I remember the 5th of December 2016. A buzz of excitement went around the office - “Have you heard the news?” John Key had resigned. I felt absolutely elated, it was like an early Christmas present - a really good one. People were excited and smiling, it was a pretty progressive crowd.
Then the 19th of October 2017. My wife had just got home from work and I was watching TV. The kids greeted her at the door “Mum, Jacinda won the election and Dad is crying”. There were certainly tears of joy and relief when the old crocodile Winston chose a coalition with Labour. I felt like a weight was lifted from the country after nine years of National.
Now the 19th of January 2023. The absolute shock. I was certainly in tears again, sheer disbelief. We knew the Prime Minister was under enormous pressure but genuinely did not think this was coming. In the dim recesses the idea had lurked that if the election was lost she would leave parliament, but that was a year away and there was still good reason to hope she would win another term.
Is this the way it has to be? Half the country elated when a leader departs and the other half heartbroken? Maybe we should be less tribal and recognise, at least on their departure, that most of our political leaders aren’t baby eating monsters, or communists, but people who have given enormously to try and make our country a better place.
Some of you might be thinking “you hypocrite Rockel, we can just imagine how you celebrated when Key stood down - why don’t you start by saying something nice about him then?”
It is true that I was immensely pleased when Key stood down. OK, anyone eating might want to skip the next bit. He could have been a lot worse. Where many right wing leaders rolled out damaging programmes of austerity during the GFC, he didn’t. So yeah, I’m grateful for that.
I've gone from the immediate sadness and shock of Jacinda’s announcement to feeling quite pissed off. Pissed off that this strong, hugely talented, compassionate woman has been ground down by the negativity and hatred of a mediocre media and a bunch of hateful neanderthal pigs being abusive and even threatening her.
But also of course grateful. For what Jacinda has done for us, and that she will get to have a more regular life with her family.
The way she has been treated makes me feel ashamed of our country, and concerned for its future. But also glad for decent folks like you reading this newsletter who are hurting and disgusted at the way she has been treated. Certainly worse than any previous Prime Minister of New Zealand.
We have to ask - so what happens now then? What happens as we face challenges as a nation, and an election, without our great leader? There is so much more I could write about Jacinda’s achievements and how ungrateful, or downright disgraceful, many in the public and the media have been. You can read more about that below in what was my most popular newsletter of 2022.
I’d like to say something positive about being one people or something, but right now I’m not feeling it. In fact - I remember the one downside I felt when John Key resigned was that I wouldn’t get to see him lose an election. Well I hope some of these bastards that hate Jacinda so much feel cheated too!
That might seem a tad bitter, at odds with the positivity suggested above. But for goodness sake some of these people, these FARCs, are even organising celebration parties! How disgusting. The worst people in the country celebrating victory in getting rid of a kind, decent, and highly intelligent, leader.
At least Christopher Luxon was somewhat gracious in his words about the resignation, albeit very selective in his recognition of Jacinda’s achievements. Unlike the graceless jerk below who decided to prove the Prime Minister had been 100% correct in her description of him as an arrogant prick.
The sad thing of course is that he isn’t saying it because he is an arrogant prick, a thoughtless snivelling contemptible little rat weasel. No, the sad thing is he’s saying it to get the votes of the neanderthal pigs mentioned above so they don’t go to National. He doesn’t even have it in him at a time like this to rise above the petty politics.
Despite feeling like it this week, Jacinda standing down isn’t the end of the world. It doesn’t mean the election is lost, there will be other good leaders. Which bring us to the question - who will be the next PM and the Labour leader to take on National and ACT at the next election?
With Grant Robertson ruling himself out I can’t see it going to anyone other than Chris Hipkins, the guy is a machine and he would do the party proud. Of course he isn’t Jacinda, we won’t see another one of those for god knows how long. Almost certainly not in my lifetime.
Some have talked about Kiri Allan. I think she has a big future ahead of her but a truly awful indictment of New Zealand in 2023 is I’m not sure we could reasonably put another female into that role. Not at this time when the level of hatred has become so grotesque. Jacinda is incredibly strong, but so relentless have the attacks been that anyone would eventually say enough was enough.
It could be a delicious symmetry if in election year Andrew Little took over the leadership of the party from Jacinda and saved the election. I am joking of course.
It would be more likely that they’d change their mind and call a by election in Mt Albert. Return Helen Clark to parliament, to party leader, and to the role of Prime Minister. That’d have them choking on their cuppa at the Groundswell meetings.
Maybe someone else will put their hand up - perhaps Michael Wood? I think Labour will need someone with more experience for this campaign and if Grant Robertson can’t be persuaded to change his mind then Chippy would be the obvious choice.
If things were different then my pick, assuming Grant was not an option, would be Megan Woods. She has a good heart, a quick wit, and is hugely capable. But after seeing what has happened to Jacinda I wouldn’t wish it upon her.
Here is some of the Prime Minister’s announcement:
“The only interesting angle you will find is that after going on six years of some big challenges, that I am human. Politicians are human. We give all that we can, for as long as we can, and then it’s time.
And for me, it’s time.
I intend to remain the Member for Mt Albert through till April. This will give me a bit of time in the electorate before I depart, and also spare them and the country a by-election.
Beyond that, I have no plan. No next steps. All I know is that whatever I do, I will try and find ways to keep working for New Zealand and that I am looking forward to spending time with my family again - arguably, they are the ones that have sacrificed the most out of all of us.
And so to Neve, mum is looking forward to being there when you start school this year.
And to Clarke, let’s finally get married.”
As hard as it is we can only say - thank you. Thank you Prime Minister, you gave it everything you could, maybe more than some of us deserved. We could not have asked for more.
She has represented the best of us and demonstrated the values that many of us want to see from a leader - caring for others, making well-considered decisions, selflessness and humility, and most of all a focus on people and kindness.
On a thread where people were sharing their thoughts after the announcement a friend of mine wrote the following, which I very much agree with.
She arrived at exactly the right moment in NZ history. Unique, outstanding and more than capable of commencing the clean up required to undo the god awful mess National created.
Then all hell broke loose with the Christchurch shootings, a pandemic, an erupting volcano, and pandemic after shock. She took it in her stride along with the appalling verbal abuse. Our profile increased ten fold overseas and world leaders flocked to be associated with her.
Really sad to say good bye to the PM but totally understand her selfless decision for NZ. Labour is in a great place with three possible leaders standing by to go through the process of leadership. The right gal for the right time. We wish you well Jacinda. I look forward to the great heights you will go to.
I will especially remember her for the way she managed Covid. The kindness and compassion. The glimpse of a world where people matter more than profits will stay with me.
In a world where people are disillusioned with, and generally dislike, their political leaders she showed us something different and we, not the detractors, loved her for what she did. For the lives saved, the way she bought the country together, and did everything she could to look after us and our families.
But now it is quite right that she has to look after herself and be with her family.
I’m glad Neve gets more time from with her mum, and Clarke with his soon to be wife - Jesus he has had to put up with a lot too.
When we got to zero active cases I posted the following, with the song at the end:
”I would love to think that our PM at this time on a Friday night is dancing round the room listening to this, with Neve on one hip and the worlds largest glass of Pinot Gris in the other hand as Clarke opens another bottle.
More likely she is reading briefings over a cup of milo until she can't keep her eyes open any longer. But I would love to think it was the former scenario.”
I hope that scene I imagined is a lot more realistic now for our much loved Jacinda.
Thanks Nick for expressing it all so well.
I will say it again that Jacinda Ardern WFPM will go on to do wonderful things for and in the world. Aotearoa-nz has been privileged to have had her here through the most diffucult of times in our modern history. We wish her well ♡♡♡♡
He tangata
He tangata
He tangata
Oh Nick, I cried a wee bit reading that, and I could feel your pain too. I'm with you in all you say. I still feel gobsmacked, shaken, upset... It's not so much that Jacinda resigned, but that a bunch of vicious people could put her in such an unsafe place that she had no choice. (Why can these people not spell? Always curious about that!) Anyway, let's try and have a good one on this sunny day. Thanks again for your writing.