Latest news with #JacindaArdern
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Good and funny, if not definitive
REVIEWED BY MIKE HOULAHAN As anyone who has taken even a passing glance at the pages of the Otago Daily Times this week cannot have failed to notice, former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has a book out. Even more glaringly obvious is that New Zealand's 40th prime minister, a woman once hailed as the great unifier, still polarises people like few leaders this country have done. The letters page has mixed hagiography and vitriol; social media has been all afrenzy. What has somehow been lost in the heat and fire is that all this furore is about a book - and amidst a blizzard of commentary there is very little as to whether it is actually a decent read or not. Well, for a start, of the three books on, or by, Jacinda Ardern that I've reviewed - and the fact that that makes her by far the most such scrutinised New Zealand prime minister speaks volumes - this is by far and away the best. That should come as no surprise. One was a foreign-authored cut-and-paste job with dubious ''co-operation'' from its subject, while the other, while well-written, was as much about the author as its subject. I don't know if she had a helpful ghost writer but speaking as someone who has met Ardern several times, it certainly reads like her authentic voice. This is the woman who always got a touch grumpy when - as I have with every PM I have had professional dealings with - I insisted on calling her ''prime minister'' rather than ''Jacinda''... but who equally, and unfailingly, always asked about the health of our children. She actually does go out of her way to be likeable, engaging and - yes - kind, and it has always felt genuine and never forced. She has always been a pleasant, interested and interesting conversationalist, and A Different Kind Of Power often feels like its author is telling you a story over a cup of tea or a single malt. This is most apparent in the opening third of the book, in which Ardern describes her childhood and upbringing - by turns rose-coloured or tinged with sadness as events unfolded. Perhaps because it is the least controversial part of Ardern's story, the bit she feels most relaxed and least self-analytical about, it is also the most entertaining. The second part of the book describes Ardern's unlikely entry to Parliament, followed by her even less likely ascent to the leadership of the Labour party. She skirts through these years carefully, trying hard not to offend anyone - again, typical behaviour, as A Different Kind Of Power often demonstrates. That said, former leader David Cunliffe does not come out of things at all well. Someone who does emerge in shining red colours, however, is South Dunedin's favourite son, Grant Robertson, who - after the main hero, Ardern's partner Clarke Gayford - is in contention with Ardern's father Ross for being the best supporting actor of this story. The third part of the book, the Ardern prime ministership, is a mixed bag. The best bits are terrific: her insider's account of March 15 is electrifying, her rundown of the early days of Covid-19 are compelling. Those two events, unsurprisingly, dominate this part of the book. Many of the major political events of her time are either skirted over or nor addressed at all. This is no doubt due to the expected international audience for A Different Kind Of Power - readers in Manchester or Massachusetts are unlikely to care much about the Provincial Growth Fund, child poverty reduction targets or Kiwi Build. But it also means that the definitive account of Jacinda Ardern's time as prime minister still waits to be written. Overall, despite its shortcomings, this is a good and often very funny read about a fascinating figure and contains many interesting insights. The sad thing about that sentence is that even that faint praise is going to see my email inbox clog up with vitriolic emails - and I know this because that exact thing has happened, despite my commentary being as neutral and even as possible, almost every time I have written about Ardern. There is definitely a book still to be written which explores that subject. Mike Houlahan is the ODT political editor
Newsroom
5 days ago
- Politics
- Newsroom
The Secret Diary of .. the Royal Commission Inquiry into Covid
MONDAY Thank you everyone for coming along to this excellent use of public spending. As head of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19, I shall investigate, and investigate fully, the claims of those who say the government's handling of the Covid-19 crisis was a crime against humanity and was led by Jacinda Ardern who is not actually human but some sort of lizard with speech and hair extensions. We will now hear from an authority on the subject, and indeed on a great many subjects, Heather du Plessis-Allan from Newstalk ZB. She wishes to put forward the argument that Jacinda Ardern should attend the inquiry. 'She's making money off books and all sorts while many businesses here never recovered from lockdowns. Isn't a little truth-telling in order?' Thank you. That's very helpful. TUESDAY We will now hear from someone with an audience of 15 people, down from 17 last week, but who has insisted on making his views heard and is indeed frothing at the mouth. Could someone please pass Ryan Bridge from Herald Now a tissue? That's better. Mr Bridge wishes to jump on the bandwagon about Jacinda Ardern attending the inquiry. 'I was one of just a handful of interviewers who grilled her on a weekly basis during this time period. I'm saving the best bits for a book one day, but there was image and stage control happening behind the scenes you wouldn't believe.' Thank you. We cannot wait for the book. Will you write it? WEDNESDAY We will now hear, inevitably, from Stuff content provider Paddy Gower. Mr Gower wishes to crush the Jacinda Ardern bandwagon beneath the weight of his polemic aimed at the lowest common denominator. 'How good would it be if Dame Jacinda Ardern fronted up to the Covid inquiry? It would be really good for New Zealand, in my opinion.' Thank you. God almighty. Are we done yet? THURSDAY We shall now hear from Voices for Freedom. They signal they have very important information concerning the real figures of how many people died from Covid. Data from the World Health Organisation shows there had been more than 7 million Covid-19 deaths reported as of 22 June this year. What the hell does the WHO know about anything, contend Voices for Freedom, who stand before the Inquiry in a fetching array of tinfoil hats. Thank you for coming today. Are you nervous? Is that froth? We have run out of tissues. Mr Bridge had great need. Please compose yourself as best you can. Down to business. Many thousands of people around the world died, particularly in that early period, but do you dispute that? 'No doubt there were, as there are every year with flus and things like that, and yes, it might have been a particularly bad instance of that.' Thank you. Could someone please hand over a defibrillator? Or some heroin. I am losing the will to live. FRIDAY The Inquiry is pleased to announce that Jacinda Ardern says she will provide evidence to the second stage of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19. I shall investigate, and investigate fully, the decisions she made which helped to save the lives of an estimated 20,000 New Zealanders. Such an outcome must never happen again. It won't with this government.
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Top 10 bestselling NZ books: July 12
Stories of politics, rugby and media once again prove popular. Photos / Supplied 1. (1) A Different Kind of Power: A Memoir by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin) The former PM's memoir, the first such account since Jim Bolger, tops the bestsellers for a fourth week, and is unlikely to be dislodged for some time. The book generally found favour among reviewers, including
The Spinoff
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
The Weekend: I can't stop thinking about this ad
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. It's either a sign I'm scraping the bottom of the vibes barrel or a sign that I'm choosing to find joy in unexpected places but last weekend I found myself utterly captivated, impressed and moved(?!) by a billboard. To be clear, I have high standards for creative consumerism. I hate that we all just have to accept we'll be surrounded by ads all the time, and therefore feel personally insulted when it feels like that privilege – the privilege corporations have in demanding our attention – is taken for granted. When I see a grotesque and lazy Grimace ad, I will complain about it. Yesterday I saw someone opt, at the last minute, to wait for another bus because their one had the garish police wrap on it. I applauded that stranger. Nothing signals a recession like advertising agencies phoning it in or pitching (likely out of necessity) the most low-effort campaigns imaginable. Digital billboards mean I see six meh ads at the traffic lights instead of one. My expectations for some creative flair on a sign are nil. And then last week, as I waited at the Newton Road offramp lights, I saw this: That's it. Just an ad for a medicinal cannabis clinic. I have no need for medicinal cannabis and won't be buying any now but I laughed out loud when I saw this and then yelled 'good ad!' in the car like a child. It's a grabby billboard that takes a quietly understood visual and makes a point with it. And it looks cool. Technically the campaign is about destigmatising cannabis use for medicinal purposes but ultimately it's an ad and an effective one at that. But what moved me was the real-life presence of it. It's tangible and has to have been man-made. If I have to look at a big ad, it's mildly comforting to know that someone actually put it there. People all over the world still talk about the New Zealand ads for Kill Bill from 20 years ago. AI is unavoidable at this point, and so many creative outputs (read: ads but also art, music, literature) feel either written by AI, designed with AI or at least deployed with little human touch. Giant screens that can be edited with the push of a button are cost-effective but never make me think about real people – even though there are very real people putting ads out in the world. I looked at those giant Chucks and wondered how they were made, what they were made of, how they were transported and how they were installed. For the first time in years I saw an ad and immediately thought fondly of the real human effort behind it. Is that inspiring or depressing? I'm still not sure. The stories Spinoff readers spent the most time with this week Outrageous Week's wonderful opener, The birth of the Wests: How Outrageous Fortune came to be by Tara Ward Hayden Donnell's open letter to Jacinda Ardern on open letters to Jacinda Ardern Local Liam Rātana returns to the far north to visit the country's new supreme cafe and sees a half-frozen pie It's once again time to ignore our crumbling infrastructure and pass the rates bills on to the next generation. Hayden Donnell on things that make people mad Auckland councillor Julie Fairey has always advocated for improved road safety – then she got hit by a car Feedback of the week 'Could we all please collectively take a moment to pause and appreciate the guy rocking the marijuana shirt in the back row of the fourth/bottom photo?' On What it's like to go blind at 25 'Bloody wonderful article, Oscar. My dads blind- started in his 30's, like his mum. It's always been far away future for me until it wasn't – on the cusp on 30 and suddenly I can't see shit. Weird, lonely experience – thanks for making it less so.'
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
The secret diary of . . . Royal Commissioner Grant Illingworth KC
MONDAY Thank you everyone for coming along to this excellent use of public spending. As head of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19, I shall investigate, and investigate fully, the claims of those who say the government's handling of the Covid-19 crisis was a crime against humanity and was led by Jacinda Ardern who is not actually human but some sort of lizard with speech and hair extensions. We will now hear from an authority on the subject, and indeed on a great many subjects, Heather du Plessis-Allan from Newstalk ZB. She wishes to put forward the argument that Jacinda Ardern should attend the inquiry. "She's making money off books and all sorts while many businesses here never recovered from lockdowns. Isn't a little truth-telling in order?" Thank you. That's very helpful. TUESDAY We will now hear from someone with an audience of 15 people, down from 17 last week, but who has insisted on making his views heard and is indeed frothing at the mouth. Could someone please pass Ryan Bridge from Herald Now a tissue? That's better. Mr Bridge wishes to jump on the bandwagon about Jacinda Ardern attending the inquiry. "I was one of just a handful of interviewers who grilled her on a weekly basis during this time period. I'm saving the best bits for a book one day, but there was image and stage control happening behind the scenes you wouldn't believe." Thank you. We cannot wait for the book. Will you write it? WEDNESDAY We will now hear, inevitably, from Stuff content provider Paddy Gower. Mr Gower wishes to crush the Jacinda Ardern bandwagon beneath the weight of his polemic aimed at the lowest common denominator. "How good would it be if Dame Jacinda Ardern fronted up to the Covid inquiry? It would be really good for New Zealand, in my opinion." Thank you. God almighty. Are we done yet? THURSDAY We shall now hear from Voices for Freedom. They signal they have very important information concerning the real figures of how many people died from Covid. Data from the World Health Organisation shows there had been more than 7million Covid-19 deaths reported as of 22 June this year. What the hell do the WHO know about anything, contend Voices for Freedom, who stand before the Inquiry in a fetching array of tinfoil hats. Thank you for coming today. Are you nervous? Is that froth? We have run out of tissues. Mr Bridge had great need. Please compose yourself as best you can. Down to business. Many thousands of people around the world died, particularly in that early period, but do you dispute that? "No doubt there were, as there are every year with flus and things like that, and yes, it might have been a particularly bad instance of that." Thank you. Could someone please hand over a defibrillator? Or some heroin. I am losing the will to live. FRIDAY The Inquiry is pleased to announce that Jacinda Ardern says she will provide evidence to the second stage of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19. I shall investigate, and investigate fully, the decisions she made which helped to save the lives of an estimated 20,000 New Zealanders. Such an outcome must never happen again. It won't with this government. By Steve Braunias
