Scoop's Meet The New MPs Project: Jacinda Ardern

Scoop's Meet The New MPs Project: Amanda Fisher talks to Labour’s Jacinda Ardern

Summary of video:

In her interview with Scoop, youngest MP in the House Ardern talks of her early start in the political fold, and her views on current New Zealand political issues.

She covers her thoughts on the non-binding nature of the smacking referendum, saying it would have been an impossibility to institute the results of a referendum not grounded in current New Zealand law.

“I think citizen-initiated referenda are a pretty crucial part of...an open democracy [but this] referendum demonstrated perhaps some of the pitfalls of the idea of bindings ones. [It] asked a question that wasn’t even based on the reality of our law as it stands, and so we were asking people to vote on something that...didn’t actually exist.”

On the topic of the next referendum, Ardern hopes MMP will see off yet another challenge from FPP, as she believes it is a system which is working for New Zealand and New Zealanders.

“You think back to the old FPP days [and] there was no need for the Government to disclose some things that went on inside Cabinet...they could rule with an iron fist.”

Her list of admired members of Parliament spans several decades and political parties, showing a bias toward National MPs who have rejected the party line.

Biography

Jacinda Ardern’s first political act was to liberate trousers.

Parliament’s youngest MP, who, at 28, has been involved with the Labour party for 10 years, embarked on a political career when she introduced trousers to her school uniform as Board of Trustees representative.

“At the time it affected me and my cold legs on a daily basis...sometimes these are political acts but we don’t see them in a political way.”

Ardern’s life operated around politics from that point on, and even affected her decision to study Communications and International Relations at Waikato University.

“The idea of getting a student loan and having to pay interest while I was still at university and being burdened with this massive debt just seemed wholly unfair to me, and it influenced what I studied and even where I studied.”

By this stage, Ardern was already a Labour Party member, encouraged into the party at age 18 by ideological compatibility on a multiplicity of issues.

“It was a collection [of issues] really...I remember just the little things that I noticed and I made a connection between them and politics, which is sometimes the linkage that we don’t always make when things effect our lives.”

Political activity in New Zealand continued until after the 2005 election, when Ardern upped sticks to New York to try her luck – she freely admits that life for her “moves in electoral cycles”.

After running out of money in New York, Ardern secured a job in the United Kingdom working for Cabinet. This led to her campaigning as a list MP in London for the 2008 election, primarily as a way to increase enrolment among ex-patriates rather than as a bid for parliament.

“I don’t know that at the beginning I had any real expectations.”

But a 5 am phone call in August last year heralded a career change, after she secured number twenty on the party list.

“I remember being slightly dazed and not quite believing it and thinking I was in a dream still.

“[I remember thinking] barring an absolute catastrophe in the election I was going to be an MP. That was quite an unusual feeling sitting in my room in Brixton...not wanting to wake up any of my flatmates, and sitting there taking in the enormity of it all.”

To add to her Parliamentary commitments, Ardern is also the President of the International Union of Socialist Youth, which spans 100 countries and 150 member organisations.

And a childhood claim to have eyes for the Prime Ministerial seat remain firmly in the realm of childhood whimsy.

“You know in life there’s that one flippant jokey remark that haunts you?”

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What is your view on the decision taken by the Government in relation to the smacking referendum in terms of what is says about NZ democracy?

Jacinda Ardern said that while citizen-initiated referenda were a useful tool, the question asked in the smacking referendum was too flawed for the Government to have acted on it.

“I think citizen-initiated referenda are a pretty crucial part of...an open democracy [but this] referendum demonstrated perhaps some of the pitfalls of the idea of bindings ones. [It] asked a question that wasn’t even based on the reality of our law as it stands, and so we were asking people to vote on something that...didn’t actually exist.”

Politicians were responsible for clarifying the confusion which had engulfed the debate. This confusion had meant the public and Parliament were discussing different issues, she said.

“It turned into a very different debate about every-day average parents being affected and that was never, I think, Parliament’s intention and so we really had this very different discussion going on.”

Regardless of this, Ardern said that, like homosexual law reform and corporal punishment, she was hopeful public debate over the referendum would be a moot point in a few years.

“I think we are in a generational change, I think that 10 years from now we’ll reflect back...and be surprised that it was even a cause for discussion.”

What is your view on the merits of MMP vs FPP? Should there be another referendum on the subject and what is your preferred outcome?

Jacinda Ardern said the MMP system had achieved its goal, and “made the New Zealand Parliament look more like New Zealand”.

“I would be loathe to see us turf out what I think is a system that works for us and which, over time, we have really started to get the hang of.”

Under FPP there had been a lack of transparency and collaboration from majority parties, who at times held the balance of power even though it was not in accordance with the popular vote, she said.

“There was no need for the government to disclose some things that went on inside cabinet...they could rule with an iron fist.”

She would be happy to see smaller numbers of list MPs if the public called for it, she said.

“Maybe a slight rebalance [of list MPs] could happen there but the public needs to start a discussion.”

Ardern said referenda should arise out of public discussion, and while there were still concerns among the public about the voting system another referendum was valid.

Name a dream team of seven member of Parliament – people who you think exemplify how an MP should conduct him/herself. Your list of seven can only include three members of your own party.

• Jeanette Fitzsimons
• Marilyn Waring
• Phil Goff
• Margaret Wilson
• Jim Anderton
• Katherine Rich
• Metiria Turei

Amanda Fisher is a journalism student at Massey University

ENDS

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