While Dame Jacinda enjoyed a near-saintly international reputation, at home, her legacy was more contested.
She was loathed by anti-vaxxers for her government’s Covid-19 mandates, and was blamed by many on the right for New Zealand’s post-pandemic economic downturn. . .
That blame is justified. The country’s wouldn’t be facing the dire economic mess it is now, had she and her government achieved more and spent less.
There is no doubt that her response to the Mosque massacres was praiseworthy but any other of our recent PMs would have done as well.
At least some of the international adulation for her was based on sexism – because she was a young woman – and little if any knowledge of her performance – or lack of it – at home.
She is now not as young and if her achievements on the international circuit are anything like those in New Zealand, the stardust will quickly dull.
There is no doubt that her response to the Mosque massacres was praiseworthy but any other of our recent PMs would have done as well.
At least some of the international adulation for her was based on sexism – because she was a young woman – and little if any knowledge of her performance – or lack of it – at home.
She is now not as young and if her achievements on the international circuit are anything like those in New Zealand, the stardust will quickly dull.
Hipkins said the New Zealand Government needed to bring her back into the fold, advocating for Aotearoa.
“I think the current Government are mad, to be honest, in the sense that Jacinda has this enormous international following, and why would they not embrace that as an asset to the country?” he said.
“We’re a small trading nation, our international reputation is really important to us, and Jacinda has got the best international reputation of any New Zealand political leader potentially ever.
“Why would we not try and find ways to use that?”
She wasted opportunities to advocate for policies such as free trade that mattered to New Zealand when she was PM.
Could she be trusted to actually work for what we need rather than carry on with the word-salad-feel-good-achieve-nothing advocacy she specialised in when she was in office?
Ele Ludemann is a North Otago farmer and journalist, who blogs HERE - where this article was sourced.
16 comments:
The return of Comrade Ardern, leader of the World Junior Communist Party; the worst, most divisive Prime Minister this nation has ever had ?
Why on earth should the taxpayer fund Ardern to in effect be another propaganda arm of the Labour party and all causes socialist ?
We all ready have TV One and RNZ National in that role already.
Quite right Ele, truly a leopard totally incapable of changing her spots. With regard to her overseas reputation I suspect that if anyone was asked the response would be "Jacinda who?".
Of course not. The woman is ac fraud, & a dangerous one too.
No surprise to hear of Prince William’s adoration of her either. They have a lot in common - both have made a living off taking other people’s hard earned money to do so-called good in the world (the Monarchy really is just a more palatable & opulent form of socialism) & claim to be making a difference in the lives of those they steal off. I have seen comments online praising Jacinda’s quite obviously hypocritical acceptance of the Damehood, most probably by the same people who are now really struggling because of her incompetence & inhumanity.
It’s like Stockholm syndrome, but only worse as people willingly pay for them to screw them over.
I just don’t get it; a working royal is as much of an oxymoron as an economically literate socialist.
Whislt her past pandering to maori shoud render her safe from maori nutters, she is so reviled by many other NZers, and so recognisabe, that life in NZ would not be pleasant and probably not safe. I do not expect to see her back for a long time.
Jacinda’s regime took NZ from a top 20 country to a bottom 20 country economically. There may have already been rot setting in, but her zero covid isolationist policy destroyed the lives and businesses of many. All of the parties in parliament are partially responsible for the failures of the regime from NZ First who brought them to power to the opposition parties that failed to oppose them.
No thanks hipkins. Does he not read or see the comnents section of dailymail uk whenever cindy does anything? The brits and people from other countries also can't stand her. She is viewed as a woke communist. If you want nz to be seen that way on the world stage then move out. The sheeple are awake now chris. Go away.
Who can't put on a head scarf and look sad.
Apparently this being one of her finest achievements.
Ardern wouldn’t make a scrap of difference. Mahuta as foreign affairs minister was equally useless. Both mediocre at best . Christopher Luxon would eat them for breakfast and ask who’s next
Jacinda Ardern! Now what I find interesting is that no one, and I mean no one, even our "esteemed NZ MSM", at the time ever raised the question of how Jacinda went from being just Labour List MP, to become the Deputy of the party. What made her at the time such a stand out candidate for the role. Now please recall that Andrew Little has been made the Leader. Then a General Election is looming, the rumblings begin, even Andrew Little stated in an interview with Jack Tame/ TVNZ - "that he was going to be replaced as Leader... . SO ?? how did he now that. Did an advocate in his part of the party tell him?
Did he hold an empty glass against the walls of a Govt building and hear "the whispers"?
Then came the "announcement" that Jacinda Ardern would become the party leader and also the Constituent MP for Mt Albert. And how NZ "bowed to a fresh face and yup became the Prime Minister. At that time I wonder how many New Zealander's were aware of her socialist leanings?
I have also wondered, when the "notice of I am standing down" occurred, how is it that she is suddenly named as being the recipient of a Royal Honour? To my knowledge, the Honour bestowed, does "NOT" occur overnight.
Am I allowed to advance the "theory" that she was brought & sold (with said Honour) to get her leave the Labour party, as they were seeing that Joe Public had become disenchanted and thus could affect the chances of the Labour party, under Chris
(i can not tell a lie, I have my thumb still stuck in the dyke) Hipkins being re-elected.
I also find it strange that said Honour was bestowed at Windsor, by Prince William, not at NZ Govt House by the Gov General.
Hipkins couldn’t be more wrong on his comment we are a small trading nation. We’re so small now at trading we’re only at 30%. Hardly trading. And as for the toothsome ones’ return; please no. She is a vile piece of humanity, happy to commit genocide in her country, and now, be praised for it.
Jacinda’ enormous international following is the last thing NZ needs.
I don't think any of this is very mysterious. Labour up to 2017 had had a series of unsuccessful male leaders, and it looked as if Little would follow suit in the election year. Ardern has more personal charisma than Little, whatever you think of either of them. I doubt too that they expected to be in government, but of course Peters went with Labour because he was in a feud with the Nats over someone leaking his superannuation details. Then she resigned in Jan 2023 and was gazetted with the damehood in the Honours list for June that year.
Wherever Ardern goes , great damage will result - except for herself. Her success will increase - internationally. A knack of certain so-called leaders. Her aim is the UN (top job) - so she will be looking for a suitably high-level entry point into the system very soon. NZ will endorse her ( as they did for Helen Clark) - this is way things work.
Adern is in a completely different league from Clark, who has/has a real grasp of many issues. I suspect NZ support fro Comrade Adern for the UN, except from maori, would be luke warm at best.
To Robert Arthur: this sort of support is political and expressed at government level. This has nothing to do with citizen opinion.
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