM at the end of this year.

      • Tuppence Shrewsbury 13.1.1
        19 January 2018 at 4:50 pm

        Jacinda will make a wonderful mother and prime minister. I don’t have much respect for Clarke professionally, but he’ll make a wonderful father as he’s got the good sense of humour necessary for fatherhood. So together they’ll raise some outstanding children, i just hope the media gives them time to be parents.

        But surely someone better than Winston peters could have been found amongst the governing caucus that would be a better acting prime minister? This is not a silver lining but looming thunderstorms. What assurances do we have that he’s going to be kept in line by labour during what will be a trying period?

      • JohnSelway 13.1.2
        19 January 2018 at 7:03 pm

        Ooohhhh – can get in on that?

      • paul andersen 13.1.3
        19 January 2018 at 8:56 pm

        Im not a betting man, but I will have some of this. come on bum, put your money up. show us how brave a right wing stooge is……

    • The Fairy Godmother 13.2
      19 January 2018 at 11:57 am

      And the wicked fairy came to the party uninvited grumpy because they hadn’t received an invitation …….

      • BM 13.2.1
        19 January 2018 at 12:09 pm

        Wicked Fairy, Lol.

        Congratulations to both of them, the thing is though this was obviously planned, she entered the race for PM while trying to get pregnant.

        Do you think it’s sensible for a woman who’s trying to become a first time Mum to run for the job of PM?
        One of the most stressful jobs in the country and when you’re on record as stating you suffer from crushing anxiety issues?

        I certainly don’t, but it does explain why she took the job on though, she knew it was only going to be a short-term gig.

        • Sam 13.2.1.1
          19 January 2018 at 12:13 pm

          Reserve your outrage BM. It’s not the first time Jacinda has birthed a child as an MP.

          Winston as acting PM won’t be as kind as I am…

          • alwyn 13.2.1.1.1
            19 January 2018 at 12:34 pm

            “It’s not the first time Jacinda has birthed a child as an MP”.
            I’m not sure you really meant to say this.

            • Sam 13.2.1.1.1.1
              19 January 2018 at 12:43 pm

              I just checked and found out its her first child. I could have sworn she already had children… I guess the MSM narrative worked…

              • NZJester …
                19 January 2018 at 8:43 pm

                Maybe you miss read an article that says she will be the second woman prime minister in history to give birth while in office?

        • Ad 13.2.1.2
          19 January 2018 at 12:13 pm

          Maybe the Prime Minister can have a child and a career at the same time.

          Bill English was fairly successful at it.

          • D'Esterre 13.2.1.2.1
            19 January 2018 at 3:29 pm

            Ad: “Bill English was fairly successful at it.”

            PM pregnant: I was thinking that this would indeed be news, were English still PM!

            Congratulations to Jacinda and Clarke: I wish them all the best for the future.

        • The Fairy Godmother 13.2.1.3
          19 January 2018 at 12:28 pm

          There are two parents here. It looks like Clarke is taking on the primary parenting role plus Mum and Dad are coming back to NZ. I would say it will be much less stressful than for a young poor solo parent. A very sexist comment BM and one befitting of a bad fairy.

        • Tracey 13.2.1.4
          19 January 2018 at 12:43 pm

          You are an idiot who could not even be bothered reading. They thought they couldnt get pregnant without help. Ergo this was unplanned. Out come all the people still in 1818 not 2018.

          So far to go for so many men and women about who is capable of what.

          Anyway arent offspring of PMs off limits?

          • rightly or wrongly 13.2.1.4.1
            19 January 2018 at 6:17 pm

            Couldn’t get pregnant without help?

            Hmmm the mind boggles….. someone to hold their hands?

            Need to read the instruction manual?

            Need suitable qualifications?

            Suitable work experience?

            Anyway, however they did it, with or without professional assistance, congratulations to them both.

            • Psycho Milt 13.2.1.4.1.1
              19 January 2018 at 6:26 pm

              Couldn’t get pregnant without help?

              Hmmm the mind boggles….. someone to hold their hands?

              Oh right, there’s nothing funnier than people having trouble getting pregnant. Oh, wait – yes there is! Birth defects! Oh, how we laughed…

            • mary_a 13.2.1.4.1.2
              19 January 2018 at 6:54 pm

              @ rightly or wrongly (13.2.1.4.1) … not funny at all.

        • KJT 13.2.1.5
          19 January 2018 at 12:47 pm

          How many children has Bill English had while trying to be prime minister, again?
          Someone should tell him what causes them.

        • mpledger 13.2.1.6
          19 January 2018 at 5:18 pm

          Trump spends all morning watching Fox news, the weekends playing golf and the rest of the time he seems to be on twitter. And he’s got a dependent child as well.

          Jacinda should have it sussed … especially with all that family support.

          She’s not afraid to make some big calls … That’s what we want in a Prime Minister.

          Congratulations!

        • Carolyn_Nth 13.2.1.7
          19 January 2018 at 5:18 pm

          if a woman PM cannot have a child while in office, there’s something wrong with our political and parliamentary system.

          That you should claim it will be a problem, indicates how much our political system is built on patriarchal values.

          In a democratic system, all genders, at whatever age our parental status should be able to be the leader. If not, then change the system – it does take a village to raise a child.

          The parents are committed and will share duties – possibly also with their extended families – and they have the resources. That’s how many communities raised children going back centuries.

          Think about all those families with absentee fathers, who have been politicians in the past – not a good way to raise children, nor a good role model for society.

          • mpledger 13.2.1.7.1
            20 January 2018 at 8:21 am

            I didn’t claim it was a problem – quite the reverse. I was commenting on how the most powerful country on earth keeps ticking over when very little work is done by its leader.

            So all this chatter (from before) about how Jacinda being a mother is going to impinge on her time to lead the country is just silly. If you’re a leader and can’t delegate (at home and at work) then you’re not much of a leader.

            The reason I said It was a big call was because all the media chatter was about how she couldn’t be leader and have a child – she had to maker her own call and disregard all the finger wagging of the pale, stale media males. She was able to rise above the media buzz and make her own decisions.

            Totally different to Key who’s entire leadership was built around what other people said (particularly focus groups and polls).

    • patricia bremner 13.3
      19 January 2018 at 11:58 am

      How gracious of you BM!!

    • Ross 13.4
      19 January 2018 at 12:18 pm

      To be fair, BM, Winston is filling in for Jacinda for only 6 weeks. Bill English filled in for nine months…and Key had already had his vasectomy by that stage. 🙂

      • Puckish Rogue 13.4.1
        19 January 2018 at 12:22 pm

        Well six weeks…for now

      • Sam 13.4.2
        19 January 2018 at 12:28 pm

        What??? Hang on… “Key had already had his vasectomy by that stage.” <<< this can't be true can it??? New Zealand wasn't actually lead by a half man was it?

        Now Ross. You can't go around flinging accusations like that if its not true… So is it true the national party is full of lies and half men?

    • Tanz 13.5
      19 January 2018 at 2:15 pm

      Yep. got it in one. Once she has the baby she won’t want to leave him/her, once all those maternal emotions come into play. Very lovely news for Arden, exciting, good for her. Winston Peters will have his dream job, at five percent of the vote, omg, now it makes sense why he chose Labour. I too predict she will bow out, and Peters will be our PM for some time. This is going to be very very interesting! MMP is goneburgers, if Peters becomes PM for any real length of time, he has no mandate for PM at all. Can the secret doc. now be released?

      • Ross 13.5.1
        19 January 2018 at 3:32 pm

        Tanz,

        Why are you complaining about Peters being PM – you voted for him!!

        Bill English has had five kids while serving as an MP. It can be done, the world isn’t about to end!

        • Tanz 13.5.1.1
          19 January 2018 at 5:56 pm

          I am happy for Ardern and her baby, I never said I wasn’t. Good for her. I just don’t think someone with five percent of the vote should be PM, for any length of time. Obviously Labour must have promised him this, something that National never would, and good on them, principles. I voted for him under false promises and intentions. I know how hard it is for a young mum to leave her baby for any length of time, but it is different for every Mum, and she is entitled to whatever choice she wants. It’s the Winston as PM factor I don’t agree with, not anything else. He has five percent of the vote!! Anyway, it’s going to be most interesting to say the least. Things just got more exciting! People on other blogs are complaining that Arden isn’t married. I say who cares to that! Winston shouldn’t be PM, other than that, all the best to Ardern re her baby etc.

          • Psycho Milt 13.5.1.1.1
            19 January 2018 at 6:20 pm

            Obviously Labour must have promised him this, something that National never would, and good on them, principles.

            Yer a laff riot. National promised him a lot more than Labour, just not when it came to his party’s policies. I was pleasantly surprised when he went with the policies, I have to admit.

            What’s odd is that you consider it outrageous that the party you voted for went into coalition with the party that was willing to accept more of your party’s policies. Did you not actually look at what you were voting for, or something?

            Good for her. I just don’t think someone with five percent of the vote should be PM…

            So, when Bill English was acting PM while John Key was away, you must have been incandescent with rage! How many people voted for Bill to be PM? None! Zero per cent! And yet, there he was, acting PM, for all the world as though someone had voted him into the job! My God, what a betrayal from National!

            • Tanz 13.5.1.1.1.1
              19 January 2018 at 8:03 pm

              Yes, but he was endorsed by the majority at the last election. English received roughly 200,000 more votes than Ardern. There’s the endorsement. Not his fault we have a cockaninny electoral system that allowed one man to choose between red and blue, basically running a dutch auction! And as for voting for Winston, he has betrayed many voters and sold his soul for power. Also, the negs. with National were just a farce, possibly National knew that…the conversations must have been grim…no way did they offer him anything, they loathe him, English always looked grim on camera during the coalition talks, he knew that Peters was simply out for political utu…what a sad state of affairs in forming a govt! Open and transparent, yeah, nah.

              • Psycho Milt …
                19 January 2018 at 8:20 pm

                Who voted for him to be acting Prime Minister while John Key was overseas? If you’re complaining about Winston as acting Prime Minister, how did you cope with all the previous acting Prime Ministers? Were you born last year?

              • McFlock …
                19 January 2018 at 8:30 pm

                Tanz, please learn one day that <50% is not and can never be a "majority".

              • Kat …
                19 January 2018 at 9:21 pm

                TANZ in type sounds just like Paula Bennett in voice.

              • Ross …
                20 January 2018 at 8:31 am

                Tanz

                NZF didn’t get 5% of the vote, it received 7.2%. It was the third most voted for party after Labour and National. You might recall that David Seymour was the only ACT MP elected in the last Parliament and he found himself in government! Not bad for a party that polls at less than 1%.

                As for “political utu”, who released details of Peters’ superannuation to the media?

            • NZJester 13.5.1.1.1.2
              19 January 2018 at 9:00 pm

              National would have promised Winston a lot, but I think that aching in his shoulder blades from all those knives he had removed from his back in the past from Nationals may broken promises to him outweighed all of Nationals offering when he could see that most of his policies crossed over with Labours own policies and they would definitely find the money if they could to implement some of his ones. With National, he knew he would find they would likely give his policies lip service and offer up stripped down version of them that would be useless. A lot like how National took some popular Labour policies, gutted them and offered them up to the public as something good they were doing to trick swing voters with smoke and mirrors.

  14. Puckish Rogue 14
    19 January 2018 at 11:54 am

    So now the real reason Winston went with Labour becomes apparent

    Also congratulations as its always a good thing when a couple want and have a baby

  15. patricia bremner 15
    19 January 2018 at 11:56 am

    Jacinda and Clarke will be great parents. Congratulations and best wishes.

  16. Ad 16
    19 January 2018 at 12:12 pm

    Prime Minister Ardern keeps delivering. ka-ching

    I’m looking forward to lots of really bad Labour puns.

  17. ianmac 17
    19 January 2018 at 12:21 pm

    Great news there Jacinda and Clarke. Best wishes.

  18. Rosemary McDonald 18
    19 January 2018 at 12:35 pm

    Congrats and all that….just another couple having a baby and having to organise who does what and who gives up full time work…all that stuff that most of us here have done… so no big deal.

    BUT…if we are going to be blighted with endless bloody front pages of the women’s trash mags featuring glamour shots of the PM wearing the latest designer preggy wear or Jacinda and Clark go baby shopping or renovate the nursery or how Jacinda deals with stretch marks/morning sickness/piles/constant need to pee/reflux/varicose veins…. I swear I won’t be accountable for my actions.

    Prime Minister is an important role, and yes, the one before last made it a celebrity gig and we all mocked him mercilessly for it.

    So , Prime Minister…some gravitas, please.

    • adam 18.1
      19 January 2018 at 12:43 pm

      I blame Key, he really took it down a notch, or two, or three…

      • Sam 18.1.1
        19 January 2018 at 12:48 pm

        That’s the thing with choosing political novices. They’re pretty much starting from zero. Where as Jacinda has been a politician her whole life pretty much. So I wouldn’t expect a politician to be any good at derivatives trading and I wouldn’t expect a trader to be any good as PM. They’re totally different skill sets.

        People who trade would make terrible PM’s because real traders get the results.

    • patricia bremner 18.2
      19 January 2018 at 1:06 pm

      Rosemary, you know the magazines make “sh… up” to increase their circulation, so yes we will get all of that …. officially or unofficially. Some flattering, some unflattering depending on their political views.

      I think Jacinda and Clarke will be open, as usual. Good luck to them navigating the sharks and shoals of new territory.

      May her family friends and supporters keep them safe and supported at this important time.
      She is making political history, showing what equality should be.

      • Rosemary McDonald 18.2.1
        19 January 2018 at 1:13 pm

        “She is making political history, showing what equality should be.”

        Well, not quite…it has been done before.

        All I’m asking re the media is that they just…don’t.

        The PM needs to concentrate 100% on getting shit done before she’s benched with bubs.

        No time whatsoever for silly, magazine fripperies.

        She’s got a country to run.

    • OnceWasTim 18.3
      19 January 2018 at 1:33 pm

      I’m looking forward to JA ‘mincing’ on the catwalk modelling the Blackferns new uniform, and the dressing room after-game shots.

    • Ad 18.4
      19 January 2018 at 3:14 pm

      There’s gravitas in being a mother.

      There’s also gravitas in being a Prime Minister.

      You just need to get over your prejudice against what supermarket shoppers read at the checkout.

  19. Macro 19
    19 January 2018 at 12:46 pm

    Queen Victoria was Monarch of an Empire and had nine children, four boys and five girls, between 1841 and 1857.
    Jacinda is carrying on a fine tradition. I too worked as #1 caregiver for a number of years, so my thoughts with Clarke, I’m sure he will enjoy the task as much as I did.
    Congratulations to them both.

  20. mary_a 20
    19 January 2018 at 12:50 pm

    Congratulations Jacinda and Clarke. No doubt Winston will be thrilled to bits as well 🙂

  21. Reality 21
    19 January 2018 at 12:50 pm

    Such exciting news for the mum and dad to be, and for New Zealand, and to show the way how progressive and adaptable people can be if they really want to. There is always a way to manage what might once have been an impossible scenario. Jacinta has said she and Winston have a great relationship so best wishes to everyone involved.

  22. mac1 22
    19 January 2018 at 1:15 pm

    Congratulations, both, and best wishes.

    A big commendation for Clarke as house husband to be. I had that role thirty years ago. Then, it was novel. Now, much more common place and a good thing, too, as our society matures.

    Parenting is such an important role. Well done!

  23. AB 23
    19 January 2018 at 1:33 pm

    This is just nice and normal, the way things happen to regular people. It doesn’t aggrandise anyone or mythologise ‘leadership’.
    Really pleased to have dodged the puritanical dullard from Dipton/Karori.

  24. Pete 24
    19 January 2018 at 1:33 pm

    David Farrar has a sensible, mature response to the news. (I am one to have a go at him for a lot of his propaganda.)

    Naturally enough not all posters on his site are the same. The baby will be born into a world of intolerance, lack of intelligence and plain nastiness and vindictiveness.

    Not just necessarily in countries war-torn or those with scarcely believable living conditions and other horrors, but it good old, little New Zealand. Those determined to make a case for us being described as a shit hole country now have the simplicity and beauty of a baby being born to use. And they’re taking it.

  25. Ed 25
    19 January 2018 at 1:40 pm

    Congratulations Jacinda and Clarke.

    • James 25.1
      20 January 2018 at 8:13 pm

      Are you congratulating him for becoming the “first man of fishing” ?

      Nice to see Jacinda and Clarke endorsement of such a great kiwi past time as wel.

  26. CHCOff 26
    19 January 2018 at 1:57 pm

    Congratulations & good luck to the couple.

    While i voted for NZ1st, i don’t know if it serves much purpose Winston being an extended acting PM, apart from giving the cynic Winston brigade fodder to claim more justification for their extended grieving about the election.

    A significant factor in the Labour vote ( & getting the support for the main govt. role) was a gender vote, so elevating Megan Woods into the role along with abit of a shake up in their gender balance of roles would be more opportunistic it seems to me in a voter confidence type of way & ‘brand identification’ if you will, with Ardern acting as senior advisor to Woods through out the period that she feels comfortable being off to complete the process of having her baby in relation to her P.M. role & it’s ambitions.

    But however it shakes out, congratulations and good luck to the aspiring parents.

  27. Cinny 27
    19 January 2018 at 2:11 pm

    Sooooo happy for them, CONGRATS Jacinda and Clarke !!!!!!!!!!! What a good buzz !

    Having seen our incredible PM interact with children there is no doubt she will be a stellar mum.

    Happy New Year 🙂

  28. Keepcalmcarryon 28
    19 January 2018 at 2:17 pm

    Very cool!
    Congratulations, genuinely nice people and I’m sure they will be fantastic parents. Jacinda is breaking new ground in parliament, all power to her.

  29. mauī 29
    19 January 2018 at 2:35 pm

    A 2020 election win is guaranteed now as baby Labour grows up infront of the nation’s eyes.

  30. Marcus Morris 30
    19 January 2018 at 2:44 pm

    The more I digest this excellent piece of news the more acceptable and exciting I find it. A huge plus is that it will prevent the inevitable speculation about “is she, isn’t she” or “do they, don’t they” if it hadn’t happened.

  31. neil 31
    19 January 2018 at 3:21 pm

    I see there is a lot of vile comments from the nat supporters appearing already in comments on the announcement on stuff.co.nz

  32. riffer 32
    19 January 2018 at 3:34 pm

    I see this as a win-win scenario for many of us.

    While women and girls are given a brilliant example of role modelling in that we no longer can consider childbirth as a barrier to reaching and staying at the highest levels of office, but also the message is clearly sent to all, and encouraging men and boys, that stay-at-home fathering is an acceptable choice in our modern society.

    I wish them all the best. Great news. Outstanding.

  33. UncookedSelachimorpha 33
    19 January 2018 at 3:53 pm

    Good stuff, and likely to be a good example for NZ on the modern workplace, and will win Adern much support from the wider public I think.

    The nastiness on whale soil and the like is going to be hilarious!!

  34. Whispering Kate 34
    19 January 2018 at 4:34 pm

    Great news – the country needed some happy news and can only be an encouragement for all modern families today to share the work load of child raising. All power to the two of them in this new coming baby.

    Jacinda says she can multi task – like all women they have an innate ability to do multiple tasks at hand – she will do a great job – just managing her morning sickness without a soul knowing about it has earned a medal from me. The world has been given notice – we can have a mother to be as PM – may other countries follow suit from this example.

  35. WILD KATIPO 35
    19 January 2018 at 4:37 pm

    All power to Jacinda !

    And that old Silver Fox ,… you just dont outwit him no matter which way you turn. He will be stand in Prime Minister .

    He reminds me of Snoopy…

    Snoopy’s Christmas — Royal Guardsmen – YouTube
    christmas bells red baron snoopy you tube▶ 3:09

  36. Carolyn_Nth 36
    19 January 2018 at 5:23 pm

    Congratulations to the parents to be. Great role model for fathers, mothers, and politicians.

    I hope it all goes well, and that, Ardern’s government will bring in policies to help make the future bright for all children born this year…. and the next…. and the next…. with a caring, sustainable, and livable world while they grow up, and grow old.

  37. Jackel 37
    19 January 2018 at 5:33 pm

    Congratulations Jacinda, so you’ve finally got yourself a real job, being a mum.

  38. Takere 38
    19 January 2018 at 5:56 pm

    Q: With the PM Preggers. With an income in excess of $470k I guess the child will have a good start in life ay? On $470k+ I’m sure the kid will have a nice dry warm house to live in with plenty of kai & a nanny or two as well as two parents to care and provide for them and probably a Trust Fund set up for their privileged widdle future… Move the Fuck On NZ. Like, How many houses have they built? Are they still spending $140k/day on Emergency Accomodation for the Homeless families! Why is Brendan Boyle,MSD/WINZ Ceo still got a job! FFS!

    • weka 38.1
      19 January 2018 at 6:55 pm

      Pretty sure you can answer those questions yourself, but I’m guessing zero (how many houses could you build in 3 months while taking on a new job?); probably not but again, the timeframe; and the govt can’t fire civil servants for political reasons.

  39. cleangreen 39
    19 January 2018 at 6:14 pm

    On behalf our communities, of HB/Gisborne Jacinda & Clark;
    Congratulations on the announcement today, of the future arrival of a baby, we all look forward to your becoming a ‘mum & dad’ to offspring.
    A very warm regards to you Jacinda as you prepare for motherhood,

  40. McFlock 40
    19 January 2018 at 6:57 pm

    Isn’t there a practise of not announcing a pregnancy until the first trimester has gone okay? Turns out all the help they needed was a bloody good victory celebration 🙂 .

    Good for them. I know couples who have had difficulty getting pregnant without that good luck, and frankly it’s damned tough if you really have the urge to sproggify and shit just doesn’t work out like that.

    All the best to them.

    • weka 40.1
      19 January 2018 at 6:59 pm

      I think it’s also not uncommon for women to get pregnant after they give up trying.

      It’s the end of the first trimester right?

      • The Fairy Godmother 40.1.1
        19 January 2018 at 7:22 pm

        I’d say it was the beginning of the second as she is due in June five months away.

      • McFlock 40.1.2
        19 January 2018 at 7:28 pm

        ISTR that some obs/gyns recommend holding off on public announcements for about that long because odds of complications decrease massively after that period, but the timing for it struck me as amusing.

        The other thing that can happen is a couple do the full attempt rigamarole for years, finally a child results, and then an unexpected sibling comes soon after with no effort whatsoever. Loads of things can affect fertility of either partner, stress included.

        But a lot of it is just luck, good and bad. Even besides any other issues, I can’t imagine much of the last few months has been stress-free.

        And I do know a couple of folks who would be awesome parents, and basically yearned for it, and it just wasn’t to be (well, never say never, but in one particular case I’m thinking the odds are statistically microscopic when looking at age-related fecundity distributions let alone their specific complications).

  41. james 41
    19 January 2018 at 10:50 pm

    Congrats to the happy couple.

    Its going to be a hard road ahead for them – having a kid is tough. Having a kid and being PM I think will be a lot harder.

    I hope she makes a real go of it and does well in both.

  42. mosa 42
    19 January 2018 at 11:00 pm

    Well done Gayford you are a machine and well done PM for bringing one home for the team !!!

    Jacinda will make a great mum and still be a great PM at the same time and she will find it hard to not be with bubs after only six weeks of bonding but the responsibilities of the premiership are all consuming but she is tough and can handle it just fine.

    Winston must be in line as one of the god parents and i bet that was in the coalition agreement somewhere in one of many sub clauses.

    Congratulations are in order and i think it might be a boy.

  43. millsy 43
    19 January 2018 at 11:35 pm

    CV is bouncing around on Twitter suggesting that Ardern knew she was pregnant before the election.

    But congratulations anyway. I can see Mallard holding the baby in the debating chamber already.

    According to the Media, Pakistan’s Bhutto also had a baby while in office. So if a lady from a conservative Muslim country can do it, Jacinda can.

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.