Hilary Barry visits Jacinda Ardern at her home to talk family and politics - 'I'm not done'

July 17, 2019

The pair had a relaxed discussion about motherhood and an engagement.

Over halfway through her first term as New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern sees herself leading the country for another term, saying she's "not done" and denies she has already been headhunted for bigger things on the world stage.

The top job in politics, motherhood, an engagement and dealing with New Zealand's darkest day have made it quite a year-and-a-half for Ms Ardern since her coalition Government came to power soon after she had become Labour leader in 2017.

With less than 18 months to go before the next election, Seven Sharp's Hilary Barry sat down with the PM at her Auckland home and asked does she see herself leading the country for another term.

"Yes," Ms Ardern replied. "It's not up to me though," she hastened to add. "I'm not done."

Following Ms Ardern's exposure on the world stage since becoming Prime Minister, there has been speculation that she may have been headhunted for another role.

Ms Ardern says she's heard that too, but she's not going anywhere.

"I'm here because New Zealand is my home. This idea that this role is somehow just a stepping stone to something else, that's not at all the case. This is me, this is what I want to do. So no, I'm not going anywhere, sorry," she said.

As for the last 18 months or so, Ms Ardern said the highlight on a personal level was easy to pick - Neve.

Ms Ardern is only the second world leader to have a baby in office.

Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford celebrated her first birthday on June 21 with her famous parents, the PM and TV host Clarke Gayford.

"It's been just an amazing change in our lives," Ms Ardern told Seven Sharp. 

"I know every parent says that, and you'd expect me to say that. But there's lots about it that surprised me. And having her to come home to and back to all the time is lovely."

While many Kiwi women juggle work and motherhood, the mix of Cabinet papers and bedtime stories make Ms Ardern's situation somewhat different to most.

"Sometimes Neve actually prefers the Cabinet papers to the bedtime stories. She loves my papers. There's something about them, just that no go area that really draws her to them," Ms Ardern revealed.

She recalled coming home after a meeting with a world leader, "and within about half an hour I was covered in mashed pumpkin, and just thinking, 'If they could see me now!'"

On the tricky question of whether the couple will have another baby, Ms Ardern said she tells everyone who asks her the truth.

"I don't know. I would hope that either way that New Zealand would be OK with whatever we end up doing as a family."

There have been some tough times along the way as PM, and Ms Ardern says the toughest was undoubtedly March 15 - the Christchurch mosques terrorist attack.

"That will obviously be something that will linger for the entire country and certainly for me," she said.

Asked if she now wonders how she got through that period - being there for the families as well as having to be PM and make tough decisions - Ms Ardern replied: "Interestingly, none of them felt like tough decisions."

She said: "Actually every decision in that period just seemed completely obvious to be, particularly the way we would treat military-style semi-automatic weapons. It just seemed like the obvious answer."

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