Clarke's fatherhood lessons WHAT NEVE IS TEACHING ME

The Prime Minister’s newly published fiancé reflects on life with a three-year old, a near-death experience and the gift he’s hoping to get from Jacinda

- Marilynn McLachlan & Zoe Pearson

He’s been called everything from New Zealand’s “first bloke” to the nation’s “first man of fishing”, so it should come as no surprise that Clarke Gayford’s love of the ocean has rubbed off on his three-year-old daughter Neve.

“I was driving Neve home from daycare recently,” says Clarke. “And out of the blue, from the back seat, came a little voice that said, ‘Dad, can you take me fishing?’ It was completely unprompted and I was like, ‘Absolutely, we can make that happen!’”

But as the Weekly was going to print, the country was put in level 4 lockdown, so their plans will need to wait – not that he minds. Clarke and his family are now in Wellington, where he says he “is back to my most important job of looking after Neve”.

It’s been many months since New Zealand has had a lockdown, making it difficult for him to predict how their days will be spent. His little girl is negotiating a midnight feast in the late afternoon as he reflects on her changing skillset.

“We were crafting at 6.30 this morning with pipe cleaners, stamps, colourful cardboard plates and scissors, and I commented that she hadn’t been able to use scissors last time!”

Keeping Neve entertained at home is definitely quieter than some of the adventures they’ve had. Clarke has taken her out on his boat several times, but the father-daughter duo has yet to share the enjoyment of whiling away the hours out on the briny with a hook, line and sinker.