Vote for the top quote of 2020

‘‘You’re on mute,’’ people across Aotearoa shouted at their screens while on Zoom calls during lockdown.

After an ‘‘unprecedented’’ number of New Zealanders worked from home because of the Covid-19 pandemic, that phrase will likely be synonymous with the year 2020 for decades to come. So it’s likely no surprise the expression is in the running for Massey University’s ‘‘quote of the year’’.

But whether it can top the line that we all hoped hear to from New Zealand’s most well-known public servant nearly every day at 1pm: ‘‘There are no new cases of Covid-19 to report in New Zealand today,’’ remains to be seen.

Kiwis have a week to decide the winner of the annual competition.

Alongside Dr Ashley Bloomfield, the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition are both finalists.

Jacinda Ardern made the list for her response to questions from journalists about how she reacted to the news that New Zealand had zero active cases of Covid-19 for the first time on June 8: ‘‘I did a little dance.’’

Judith Collins features for her quip to reporters after she was asked how to tell when she’s being facetious: ‘‘When my eyebrow goes up, it’s a joke,’’ she said, after being asked to clarify earlier incorrect statements that no-one escaped when she was Corrections Minister.

Veteran politician, New Zealand First leader and former deputy Primeminister Winston Peters just missed out on making the top 10, for saying ‘‘We’ve opposed woke pixie dust’’, while on the campaign trail ahead of the 2020 general election.

Speech writing expert and competition organiser Dr Heather Kavan said the best quotes were often unscripted.

‘‘The winning quotes often aren’t ones that fulfil established criteria, like vivid language, emotional power and maximum meaning.

‘‘In many ways, quotes are like songs– we recognise a good one when we hear it, but it’s difficult to define why it sparks something within us.’’

Dr Ashley Bloomfield

She put the appeal of Ardern’s ‘‘I did a little dance’’ down to the fact that it showed the Prime Minister’s humanity more than some of her more slick quotes, such as ‘‘know us by our deeds’’.

‘‘Similarly, much of the appeal of Judith Collins’ ‘When my eyebrow goes up, it’s a joke’ is that it’s part of a conversation with journalists.

‘‘She’s replying to a question about how they can tell whether she’s joking or being factual, and the contrast between her amusement and the journalists’ seriousness makes the scene entertaining,’’ Kavan said.

Not all the nominated quotes were funny though.

Sara Qasem, who lost her dad in the March 15, 2019 terror attack at two Christchurch mosques, made the list for how she addressed the gunman during his sentencing. ‘‘Let it be known these tears are not for you,’’ she said in a powerful victim impact statement.

People have until December 18 to vote for their quote on Massey’s website.

‘‘There are no new cases of Covid-19 to report in New Zealand today.’’

Top 10 quotes of the year