Jacinda Ardern

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The Right Honourable

Jacinda Ardern

MP
Jacinda Ardern November 2020 (cropped).jpg
Ardern in 2020
40th Prime Minister of New Zealand
Assumed office
26 October 2017
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor-GeneralPatsy Reddy
DeputyWinston Peters (2017–20)
Grant Robertson (since 2020)
Preceded byBill English
17th Leader of the Labour Party
Assumed office
1 August 2017
DeputyKelvin Davis
Preceded byAndrew Little
36th Leader of the Opposition
In office
1 August 2017 – 26 October 2017
DeputyKelvin Davis
Preceded byAndrew Little
Succeeded byBill English
17th Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
In office
1 March 2017 – 1 August 2017
LeaderAndrew Little
Preceded byAnnette King
Succeeded byKelvin Davis
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Mount Albert
Assumed office
8 March 2017
Preceded byDavid Shearer
Majority15,264
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for the Labour Party List
In office
8 November 2008 – 8 March 2017
Preceded byDover Samuels
Succeeded byRaymond Huo
Personal details
Pronunciation/dʒəˈsɪndə ˈɑːrdɜːrn/
Born
Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern

(1980-07-26) 26 July 1980 (age 40)
Hamilton, New Zealand
Political partyLabour
Domestic partnerClarke Gayford
Children1
ParentsRoss Ardern
RelativesHamish McDouall (cousin)[1]
Shane Ardern (cousin)[2]
ResidencePremier House, Wellington
Alma materUniversity of Waikato

Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern[3] (born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician and the 40th and current Prime Minister of New Zealand upon her inauguration on 26 October 2017. She has been the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition since 1 August 2017. She has been the MP for Mount Albert since 8 March 2017.

Her handling of gun control over the Christchurch mosque shootings and her response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand has made her popular.

Prime Minister[change | change source]

2017 general election[change | change source]

In the general election which took place on 23 September 2017, the Labour Party won 46 seats, a net gain of 14, putting it behind Bill English's National Party, which won 56 seats.[4] She became the next Prime Minister of New Zealand, after Winston Peters announced he would enter a coalition government with Labour.[5]

Christchurch mosque shootings[change | change source]

On 15 March 2019, 51 people were fatally shot and 49 injured in two mosques in Christchurch. In a statement broadcast on television, Ardern offered condolences and stated that the shootings had been carried out by suspects with "extremist views" that have no place in New Zealand, or anywhere else in the world.[6]

Ardern was the first signatory of a national condolence book that she opened in the capital, Wellington.[7] She also travelled to Christchurch to meet first responders and families of the victims.[8] Ardern received international praise for her response to the shootings.[9][10][11][12] A photograph of her hugging a member of the Christchurch Muslim community with the word "peace" in English and Arabic was projected onto the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.[13]

COVID-19 response[change | change source]

On 14 March 2020, Ardern announced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand that the government would be requiring anyone entering the country from midnight 15 March to isolate themselves for 14 days.[14] Ardern announced that New Zealand would move to alert level 4, including a nationwide lockdown, at 11:59 pm on 25 March.[15]

She received strong positive comments from political commentators for her fast response to the pandemic.[16][17] The Washington Post's Fifield described her regular use of interviews, press conferences and social media as a "masterclass in crisis communication."[18]

Post-lockdown opinion polls showed the Labour Party with nearly 60 per cent support.[19][20]

2020 general election[change | change source]

Main article: 2020 New Zealand general election

Ardern was re-elected in the 2020 general election in a landslide victory. The Labour Party, led by Ardern, picked up 18 seats with a total of 64 in the New Zealand Parliament.[21]

Personal life[change | change source]

She was born in Hamilton on the North Island. Her partner is Clarke Gayford and their daughter is Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford. She is agnostic.[22]

At 5:50 am (local time) on 21 June 2018 (17:50 UTC, 20 June), Ardern was admitted to Auckland Hospital,[23] and gave birth to a girl later that evening at 4:45 pm (04:45 UTC),[24][25] becoming the second Prime Minister in the world to give birth while in office.[25]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ Devlin, Colette; Cooke, Henry (29 November 2019). "Jacinda Ardern says Labour is 'not a perfect organisation' in party conference speech". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  2. ↑ "Things we learned about Jacinda Ardern". Newshub. 6 November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  3. ↑ "New Zealand Hansard – Members Sworn (Volume:651;Page:2)". Parliament of New Zealand.
  4. ↑ "2017 General Election – Official Results". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  5. ↑ Moir, Jo (19 October 2017). "Labour finally retake power after Winston Peters gives Jacinda Ardern his support". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  6. ↑ Britton, Bianca (15 March 2019). "New Zealand PM full speech: 'This can only be described as a terrorist attack'". CNN. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  7. ↑ Greenfield, Charlotte; Westbrook, Tom. "New gun laws to make NZ safer after mosque shootings, says PM Ardern". Reuters. Archived from the original on 18 March 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  8. ↑ "New Zealand mosque terror attacks". CNN. 19 March 2019. Archived from the original on 18 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  9. ↑ "People around the world are praising New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her compassionate response to the Christchurch mosque shootings". Thisisinsider. 19 March 2019.
  10. ↑ "Christchurch terror attack: Jacinda Ardern praised for being 'compassionate leader'". Newshub.co.nz. 18 March 2019.
  11. ↑ "New Zealand's prime minister receives worldwide praise for her response to the mosque shootings". Washington Post. 19 March 2019. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  12. ↑ Shad, Saman (20 March 2019). "Five ways Jacinda Ardern has proved her leadership mettle". SBS News. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  13. ↑ Picheta, Rob. "Image of Jacinda Ardern projected onto world's tallest building". CNN. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  14. ↑ "Everyone travelling to NZ from overseas to self-isolate". Radio New Zealand. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  15. ↑ "Live: PM Jacinda Ardern to give update on coronavirus alert level". Stuff. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  16. ↑ Ensor, Jamie (24 April 2020). "Coronavirus: Jacinda Ardern's 'incredible', 'down to earth' leadership praised after viral video". Newshub. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  17. ↑ Khalil, Shaimaa (22 April 2020). "Coronavirus: How New Zealand relied on science and empathy". BBC News. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  18. ↑ Fifield, Anna (7 April 2020). "New Zealand isn't just flattening the curve. It's squashing it". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 23 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  19. ↑ O'Brien, Tova (18 May 2020). "Newshub-Reid Research Poll: Jacinda Ardern goes stratospheric, Simon Bridges is annihilated". Newshub. MediaWorks TV. Archived from the original on 21 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  20. ↑ "Pressure mounts as National falls to 29%, Labour skyrockets in 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton poll". 1 News. TVNZ. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  21. ↑ "Jacinda Ardern eyes majority as New Zealand votes". BBC News. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  22. ↑ "The politics of life: The truth about Jacinda Ardern". New Zealand Herald. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  23. ↑ "Here comes the baby: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in labour, at Auckland Hospital with partner Clarke Gayford". The New Zealand Herald. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  24. ↑ "Live: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's baby is on the way". Stuff.co.nz. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 "It's a girl! Jacinda Ardern gives birth to her first child". Newshub. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.

Other websites[change | change source]


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