Jacinda Ardern is the first (former) Prime Minister to Take 5 - ABC listen - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation
As Prime Minister of New Zealand at 37, she became only the second woman in the world to give birth while in office. But it was her leadership style that defined her time at the top, leading with empathy and kindness in the face of back-to-back tragedies, and showing the strength of coming together.
From growing up in small-town New Zealand singing country and western duets with her sister at the local community hall, to raging to Smashing Pumpkins in her first car with a discman plugged into the cassette deck, Ardern's musical taste has always been eclectic and deeply personal. She's the teenager who loved alternative music and heavy metal while being a dedicated student rep raised in the Mormon faith, and the world leader who chose a drum and bass track as her walk-on song.
Her career path was never straightforward. She ran from the possibility of becoming a politician, buying a one-way ticket to New York to escape the suggestion she should run for office. But a sense of responsibility (what she calls her "oversized sense of duty"), kept pulling her back. In 2017, everything changed in a single year: a by-election, deputy leadership, then the top job itself, all while secretly pregnant. She led her country through the Christchurch mosque shootings, the Whakaari White Island eruption, and a global pandemic, all while insisting that being human is not a weakness.
This episode was filmed for Season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe at the Australian Chamber Orchestra's studios on Sydney Harbour. Jacinda caught the ferry to the location, rolling up without any entourage, proving just how down-to-earth she is. She was candid, emotional, and generous in exploring her extraordinary life across five songs. The theme that emerged was clear: optimism as a courageous act, and the enduring power of being useful.
04:58 Sister's Pop vs. Her Alternative: Cypress Hill, Rage Against the Machine
12:29 Writing the Book: How Do You End Up in Politics?
23:55 "Two Dueling Wolves": Imposter Syndrome vs. Responsibility
28:11 Mrs. Bean's Class: Bursting Into Tears as a Child
31:18 Has Hope Always Led You Through Your Life?
46:54 "I Am Human. Politicians Are Human."
56:10 "15-Year-Old Jacinda Would Be Very Surprised. But I Think She'd Be Proud."
59:55 Season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe. Stream on ABC iview
This episode was filmed for Season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe on ABC TV and ABC iview. You can stream the whole season on ABC iview now.
