Dr Liz Gordon: Jacinda
I really haven’t given a thought to what persons of the political right think of Jacinda Ardern. A story I heard, from my granddaughter of all people, gave me pause.
“[Unnamed relative of Palmerston North] says that Jacinda Ardern only got pregnant to make sure she became Prime Minister”, she said.
Now this is such a rich, convoluted and inaccurate version of life that I had trouble formulating a response. My initial one was something like: “Pregnancy is not a well-trodden route to political power”.
I was quite pleased with that response, and it seemed to satisfy the young one. However, it got me thinking about how Jacinda was viewed by those who do not support her “Marxist” political programme, as one right wing blogger twit calls it.
Just like many of us cringed when our playboy millionaire PM Key schmoozed with Barack Obama over golf, I am sure the right has gone bananas over Jacinda’s persona as progressive young world leader. I could look up some of the right-wing blogs but it is only an hour since breakfast and I don’t think my stomach is up to it.
I have read some media, though, including a comment by one pundit that Jacinda did not shine through in the panel discussion with Prince William and David Attenborough. What was she supposed to do? Monopolise the conversation and trumpet her own views? I don’t think so. In fact, I think that being there was all that was required at this point. It must have been fascinating.
The Prime Minister is a wonderful representative of New Zealand overseas. Her competence, grace and ability shine out, and it is not surprising that some people in the UK thought she would make a better job of Brexit than the British government (but such a poisoned chalice – the Brexit issue is ridiculous and unsolvable, as some people’s apparent dreams of a new age of ‘Rule Britannia’ founders on the Realpolitik of world trade, neo-liberalism and social discontent).
This is going to be a testing year for the government, though. Economic inequality is still rising. The top people are still accumulating wealth and the bottom are still losing it. By the end of 2019 that trend needs to start reversing. By the time of the election in 2020, the government needs to have carved out a political majority for their new economic focus.
I wonder if any lessons can be learned from the 1935 and 1938 Labour Governments? After being elected in 1935 on a platform of economic and social security, the 35-38 government increased wages, launched public works to create jobs, built state houses and, in 1938, developed the iconic Social Security Act which “greatly expanded the scope of the welfare state, introducing universal free health services and extending benefits for the aged, sick and unemployed” (Te Ara).
In 1938 the Labour government won 55% of the vote on a platform of “retain the key to prosperity”, and went on to continue implementing the welfare state until 1949, embedding it into our society until it began to be unwound by the ‘mother of all budgets’ in 1991. By any reckoning, a marvellously successful political run.
And the key to prosperity is… ? social inclusion, the removal of poverty within plenty, involving people in the life of the country, jobs for all who can work, housing, health care, the living wage, respect for all…. this is not rocket science! And I think we have to add now the development of a political project that involves each of us in saving the planet and life within it. My own interest in this is the development (within Aotearoa) of high quality, low cost solar panel kits available free for the roof of every house, to generate more energy than we will ever need. But I digress (more about this later)
The photo of Michael Joseph Savage still hangs on the wall of many homes in New Zealand today, as a champion of the people. I wonder if Jacinda’s photo will be similarly treated in future years. I hope so (she is significantly more attractive than MJS, for a start). But pretty soon, this month, next month, the budget, we need to start seeing the promise of wellbeing turn into real social and economic progress. Can it be done without income tax reform (which is off the agenda, if you remember)? We shall see. In the meantime, Jacinda, more power to your elbow.
Dr Liz Gordon began her working life as a university lecturer at Massey and the Canterbury universities. She spent six years as an Alliance MP, before starting her own research company, Pukeko Research. Her work is in the fields of justice, law, education and sociology (poverty and inequality). She is the president of Pillars, a charity that works for the children of prisoners, a prison volunteer, and is on the board of several other organisations. Her mission is to see New Zealand freed from the shackles of neo-liberalism before she dies (hopefully well before!).
I agree I prefer the girl next door Jacinda over the high flying playboy multi millionaire John Key.
I think Jacinda & Winston/NZF are working well together as a Coalition Government
agree 100% with you Ngungukai
Me too folks, This is a true partnership.
Jacinda and Winston are a unbeatable team.
Winston is my age and we both grew up in that 1940’s era when we felt like we were secure and the government was working for us and make a better life so Jacinda needs to be close to Winston and learn from Labour’s halcyon era of enlightenment, that we have not seen flower endlessly since that 1940’s and 50’s era.
“until it began to be unwound by the ‘mother of all budgets’ in 1991.”
I think the unwinding started with the introduction of neo-liberalism in 1984. But apart from that, yes, big policies and actions are needed immediately, so that they are making progress by the next election, starting with the government itself building thousands of houses
I think you are wrong, neoliberalism certainly started in 1984 but the attack on the poor was all down to national… Roger Douglas directed his reforms at corporate practice, state reform and state assets.
Certainly a bit of political amnesia going on there EP.
D J S
“I have read… a comment by one pundit that Jacinda did not shine through in the panel discussion…What was she supposed to do? Monopolise the conversation and trumpet her own views? I don’t think so” No, I don’t think so either.
I doubt anyone wanted Ardern to monopolise and trumpet – that would be bad manners – the pundit possibly just meant that Ardern did not make a significant contribution- in that pundit’s view.
It’s nice that Ardern’s “competence grace and ability” are shining over Europe, but she was actually elected to do a job here in NZ, and if she can get poor people into houses, yep, then photos on walls along with the three china ducks, and how about not knocking Michael Joseph Savage for trailing Jacinda Ardern in his personal appearance/attractiveness. It matters not.
Don’t know why people are going gaga over Ardern as a pin-up, but Golda Meir had only one vaguely presentable dress when she became PM of Israel and that did not get in her way – metaphor(s) unavoidable.
Wait, didn’t Jacinda announce her pregnancy after she was Prime Minister? Google, and yep, yes she did.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11978029
So the correct answer to this nonsense would be “she never said she was pregnant while she was running.”
Ms Ardern is not the entirety of the Labour Party.
She represents one electorate.
I find it quite hard to be clear on what Labour now represents.
The Labour Party was, supposedly, the party of/for working people, and stood for progress, supplanting the old Liberal Party.
Somehow the current crop of ‘representatives’ has lifted itself above the toilers earning under $50 000.
Pensioners and beneficiaries barely show on the horizon, being persons below $20 000.
If Ms Ardern and her colleagues are going to flit about the planet – could they PLEASE come home with some very practical and quickly implemented ways to create new work to serve the present century, to deal with over-priced education and retraining, to kick ageism into touch, to rethink the ways we improve our infrastructure, housing, working ways.
Because, so far – like the shower before them, they’re dismal.
When the time comes for the return of a ‘conservative party’ there’ll be nothing new for the poor dears to consolidate and make part of the Kiwi way while the party of ideas goes off to hatch new and improved ones.
Labour is behaving like steady as we go National Light.
Ain’t nobody got time for that…
Andrea the Coalition Govt has done two major things which make a statement about the sort of people which we and they are: (a) Re-entry of the Pike River Mine (b) Inquiry into the NZDF’s activities in the Tirigan Valley.
I doubt that the scoundrels who preceded them could even begin to understand the importance of both – for all the persons involved, and for our national psyche as a country of fundamentally decent people – apart from the afore mentioned scoundrels, so allergic to sunlight and busy nursing their wounded little vanities.
both the enquiry and Pike River will prove pointless .A huge amount of money spent while teachers remain under paid and more children than ever go to school hungry. By the end of the year the glitter dust that Jacinda spread that blinded the swing vote will all be washed away and the real workers who see themselves bleed dry will be waiting the chance to vote in a party that looks after them. National had got complacent after 9 years but after this wake up call will hit the deck running
They may not prove pointless Trevor; one or both may prove to be crime scenes, but regardless of the outcome we will have have at least tried to reach the truth. The bottom line is
that innocent people have died.
Having said that, I have no idea how any political parties prioritise now. When I saw that Ardern had visited Meghan Markle in London to thank her for coming to NZ again, I assumed that this is what her advisers told her to do to please the punters, and if she is going to go the Key photo op way, then the All Blacks’ dressing room could get mighty crowded if all the coalition partners tag along too.
The government is bigger than Ardern. Photo opportunities only go so far. The government (no longer new) actually needs to deliver on promises. Kiwi Build is a disaster and real issues like climate change need urgent attention.
Comments here appear ‘sanitised’ or censored, I note.