Home is where the campaigning begins
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern has unofficially launched her election campaign with a symbolic visit to her old stamping ground in Morrinsville, just a day after her stunning jump in the polls threw the election outcome wide open.
During a visit that lasted just over 90 minutes, and with media in tow, Ardern stopped off at her old school, Morrinsville College. She also visited the Golden Kiwi takeaway bar in the Waikato town’s main street, where she worked for four years.
‘‘This is home. This is where I grew up. This is where I learnt a huge number of life lessons. It’s also where my family’s from so it felt like a good place to start this campaign ... and also to see my grandma and granddad,’’ she said.
On Wednesday, a NewshubReid Research poll put her virtually neck and neck with National leader Bill English for preferred prime minister and saw Labour’s support soar only a week after she took the reins.
There were selfies and hugs in Morrinsville but there were also reminders that she was in National territory. One college student, Ben, who was singled out as being most interested in politics, revealed he was contemplating a career as a National MP.
Ardern recalled some ‘‘middle fingers’’ being raised when she stood for the Morrinsville seat at age 28. But she said being in a minority – sometimes of one – had taught her pragmatism.
School principal John Inger recalled Ardern as being ‘‘very, very strong’’. As a student representative on the college’s board of trustees, she had been instrumental in winning female students the right to wear pants.
‘‘A small change but a victory for warm legs,’’ Ardern said.
She was forced to sit in the second row during a Maori welcome at the school and could not speak until the formal proceedings were over. But Ardern said she didn’t have a problem with that, noting that she had been seated in a specially-created row ‘‘1.5’’.
At the takeaway bar, she shared a few memories with proprietors Grant and Carol Covich – including chasing a robber down the street. She left clutching the shop’s signature seafood chowder.
Outside, one man said Ardern had ‘‘really set those bastards alight’’ by taking over as leader.
However, Ardern stumbled during a press conference when asked about two significant news events – the Reserve Bank’s decision to hold interest rates, and the Environmental Protection Authority’s decision to approve extensive seabed mining for iron sands off the Taranaki coast.
She said Wednesday’s poll had been encouraging – ‘‘but it is early days’’.