Latest News
Jacinda Ardern gives valedictory speech as she leaves politics
Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has used her valedictory speech to Parliament to ask the House to take the politics out of climate change.
In her speech, Ardern said when she became prime minister she knew she wanted climate change to be front and centre.
“I called it our nuclear moment – I believed it then and I believe it still now.
“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 this place.”
Ardern said one of the only things she wanted to ask on her departure was for the House to take the politics out of climate change.
Her government had worked to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi by crossing the bridge more often, she said.
That included the creation of the Māori Crown portfolio, growth of te reo Māori, the establishment of the Māori Health Authority and the creation of a public holiday for Matariki, she said.
“The path we travel as a nation will not always be linear and it won’t always be easy, but I’m glad I was in part of a government that took on the hilly bits.”
One of the hardest things about Covid-19 was the unknowns, Ardern said.
“A valedictory is not the time to summarise a pandemic, no one has the time for that type of group therapy.”
Jacinda Ardern delivering her valedictory speech to Parliament. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Ardern said she remained forever grateful that science was on our side and that she was surrounded by wonderful smart compassionate people trying to do the right thing.
She said they did not always get it right but “we went in as a nation with a goal to look after one another and we did”.
Other things, such as a sense of security, were lost along the way and so much of the information swirling around during the pandemic was false, Ardern said.
Ardern described how she tried and failed to convince a protester that they were relying on totally false information.
She said she could not single-handedly pull someone out of a rabbit hole but that perhaps collectively we could stop them from falling into it in the first place.
“Debate is critical to a healthy democracy but conspiracy is its nemesis.”
Ardern said she still struggled to talk about the mosque attacks in Christchurch on 15 March 2019, but the Muslim community had humbled her beyond words.
She said she was unsure what the response of one of the survivors of the attack would be when she met him in the immediate aftermath.
“What came next is one of the most profound memories I have of that period, he thanked us, here was someone who had been through one of the most horrific experiences I could imagine and he thanked New Zealand and expressed gratitude for his home.”
Grant Robertson and Jacinda Ardern at Parliament ahead of her valedictory speech. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The most significant task for us as a nation was “to live up to the expectations that those experienced it have of us, to deserve their thanks”.
Ardern became emotional at the end of her valedictory speech describing herself as sensitive, somewhat negative, and “a crier and a hugger”.
But said she “would rather be criticised for being a hugger than being heartless”.
She closed her speech telling the House that she hoped she had demonstrated anyone could be a leader.
“You can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve, you can be a mother or not, you can be an ex-Mormon or not, you can be 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.”
Ardern received a standing ovation at the end of her speech, before hugging Finance Minister Grant Robertson (who had been her deputy) and then Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni.
Yesterday, it was announced the former prime minister was taking on two new roles: A voluntary position as Special Envoy for the Christchurch Call and trustee of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize.
Ardern resigned in January saying she no longer had “enough in the tank” to lead the country.
Former prime minister Helen Clark said Ardern would be remembered largely as the prime minister whose pandemic-era policies saved thousands of Kiwis’ lives.
SOURCE RNZ
The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.
On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.
In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.
“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.
“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”
VNP / Phil Smith
Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.
That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.
“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.
Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.
Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.
The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.
Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.
Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.
“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”
Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.
rnz
Police say person who fired gun at officers still at large
New Zealand sides named for RLWC finals
Parliamentary Service working on extra chairs and offices for increased number of MPs
-
Latest News2 months ago‘Chilling’: Business groups speak out against National’s supermarket break-up plan
-
NZ News2 months agoTom Phillips report: The missed opportunities to find the children
-
Politics2 months agoNational vows to try to split Pak’nSave and New World
-
Latest News2 months agoCars bearing Chinese police markings stir unease in Auckland
-
Fiji News2 months agoPlans to have new Constitution by Dec 24th 2026
-
NZ News2 months agoCop who stole $68,000 can now be named as champion Muay Thai fighter Haimona Tamati-Te Paki
-
Politics2 months agoMBIE confirms botched biometric projects costs blown out to $50.7 million
-
Latest News2 months agoFive Karangahape Road venues lose their liquor licences after police intervention