Much has been written about the former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Her genuine, human reaction to the race-related shootings and bombings which occurred during her time in office, and her personal touch with the families of those killed, but also with her calls to bring the wider community together no matter their race or religion, shows this down to earth leader with a character trait so often lacking in a politician: a heart. The biographer Supriya Vani begins with Ardern’s childhood in a working-class area, where her father was the town police officer, and taught her about conflict resolution through respect, communication, and civility which she went on to use successfully in her career. She goes on to highlight Ardern’s time abroad where she worked as part of the staff of Tony Blair’s government and spent much time involved in school and college student political societies. Jacinda’s time rising through the New Zealand Labour party is illustrated, especially that of the senior female politicians that had gone before her, and especially the way they had been treated by the frequently sexist ‘old guard’ male politicians of many parties. The book also talks about what must have been one of the most testing times for every country’s government in the last few years: the Covid-19 pandemic. Ardern was one of the first leaders to impose a total lockdown of her whole country and is thought to have saved many lives in doing so.
This is a great, informative, and enjoyable read, which is researched through direct access to Ardern and her staff. I would really recommend it for anyone who is interested in women in politics and leadership.
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