At Home With Jacinda Meet My Amazing Role Model

Introducing the Labour leader’s hero - her mum!

 

- Sophie Neville

A mother’s intuition works in powerful ways. Two weeks ago, Laurell Ardern was at home in Niue when she had a sudden feeling her youngest daughter – Labour leader Jacinda – needed her.

She wasn’t due to fly to New Zealand until just before the September 23 election, but when she asked Jacinda whether she could use some extra support, the offer was met with a resounding “yes please”!

“So I quickly changed my flights, and I’ve been washing, ironing and cooking ever since!” laughs Laurell as she serves her politician daughter a bowl of delicious homemade pumpkin soup.

Jacinda, 37, has barely had time to process her astonishing rise to the top since becoming Labour leader after Andrew Little’s shock resignation on August 1. Her schedule is mind-boggling. The night before our Woman’s Day photo shoot, she didn’t get to bed until after midnight following a TV leaders’ debate. Today she was up at 4.30am and by the time we meet at midday, she’s already had five TV and radio interviews and a team meeting.

We have a two-hour  window before Jacinda heads to Te Puea Marae in South Auckland for a policy announcement, followed by a Facebook Live chat and a drive to Hamilton for more campaigning. It’s brutal, but she claims she’s coping with the pace just fine.

“I’m actually OK,” insists Jacinda. “I’m probably running on five weeks’ worth of adrenaline. But the main thing is, I’m getting great joy from doing this job. You don’t get weary from things that give you joy. I genuinely love meeting people and spending time with people, which is good because now the only time I’m by myself is when I’m in a toilet cubicle!”