New Zealand's 40th Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, has delivered an emotional final speech to Parliament as she makes her exit from politics.
Ardern drew on humour at times to share some of her greatest and toughest moments as the country's premier, triggering outcries of laughter from those in attendance.
But as she reflected on the last 15 years, she spoke of New Zealand's "heavy few chapters", which included leading the country through the Christchurch terrorist attack, which she "still struggles to talk about", and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Five years after it began, the former prime minister speaks of her challenges and triumphs as New Zealand's premier. (Source: 1News)
Ardern began her speech by looking back on her maiden speech in Parliament from when she was 28. She said she was proud to have accomplished the aspirations she set for herself.
"They’re all there in my maiden speech - climate change, child poverty, inequality. I am after all, a conviction-based politician, and I’ve always believed this to be a place you came make a difference. I leave, knowing that to be true."
Later in the speech, she addressed Neve, her four-year-old daughter: "To my darling girl Neve. Gosh, I love how independent you are already.
"It means you won’t grow up being known as the ex-prime minister’s daughter, but rather, I will happily be known as Neve’s mum, and I wouldn’t have it any other way."
The prime minister says she's looking forward to being there when Neve starts school and is ready to marry Clarke Gayford. (Source: 1News)
Beginning her speech at the 2017 general election campaign, Ardern recalls a "frenetic" campaign after the Mt Albert MP was elevated to the role of party leader only weeks away from voting day.
Then, making a plea to MPs, the former prime minister urged parliamentarians to take action on climate change — an issue she described as her "nuclear-free moment" when she became Labour leader.
"One of the few things I will ask of this house on my departure – is that you please, take the politics out of climate change," Ardern said.
"When I came here 15 years ago we talked about climate change as if it was almost a hypothetical. Some didn’t even give it that credit. But in the intervening years we have seen first-hand the reality of our changing environment... When crisis has landed in front of us, I have seen the best of [Parliament]. Climate change is a crisis. It is upon us."
"Now I know there is politics in almost everything. This chamber understands why more than anyone. But we also know when, and how to remove it."
Ardern delivered her valedictory statement just before 6pm to a large crowd of onlookers — including her parents, Neve, and fiance Clarke Gayford.
Other onlookers included prominent political figures and others who knew Ardern.
They included former director-general of health Sir Ashley Bloomfield, former ministers, and former prime ministers.
The former Prime Minister is bowing out after 15 years in the house - the last five as the country's leader. (Source: 1News)
Yesterday, Ardern announced her future roles working with Prince William's Earthshot Prize and as a Special Envoy for the Christchurch Call. She sat down with TVNZ Chief Correspondent John Campbell for an extended interview about her time in office.
She will step down as an MP next week.
The pandemic years
Looking back on the lockdowns and extraordinary years of Covid, Ardern recalled moments of panic in 2020 and 2021.
"For roughly two years, there were certain people that when they called me, I would go into a cold sweat and have to sit down. If I was on the road and in a meeting and any of my staff had to leave the room, it would have the same effect.
"I remember all too vividly a visit to Auckland University in August 2021 when Minister Hipkins got one of the dreaded health calls, the one that led to the Delta outbreak.
"I called Clarke and simply said 'code red'.
"He picks up Neve, and we had 30 minutes to pack and get to the airport, not knowing it would be many months before we returned home as a family.
"So long in the life of a small child, in fact, that when we came back to our home in Auckland, Neve asked me where the toilet was," she said.
Ardern said the "hardest thing" about the pandemic was the unknowns she faced, recalling when she was told that a vaccine would take five years to develop.
Her experiences with the "latter stages of Covid" were marred by conspiracy theories about the vaccination drive — which she described as a "nemesis of free speech".
Ardern recalled meeting an anti-vaccine protester in Whanganui with whom she tried to hold a conversation.
"There was one lone protestor still in the vicinity, who as I left started shouting at me.
"They were mostly focused on a particular conspiracy that was completely false. So I stopped, doubled backed and told them that.
"I was idealistic enough to believe it would make a difference. But after many of these same experiences, and seeing the rage that often sat behind these conspiracies, I had to accept I was wrong. I could not singlehandedly pull someone out of a rabbit hole.
"But perhaps collectively we all have a role to play in stopping people falling in in the first place," she said.
Political leadership
From her caucus colleagues to her security detail, Ardern paid tribute to everyone that contributed to her ascension to become an MP and then prime minister.
But she had a special message for her former deputy prime minister Grant Robertson, whom she has had a long political relationship with — after he first ran to be Labour leader, with Ardern as deputy, in 2015.
"I do want to pay special tribute to Grant Robertson. Grant has been both an office mate when I came to work in Parliament, but then a bench mate," she said.
"For me, we were a team. And that is how I would like the history books to record the major milestones and challenges we faced. I did not take them on alone.
"I took them on with great people, and especially, with Grant."
She concluded with her final thoughts about leaving Parliament.
Ardern said: I cannot determine what will define my time in this place. But I do hope I have demonstrated something else entirely. That you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve.
"You can be a mother, or not, an ex-Mormon, or not, a nerd, a crier, a hugger – you can be all of these things, and not only can you be here – you can lead.
"Just like me."
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