Dame Jacinda Ardern has reflected on the “unacceptable” question she was asked on New Zealand TV almost a decade on.
Speaking to the London-based Giant Ideas podcast, Dame Jacinda was questioned about the moment, which took place on The AM Show in 2017 before she became prime minister.
At the time, host Mark Richardson show asked her if it was OK for a prime minister to take maternity leave while in office.
She then replied: “It is totally unacceptable in 2017 to say that women should have to answer that question in the workplace. It is unacceptable.”
The moment quickly spread on social media and was reported on global news sites such as the BBC and The Washington Post.
'Ignoring it felt like the better option'
Speaking to the podcast, released last month, Dame Jacinda revealed why she decided to respond the way she did: “My overwhelming experience in politics was not fighting sexism every day. It just wasn’t.
“And so in part, sometimes, ignoring it felt like the better option. But then there were these times that I thought, for anyone watching, I think sometimes it is right to push back.”
She said of the interview: “I didn’t mind him asking me, because I had chosen to put those discussions out into the open… I did not agree with the idea that every woman should face that.
“Because let’s be honest, if an employer is asking a prospective employee if they intend to have children, it's not so they can prepare the gift basket.”
So, she said, “I thought that was worthy of push back”.
'Press secretary just looked ashen'
Dame Jacinda then explained to the podcast hosts the AM Show appearance had come on her first day full day as the leader of the Labour Party in the lead up to the 2017 election.
“I remember my press secretary just looked ashen," she said to laughter. "He had no idea how it would go and nor did I. But I just thought, I’ve still got to be true to who I am.”
Dame Jacinda also revealed to the podcast two things she misses from her role as prime minister.
“I miss the people I worked with, and I miss the fact that you can see a problem, and then you’ve got the ability to fix it.”
Since resigning in 2023, Dame Jacinda said the “stress is far different, the pace of life is far different”, but she never felt the “Jacindamania” as described by the hosts.
“New Zealand is a place that values humility, expects humility, is very egalitarian, does not expect anyone to lose sight of who they are or why they’re there.
“So, I love that about my home, and it has meant that the journey from Prime Minister back into civilian life was a very easy one for me, because I’d like to think I never forgot who I was or why I was there.”
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