Jacinda Ardern asked why she's more popular overseas than at home

2022-07-07

Tense moment Jacinda Ardern is asked a VERY awkward question as her popularity in New Zealand plummets – before the Kiwi leader joined Albo for a high-level meeting

NZ PM Jacinda Ardern has been asked what it’s like to be more popular overseas
She was quizzed on what it felt like to be an international celebrity on Thursday
Ms Ardern said her ‘total focus is at home’ as she continues to slide in the polls
She was seen rubbing shoulders with Anthony Albanese during event in Sydney
The leaders were completely at ease as they laughed with each other on stage

Jacinda Ardern in an awkward TV interview moment was asked what it’s like to be more popular abroad than with her own voters.

The New Zealand Prime Minister was quizzed by the ABC’s Sarah Ferguson on what it feels like to be a global celebrity on Thursday night’s episode of 7:30.

Ms Ardern is in Australia on a trade and tourism mission after spending the last few weeks globe-trotting and meeting with leaders in the UK and the United States.

She also sat down with Anthony Albanese on Thursday for the the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum in Sydney, where the pair discussed everything from climate change to trans-Tasman trade and the threat posed to the region by China.

While the charismatic Kiwi enjoys immense popularity overseas, her public profile isn’t so steadfast in New Zealand – where the leader faces growing voter dissatisfaction on the heels of the Covid pandemic.

Ms Ardern has been widely criticised for her draconian Covid-elimination policies in the initial stages of the crisis causing her to slide in the polls.

‘How does it feel to be more popular abroad than at home?’ Ferguson asked.

‘My total focus is at home. That’s what matters to me,’ Ms Ardern replied.

Ms Ardern and Mr Albanese (pictured together on Thursday evening) seemed completely at ease as they spoke at the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum

Jacinda Ardern (pictured) was asked what it’s like to be more popular abroad than with her own voters as the leader continues to slide in the polls

The latest polls showed the National/Act NZ coalition is seven percentage points ahead of Labor and the Greens – the largest lead of Ms Ardern’s leadership.

Ferguson earlier in the interview had remarked it was unusual for a leader of a small Pacific country to become an ‘international celebrity’.

A clearly uncomfortable Ms Ardern quickly shot down the description and insisted she would never think about herself in those terms.

‘I think the rest of the world would,’ Ferguson shot back.

‘I guess, gosh, that would be for them,’ Ms Ardern said with a smile.

‘For me, I will forever, first and foremost be the prime minister of New Zealand, and my focus is totally on our nation.’

‘If by virtue of just doing that job to the very best of my ability, there is some interest in what New Zealand does and how we do it – then I will always reflect that back to the fact that all I do is magnify the Kiwi spirit.’

Ferguson suggested Ms Ardern had been able to use the media to her advantage and boost her ‘celebrity’ status more instinctively than leaders before her.

The 41-year-old replied that other than leading New Zealand to the best of her ability, she felt she had a job to prove to the public that politicians are ‘very human’.

The pair took part in a Q&A session at the Australia-New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF) Dinner in Sydney on Thursday night

Ms Ardern is currently in Australia on a trade and tourism mission and was pictured rubbing shoulders with her Australian counterpart

At one point during the high-level meeting Ms Ardern was pictured throwing her head back in laughter as Mr Albanese grinned at the crowd

‘Ultimately, we want people to be attracted to politics – we want people to want to do the job,’ the prime minister said.

‘If we give this air that you have to be completely ironclad and almost so resilient as to not to be human, people won’t see themselves wanting to enter the fray.’

Ms Ardern is currently in Australia on a trade and tourism mission and was pictured rubbing shoulders with her Australian Labor Party counterpart on Thursday evening.

The leader seemed completely at ease beside Mr Albanese as the pair spoke at the forum.

At one point during the high-level meeting Ms Ardern was pictured throwing her head back in laughter as Mr Albanese grinned at the crowd.

Ms Ardern was the first leader to meet with the new prime minister in Australia following the election, with the two music fans exchanging band t-shirts and vinyl records (pictured)

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after she touched down in Australia on July 7

Miss Ardern discussed everything from climate change to trans-Tasman trade and the threat posed to the region by China

Ms Ardern was the first world leader to meet with the new prime minister in Australia following the his May election win.

The pair, who are both former DJs exchanged band t-shirts and vinyl records.

She had earlier that day met with NSW premier Dominic Perrottet at Parliament House, and on Tuesday held talks with the Victorian Premier in Melbourne.

Ms Ardern and Daniel Andrews are said to have discussed climate change, mental health and infrastructure and vowed to stay in touch.

It is understood the NZ PM had more contact with Mr Andrews during the pandemic than any other Australian leader.

The leaders shared similar hard-line strategies when it came to eliminating Covid-19, with the premier stating how important their phone calls had been.

But while had once made her ultra popular, Ms Ardern has fallen well behind.

Ms Ardern met with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet as part of her trade mission to Australia

Ms Ardern had more contact with Mr Andrews during the pandemic than any other Australian leader

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese make their way through the halls of the ICC building in Sydney

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