But does this article go some way to explaining why Labour/Hipkins hold a 6% lead over National and Hipkins holding a 1.7% lead over Luxon as preferred PM? Surely Luxon’s inability to utter forthright statements, the failure to be able to answer questions in a manner that makes you think he truly believes in the answer are not the sole reason for his shocking poll results?
Is this authors view emblematic of the views many voters, in the main Labour supporters who steadfastly believe Ardern is the saint who saved us from covid, ipso facto Labour/Hipkins are best placed to save the country now?
Luxon is a very poor leader and a poor PM but gee whizz, Hipkins has failure stamped over every ministerial portfolio he has had in his hands!
As Minister of Education Hipkins implemented the disastrous amalgamation of NZ’s polytechs – Te Pūkenga. Te Pūkenga gobbled up around $390 million in establishment costs and then the in early 2026, over $325 million was transferred from Te Pūkenga to 10 newly independent polytechnics for recapitalization.
As Minister of Police Hipkins ignored or denied stats that showed crime, particularly ram raids, ballooned under his watch!
Hipkins as Minster of Health. A ministry that implemented the Pae Ora Actthat established a co-governed health system and proposed the Maori Health Authority be given the power of veto. Waitlists for elective surgeries ballooned under his watch.
As Covid Minister he was a regular preacher from the podium of truth! Do I need to say much more?
And so many believe he is the best man to become Prime Minister!
The authors profile says – Gen X, raised by the Silent Generation, parenting Gen Z. I write about politics, education, communities, books, and life — usually by wondering out loud.
https://substack.com/@wonderoutloud
Prime Minister is a bittersweet reminder that governments can lead with courage, generosity, and kindness.
Luxon is a very poor leader and a poor PM but gee whizz, Hipkins has failure stamped over every ministerial portfolio he has had in his hands!
As Minister of Education Hipkins implemented the disastrous amalgamation of NZ’s polytechs – Te Pūkenga. Te Pūkenga gobbled up around $390 million in establishment costs and then the in early 2026, over $325 million was transferred from Te Pūkenga to 10 newly independent polytechnics for recapitalization.
As Minister of Police Hipkins ignored or denied stats that showed crime, particularly ram raids, ballooned under his watch!
Hipkins as Minster of Health. A ministry that implemented the Pae Ora Actthat established a co-governed health system and proposed the Maori Health Authority be given the power of veto. Waitlists for elective surgeries ballooned under his watch.
As Covid Minister he was a regular preacher from the podium of truth! Do I need to say much more?
And so many believe he is the best man to become Prime Minister!
The authors profile says – Gen X, raised by the Silent Generation, parenting Gen Z. I write about politics, education, communities, books, and life — usually by wondering out loud.
https://substack.com/@wonderoutloud
Prime Minister is a bittersweet reminder that governments can lead with courage, generosity, and kindness.
I finally watched Prime Minister, the documentary about Jacinda Ardern. Two hours that brought back a flood of memories.
It’s strange to remember she stepped down only three years ago. Yet already it feels like a different political age. Watching the film, that time now seems like a lifetime away — a reminder of how easily we slipped back into small, petty politics more concerned with performance than with improving people’s lives. Policies that put money before people.
For five short years years New Zealand was led by someone who believed that compassion, kindness and generosity were not weaknesses in politics, but strengths. Someone who genuinely seemed to want to make this country a better place for everyone.
And what a gruelling first term it was. The Christchurch mosque shootings. The Whakaari-White Island eruption. The COVID-19 pandemic.
It was relentless. Crisis after crisis. Yet she handled each moment with professionalism, empathy and dignity.
Watching the footage of the illegal occupation of Parliament grounds in 2022, I was struck by how quickly political memory can shift. At the time, the media consensus was that the protesters had crossed a line. Later, when it became politically convenient, some of those same voices reframed them as victims who had simply not been listened to.
It troubles me that in the past three years we seem to have moved from putting humanity first to putting political power first. A kind of carelessness slipped into our political discourse — a carelessness that pushed our shared humanity to the fringes.
I am particularly saddened that we excused threats of violence instead of clearly and unambiguously condemning them. The language of intimidation slipped too easily into public life, and too many people looked away.
We ignored troubling indicators. A 2021 report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue found that New Zealand had nearly double the rate of far-right Facebook page followers per 100,000 internet users compared with Australia, and triple that of Canada.
Three years on, it is sobering to realise that it still does not feel entirely safe for her to live here.
What madness that we allowed that to happen.
Watching the film reminded me of something simple: for five extraordinary years, New Zealand had a leader who tried to govern with humanity.
And we were lucky to have her.
Happy Women’s Day.
Pee Kay writes he is from a generation where common sense, standards, integrity and honesty are fundamental attributes. This article was first published HERE
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