Dame Jacinda Ardern: Former PM enjoying private life in Sydney but still wants to ‘change the world’
Former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has told Australian media she enjoys living a private life across the Ditch, but doesn’t rule out a major return to public life.
Speaking on Australia’s Today show, Ardern reflected on her life in Sydney in comparison to New Zealand, but claimed Aotearoa is the best country in the world.
“There’s so many similarities between Kiwis and Aussies and so it’s so like home in so many ways,” she said.
“People have been so welcoming.
“So it’s probably been our favourite bit, and then the beach.”
The former Prime Minister said her transition from the top of politics to a private life was less intense than she thought, in part thanks to keeping busy.
“I’ve been out for about three years now, and that time has passed really quickly,” Ardern said.
“I keep busy writing, still work on projects I care about, and I work on leadership. So it’s been a busy time, but more family time as well, which is amazing.”
Ardern said she also enjoys the privacy being out of the spotlight brings, but made it clear she’ll still be involved with public life in some capacity.
“There are things I want to change in the world,” she said.
Ardern did completely rule out entering Australian politics at all, but mentioned how she believes one of the key lessons she took from her time as Prime Minister was a belief in people’s capacity for compassion in the hardest moments.
“I’m an optimist, always will be,” she said.
“The thing that I still carry with me is the humanity that always shines through in the darkest of times.”
Ardern emphasised that this message was important for younger people growing up with technological change and global conflicts, with leaders having a responsibility to show that more often.
“I think we owe our young people for them to see more humanity in leadership.”