# Jacinda Ardern resigns as prime minister of New Zealand **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 19, 2023, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438 "2023-01-19T04:17:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/41 "2023-01-24T06:29:44Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > naturally the more careful poster is going to end up using more time for the task. …and not coincidentally, impress previously uninformed posters as to the correctness of their side of the argument. I don’t count myself as _that_ uninformed, I might add. As soon as I saw the words “radical Maori caucus” I knew _exactly_ where Ferris was coming from, and that their entire post could be safely dismissed on the accuracy front. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/42 "2023-01-24T06:32:02Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > But I wonder if he has some similarities with Ardern - foreigners might only hear or overrepresent the good things Another possibility is that we may give a lot more _weight_ to some of the good things (like increased representation in his gov.) than Americans or even Canadians might. That may sound similar to “overrepresent”, but it’s not, really. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2023, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/43 "2023-01-25T04:38:45Z")
I guess I’m not the only one to see something in common. But Trudeau has plenty of gas… > **[Jacinda Ardern’s resignation prompts new questions over Trudeau’s future](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/24/canada-justin-trudeau-third-term-run)** > > The Canadian leader is at a point in which he can bow out with his reputation relatively intact – just as the New Zealand PM did ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2023, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/44 "2023-01-25T09:32:12Z")
…Jacinda Ardern’s last speech as Prime Minister at Ratana. > ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/45 "2023-04-05T14:55:24Z")
> **[In final speech, Ardern reflects on leading New Zealand](https://apnews.com/article/jacinda-ardern-final-speech-2a72ef7e8a58d5db037c6c8b49527979)** > > In her final speech to New Zealand’s Parliament, Jacinda Ardern describes in emotional terms how she navigated a pandemic and a mass shooting during her tumultuous five-year tenure as prime minister. She's also urging lawmakers to take the politics... > **[Jacinda Ardern appointed trustee of Prince William's Earthshot Prize](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-65180096)** > > Prince William says it is an honour to welcome the ex-PM of New Zealand to his Earthshot prize. > **[Jacinda Ardern to tackle online extremism in new role as special envoy for...](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/04/jacinda-ardern-to-tackle-online-extremism-in-new-role-as-special-envoy-for-christchurch-call)** > > Former New Zealand prime minister will push initiative she created in wake of 2019 terrorist attack ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/46 "2023-10-15T01:39:18Z")
Reviving this thread to note that the Labor Party under Ardern’s successor got trounced today in the New Zealand general election. The center-right National Party will likely partner with the more libertarian ACT Party to form a government on a platform of cutting taxes and spending and “restoring law and order.” > **[New Zealand shifts right as voters punish ruling party | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/13/asia/new-zealand-general-election-labour-national-intl-hnk/index.html)** > > New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has conceded his Labour party lost Saturday’s election, as voters punished the government and took the country rightwards nine months after his predecessor Jacinda Ardern suddenly resigned. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/47 "2023-10-15T02:27:33Z")
Disappointing. But also not surprising, as Left-wing Parties across the globe seem to be unwilling to take charge and make dynamic decisions when they are needed. They just seem so lacklustre and limp, trying too hard to be liked. ---
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/48 "2023-10-15T06:04:26Z")
‘Trounced’ is about right. Labour had an outright parliamentary majority three years ago and have pretty much lost half that support to end up at around 27% (preliminary results). I got some stick for pointing out that Jacinda Ardern wasn’t the wonderful Prime Minister that her overseas image would suggest, but last night’s result is simply a reflection of how the majority of New Zealanders have been feeling about her legacy these last three years. Here’s a link to enjoy: [https://laboursfailures.com/](https://laboursfailures.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/49 "2023-10-15T06:21:54Z")
> [@Ferris](#): > > but last night’s result is simply a reflection of how the majority of New Zealanders have been feeling about her legacy these last three years. …Jacinda Ardern lead a government that saved [20,000 lives](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/06/new-zealand-covid-strategy-saves-lives). She was subjected to one of the worst harassment and disinformation campaigns that I’ve seen in my lifetime. And she wasn’t in the running last night. If you voted for Luxon or if you voted for Seymour or if you voted for Peters, _then own that._ Own what will happen to people like me over the next few years. And just a warning to everyone: the link Ferris provided is to an astroturf site that contains disinformation, has no contact information, hides their WHOIS information, and harvests emails. I doubt that it is dangerous. But it is nothing but _propaganda_. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/50 "2023-10-15T06:34:32Z")
Yeah… i will own Luxon, but i reject Peters as a xenophobic, populist pratt only marginally better than trump. No GST on fruit n vege is dumb. No interest deductibility is dumb. Jacinda and covid management was awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/51 "2023-10-15T11:02:39Z")
Happy to ‘own’ voting for a _party_ (not a person - hey! That might be a clue as to why voting on personality isn’t a good idea) that consistently ran on their policies rather than Labour’s fear-mongering and personal attacks. Of ACT’s eleven MP’s, I’ve met and had conversations with five of them personally (including the leader and deputy leader), and another three online. Despite being busy people, I do get replies from them. I have no idea what you mean by ‘what will happen to people like me’, but I know that those eleven elected MP’s will consider you just like the other five million Kiwis and treat you equally. They are excellent representatives for all New Zealanders. Perhaps you’ll ‘own’ some of Labour’s appalling economic and social failings, but it really doesn’t matter - the fact is that Labour couldn’t act fast enough to chuck out the unpopular policies that Jacinda Ardern had been pushing, and then never referred to her again in the campaign. There’s a good reason for that. I happen to share the disdain for Winston Peters - always the populist - so am still a little nervous about his potential influence. Hopefully a stable and competent National/ACT government will get on with undoing some of the damage left by Labour. ---
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/52 "2023-10-15T11:06:10Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Yeah… i will own Luxon, but i reject Peters as a xenophobic, populist pratt only marginally better than trump. > No GST on fruit n vege is dumb. > No interest deductibility is dumb. > Jacinda and covid management was awesome. Agree re: Peters. Funny how Labour’s Finance Minister said the same thing about GST… up until it was suddenly Labour policy. And he’s the same guy that wanted a wealth tax - but since his own leader chucked the idea, he had to suck it up and talk it down again. Talk about consistency! ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/53 "2023-10-15T11:21:16Z")
> [@Ferris](#): > > There’s a good reason for that. …yep. There is a good reason why people keep bringing up Jacinda Ardern, even though she played no part in either the election campaign or the loss. She didn’t lose this election. _This_ is what won the election. [https://uc002f22c4265176996a7170367c.previews.dropboxusercontent.com/p/thumb/ACAop3OxXTeyL8LQxOboLJdl9lFfvl3w1WV2KFeJoQ-7aHlRTqEK1oPiEcIGtTOKrsTNgv8mRHcZFWkmpQobuuH87GKxFtboyN81xg2Irfg9\_wNcI5\_g9JVbTGrrc76pZtu1oVW23GuFm1EERdZr1Ui4OVkWN-WLW0nIlqt9XHLD1AmP-zOLEi7ySEJvfxj7kZllf4JPqqYJy\_yxfHovtDJUaGHJZyljX0OKO79pcB92MqKXBpMk12PRzqD\_DvJCsSMCRzL2hBeTykdl7mS\_elikFWR63zDjt6LF6XWnf-Kz0Tb04JG0Gu05h-s-zEWS7MToJBspN78WszNJL2Np9k7KxsP3hMVpNd\_gXrfsblFP0Q/p.png](https://uc002f22c4265176996a7170367c.previews.dropboxusercontent.com/p/thumb/ACAop3OxXTeyL8LQxOboLJdl9lFfvl3w1WV2KFeJoQ-7aHlRTqEK1oPiEcIGtTOKrsTNgv8mRHcZFWkmpQobuuH87GKxFtboyN81xg2Irfg9_wNcI5_g9JVbTGrrc76pZtu1oVW23GuFm1EERdZr1Ui4OVkWN-WLW0nIlqt9XHLD1AmP-zOLEi7ySEJvfxj7kZllf4JPqqYJy_yxfHovtDJUaGHJZyljX0OKO79pcB92MqKXBpMk12PRzqD_DvJCsSMCRzL2hBeTykdl7mS_elikFWR63zDjt6LF6XWnf-Kz0Tb04JG0Gu05h-s-zEWS7MToJBspN78WszNJL2Np9k7KxsP3hMVpNd_gXrfsblFP0Q/p.png) Its no wonder disinformation sites like “laboursfailures” exist. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/54 "2023-10-15T13:06:22Z")
Outsider here, but at the time I she stepped down I was reading of reports of how low her popularity and Labor support had become. Similar to this one: > **[Support for Jacinda Ardern and NZ Labour sinks to lowest since 2017, poll shows](https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/05/support-for-jacinda-ardern-and-nz-labour-sinks-to-lowest-since-2017-poll-shows)** > > Labour and Ardern were immensely popular during the pandemic but inflation and deepening social inequality has changed their fortunes Was that persistent decline the result of opposition disinformation or the voters’ dissatisfaction with high inflation, lower home values, higher crime, and social issues? Her successor stepped into a freefalling situation. Did not salvage it to be sure but it seems to an outside read disingenuous to divorce her administration from the circumstance. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/55 "2023-10-15T13:43:56Z")
Honestly, as an American I look at that chart and wonder why Labor’s fundraising was so shitty. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/56 "2023-10-15T14:36:12Z")
Note that the chart is limited to only very large donations. The fatcats and the corps made every donation in that chart. We don’t know how the total donations from all sources including ordinary people came out. But we can see which outcome the landed gentry paid for. And in fact they seem to not only have paid for it, but also gotten it. ---
**Author:** ![Digger11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Digger11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digger11)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/57 "2023-10-15T14:41:29Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Disappointing. But also not surprising, as Left-wing Parties across the globe seem to be unwilling to take charge and make dynamic decisions when they are needed. They just seem so lacklustre and limp, trying too hard to be liked. The election results would suggest that this particular left-wing party is no longer liked **because of** the dynamic decisions that it made. During the last few years, the party made quite a few decisions with vim and vigor. If the populace had liked those decisions, surely they would have kept the party in power. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/58 "2023-10-15T20:01:30Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Honestly, as an American I look at that chart and wonder why Labor’s fundraising was so shitty. …it isn’t that difficult to understand. Rich people gave lots of money to the parties that would make them richer. An enormous amount of money was poured into this campaign, along with an unprecedented amount of dark money that was spent on astro-turf, disinformation and dog-whistles. We saw the same thing with Brexit, the same thing when Trump got elected. > [@DSeid](#): > > Was that persistent decline the result of opposition disinformation or the voters’ dissatisfaction with high inflation, lower home values, higher crime, and social issues? I think you just have to read this thread to see how things like “higher crime” and “social issues” have been distorted. Ardern’s decline coincided with a significant rise in disinformation, primarily from US based sources, as observed by the Disinformation Project. [https://thedisinfoproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2021-11-09-FINAL-working-paper-disinformation..pdf](https://thedisinfoproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2021-11-09-FINAL-working-paper-disinformation..pdf) That lead to the protests and the occupation of parliament grounds. ---
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/59 "2023-10-15T20:02:29Z")
I think you have it about right. If ‘saving 20,000 lives’ is such a powerful message, why didn’t Labour campaign on that? Instead, they quietly dropped their final mask mandate, despite Covid still being prevalent. Perhaps if Prime Minister Hipkins hadn’t done that, he wouldn’t have caught Covid in the last weeks of the campaign. Just look at Mt Albert (the electorate that Jacinda Ardern held, and Labour Prime Minister Helen Clark before her). Check out the majorities that both Prime Ministers held in elections going back decades: [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount\_Albert\_(New\_Zealand\_electorate)](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Albert_(New_Zealand_electorate)) What about 2023? Well, the [provisional results](https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electorate-details-24.html) have Labour ahead by 106 votes. There’s been a similar massive shift in a number of Auckland electorates. It would be naive to think all those voters were beguiled by a proliferation of adverts from the opposition. Like I said upthread, ‘Jacindamania’ was basically a cult of personality, and once she started dividing the country, the cult was over. Sorry about the link, by the way. The original was posted on a blog (Trigger warning: site run by ex-leaders of ACT, so clearly right-wing bias) and was in three parts. The lists are far too long to quote in full, and I don’t want to have to defend every point made there - but dismissing it as ‘disinformation’ is exactly what Jacinda Ardern was fond of doing with facts that she didn’t like. Here’s part of the original blog: [https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/alex-holland-labour-s-failures-1](https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/alex-holland-labour-s-failures-1) Note that the author’s name is fairly prominent- it’s not written anonymously. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438/60 "2023-10-15T20:29:05Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > Ardern’s decline coincided with a significant rise in disinformation, primarily from US based sources No doubt. It isn’t like moderate to progressives across the world haven’t had to deal with the same thing though. Some however have managed to maintain their support. Some not. To me it seems simpler to think of her like Winston Churchill, an inspiring leader for a crisis but not the choice of the people when the crisis was past. After the crisis? A different skill set. High inflation? Voters are tempted to just vote for whatever change is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand/978438.md?page=4)