21 of ’21

WOMEN AT THE TOP

In the past year, perhaps more than any other, it was apparent that we are a nation led by women: the prime minister, governor-general, the chief justice, the leader of the opposition (well, until late last year). They are supported, of course, by legions of others, both men and women, but overall, and whatever your politics, we have good reason to celebrate our women leaders. Take Covid. Notwithstanding more than a hundred days of lockdown in Auckland, the family separations, the lottery of MIQ rooms and the worrying ethnic disparities in vaccination rates, let’s remember New Zealand still ranks fourth lowest in the world for Covid death rates. If we had the UK’s rate, Covid would have killed more than 10,000 New Zealanders. If we had the US’s rate, more than 12,000 of us would have died.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

It’s hard sometimes to remember that Jacinda Ardern is still only 41. She’s been prime minister for four years now, and in that time has had to deal with the Christchurch mosque attacks, the White Island eruption and, for the last two years, a pandemic. What do we know of her, really? In some ways, she is the perfect PM in a crisis. She’s relatable, has a natural feel for messaging and clearly knows how to make the right calls at the right moment. She is smart and has a head for details but doesn’t get lost in them. Politically, of course, she has had the rare advantage in 2021 of an absolute majority in government and an opposition in disarray. Looking ahead to 2022, once the Covid pressures subside, it will be interesting to see how she uses her prodigious skills to advantage. Will she be “transformational”, to use her own word?

Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro

Featured in our last issue, Dame Cindy Kiro looks like a new type of governor-general (GG). Traditionally, the role has been all pomp and ceremony – patron of this and that, cutting ribbons here and there, earnest speeches. No doubt the new GG will still have to do all that, but she seems set on bringing the role forward into the 21st century. Ironically perhaps, it’s the past – a father from the poverty-stricken North of England and a Māori mother from Te Tai Tokerau – that she attributes as the driving force behind her attitude. Kiro is someone who combines an intense