New Zealand’s ‘standout leadership’
Jacinda Ardern’s ‘‘we go hard, we go early’’ attitude in the fight against Covid-19 continues to attract admiration around the world.
The prime minister’s handling of the pandemic has already been acknowledged by the likes of CNN and The Washington Post, now Britain’s Independent has jumped on board and applauded her leadership.
Alastair Campbell, once director of communications and strategy for then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair, praised Ardern for focusing on the human, as much as the economic consequences, of the international pandemic.
Campbell said she could take considerable credit for thus far a hugely impressive outcome in keeping New Zealand’s numbers low. ‘‘Of course, New Zealand is a smaller country than the UK or Australia, let alone giants like the US and China,’’ Campbell wrote. ‘‘But the principles in leading a country of 5 million through a crisis are the same as leading a country with 50 or 500 million. You have to lead. You have to devise, execute and narrate a strategy.
‘‘You have to set out difficult choices, make difficult decisions, take the country into your confidence about why you are making them. You have to show genuine empathy for the difficulties your people are facing, and take them with you.’’
He went on to say that Ardern was surely one of the standout leaders of this crisis. Campbell said there were two key dates that stood out for Ardern.
The first was March 21 when she spelled out the strategy New Zealand was to adopt.
‘‘She emphasised the need for firm action to stop the spread of the virus during what she called ‘‘the window of opportunity’’ before it really took hold, as had happened in China, Iran and, at the time she was speaking, in Italy and New York. She set out, and explained in detail, but in clear, simple language, the four stages of alert, and what each would require of government and of people. Her manner was calm, authoritative, and friendly.
‘‘In this rugby-obsessed nation, unsurprisingly, one of the central messages sounded like something from an All Blacks team talk: ‘We go hard, we go early’.’’
The second was two days later when New Zealand prepared to go into alert level four.
‘‘She delivered this memorable line, which helped frame both government action and the public’s understanding of it: ‘‘We only have 102 cases – but so did Italy once’’.
Campbell said Ardern gave immediate clarity which was sadly lacking in Britain about who key workers were and what essential journeys were.