Former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has opened up on what it was like leading through the Christchurch terror attack and a global pandemic and whether she could make a return to politics one day, with US talk show host Jon Stewart.
Ardern appeared as a guest on The Daily Show, ahead of the release of an HBO documentary about her time as Prime Minister titled, Prime Minister.
She said the documentary contains a compilation of footage, including home videos from her husband Clarke Gayford, showing what it was like to lead through a domestic terror attack, a pandemic and have a baby, all in quick succession.
Since then, Ardern has kept herself busy with her memoir, A Different Kind of Power, a children’s book and a recent opinion piece for The Guardian.
“We were hit with a lot,” she told Stewart about her and the Labour’s party’s time in office.
“It’s hard when you’re managing a pandemic, when you’re managing a terror attack… it’s hard.
“We still did a lot on child poverty. We still put in really important climate change law.”
Stewart praised Ardern for her leadership in the aftermath of the Christchurch terror attack which left 51 people dead following two mass shootings at mosques in the city.
Ardern said the world needed more leaders who were willing to “be humans” while they were in the job.
One of the interactions she remembered most about dealing with US President Donald Trump was from that time she told Stewart.
“I talk about it in the book, [her memoir], there was a phone call after the terror attack… at the time I thought what can I ask? What can I ask from a country like the US in that moment? And I remember I asked for love and support for the Muslim communities.
“Everyone agrees violent extremism is a bad thing, what’s difficult is getting those who carry some responsibility to do something about it.”
Stewart observed Ardern’s popularity in New Zealand dropped during the global pandemic which she said had been “a jarring turn”.
“I always held on to that idea that what goes up must come down… and ultimately, whatever political capital that you might have, you’re going to need to spend it.”
In a lighter moment, Stewart spoke about how Ardern had brought some Whittakers Hokey Pokey Crunch chocolate with her for him to try – of which he was a big fan.
“It was, I have to say delicious...” Stewart said.
In terms of the political climate in the US right now, Ardern said she didn’t believe the country was alone.
Quoting a global survey by Edelman, Ardern said there had been a global increase in the grievance people feel.
That survey had shown four out of 10 people thought hostile action was justified.
“Political violence is never okay,” Ardern said, “as political leaders we have to take responsibility,” Ardern said.
“In my mind power is responsibility. In times of uncertainty, leadership matters.”
Empathetic leadership was the answer, Ardern said.
“It takes courage to be empathetic in these times. But we need more of it, not less.”
Would Ardern ever consider re-entering the political arena? Stewart asked.
“I’m very happy just solely as an ambassador for New Zealand’s chocolate,” she replied.
