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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 25 sepTember 2018

Admired abroad, New Zealand leader faces hurdles at home

By NICK PERRY ter the altercation. Whaitiri
WELLINGTON, New Zea- disputes what happened,
land (AP) — Last Thursday, and Ardern says she's not
New Zealand Prime Min- going into details until an
ister Jacinda Ardern an- investigation is completed.
nounced the high-profile Opposition lawmaker Ju-
interviews she'd be do- dith Collins said she was
ing this week in New York, supportive of Ardern get-
where she's attending the ting positive attention
U.N. General Assembly. abroad because it was
Among her appearances: good for the image of the
the Today show, the Late country as a whole.
Show with Stephen Colbert "It's really hard in New Zea-
and an interview with CNN's land getting any coverage
Christiane Amanpour. She overseas at all, for anything
also exchanged tweets that doesn't involve a black
with the singer Rihanna shirt," Collins said, referring
about the importance of to the country's world-beat-
investing in education. ing All Blacks rugby team.
But by Thursday afternoon, But asked for her assess-
Ardern was appearing som- ment of Ardern's perfor-
ber at a hastily called news mance at home, Collins of-
conference in Wellington, fered just two words: "Pretty
New Zealand's capital. She dire."
was firing a lawmaker from Yet despite the political
her ministerial role following In this April 17, 2018, file photo, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to the media obstacles, Ardern's gov-
an altercation the lawmak- in Berlin. ernment has passed a
er had with a staff mem- Associated Press number of measures over
ber that some people say its first year in office. It has
turned physical. Ardern will meet with other Agency joking with his Brit- Keeping her government raised the minimum wage,
In the year since she took leaders at the General As- ish counterpart at Nelson on the same page has increased support to low-
office, Ardern, 38, has en- sembly. On her agenda Mandela's funeral. The been a constant issue for income families and new
joyed unprecedented are combating climate caption? "British Prime Min- Ardern, who needs not only parents, banned most for-
global attention for a lead- change, promoting global ister David Cameron (R) the support of her Labour eigners from buying homes,
er from this nation of fewer trade and supporting the laughs with an unidentified Party to govern, but also and announced an ambi-
than 5 million people. Yet at rights of women and chil- guest ..." the support of two smaller tious policy to combat cli-
home, she's faced political dren. Back in New Zealand on parties: Peters and his more mate change by making
pressure as she tries to keep She's traveling with her part- Monday, Deputy Prime conservative New Zealand the country carbon neutral
control of a coalition gov- ner, Clarke Gayford, and Minister Winston Peters was First Party, and the environ- by 2050.
ernment that sometimes their 3-month-old daugh- filling in for Ardern. Peters, mentally focused Green And during Ardern's ten-
threatens to come apart. ter, Neve. Gayford joked in 73, is known for his con- Party. ure, the economy has kept
Internationally, Ardern in a tweet Monday that Neve trarian streak and political Ardern has also faced growing at a steady annual
many ways offers a coun- had kept them awake until combativeness. Asked his problems from within her rate of 2.7 percent, despite
terpoint to President Don- 3:45 a.m., without any re- thoughts on a proposal to own party. Communica- some surveys indicating a
ald Trump: She is young, gard to the changing time change the name of a lo- tions Minister Clare Curran downturn in confidence
liberal and espouses an zones. cal university, Peters said he resigned as a minister ear- among businesses and
empathetic approach Ardern is certain to attract had an opinion but wasn't lier this month after a series consumers.
to leadership. She's also more attention than some telling. of blunders, including not The last leader to give birth
pushed the boundaries for of her predecessors. In "Otherwise you'll be say- disclosing meetings she while holding office was
women by becoming just 2013, New Zealand's then- ing Winston Peters is going held with industry figures. the late Pakistani Prime
the second world leader in prime minister, John Key, rogue," he told reporters. And then on Thursday, Ard- Minister Benazir Bhutto, who
modern times to give birth was photographed by "And you're not going to ern removed Meka Whaitiri gave birth to her daughter
while in office. the European Pressphoto get that chance again." as minister of customs af- Bakhtawar in 1990.q