Jacinda Ardern is the current Prime Minister of New Zealand and a politician. She was elected to office in October 2017 and is also the current leader of the country’s Labour Party. She became the world’s youngest female head of government when she was just 37, and the second female head of government to give birth while in office (in 2018).
Born on July 26, 1980 in Hamilton, New Zealand, Jacinda is a Leo. Her two middle names are Kate and Laurell. Jacinda, the daughter of a police officer, Ross Ardern –was brought up as a Mormon but left the church over its anti-homosexual stance.
Jacinda Ardern – Her Religion
Jacinda was raised as a Mormon. She followed the Mormon faith until her mid-twenties when she broke away as a result of the church’s position on gay rights.
“I lived in a flat with three gay friends and I was still going to church every so often and I just remember thinking ‘this is really inconsistent – I’m either doing a disservice to the church or my friends’. Because how could I subscribe to a religion that just didn’t account for them?” Jacinda explained.
At the present time she is an agnostic. “I have a real respect for people who have religion as a foundation in their lives. And I respect people who don’t. I’m agnostic. I don’t spend a lot of time trying to figure it out. I just think people should be free to have their personal beliefs and not be persecuted for it, whether they be atheist or staunch church members.”
She also feels strongly against churches that impose heavy tithing.
Jacinda Ardern – Her Political Views
She made her way to the top working in Tony Blair’s cabinet office. She was previously a staffer for former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clarke. Jacinda was elected to parliament in 2008. Miss Ardern is the head of the Labour Party –which she joined while being a teenager, at 17.
Jacinda is the leader of New Zealand’s Labour Party. As such, the party holds political views that are described as being slightly left of being in the center. They have progressive beliefs and usually ally with working class values, which is often called socialist democratic.
Ardern calls herself a republican and wants New Zealand to remove itself from the British monachy.
She also advocates to lower the amount of immigrants entering New Zealand. “New Zealand has been built off the back of support from those who have migrated to New Zealand and made it their home, and that will continue to be the case,” Ardern said. “Our concern is that there hasn’t been enough planning about population growth, we haven’t necessarily targeted our skill shortages properly, and that means Auckland has borne the brunt of a lot of that growth.”
Jacinda Ardern -Partner
The politician has been in a longterm relationship with TV personality, Clarke Gayford. The two have been together since 2012.
Clarke Gayford is a well-known figure in their native country. Though he is not into politics, Gayford is a TV presenter and an avid fisherman. In fact, in his show, ‘Fish of the Day’ Gayford combines his two passions, TV and traveling.
Clarke attended NZ Broadcasting School. He began working for Channel 9 –after he pitched the show Cow TV. He later moved to Auckland –where he and Jacinda live –and worked for C4.
Previous work includes hosting the United Travel Getaway in 2007; three years later in 2010, he moved on to presenting the third season of Extraordinary Kiwis -where among others he profiled All Black Dan Carter, motocross champ Josh Coppins, and Kiwis working in Antarctica.
By the end of 2010, his resume had him as a ‘broadcast personality’. His radio hosting credits included The Edge, Channel Z, the drive shift on More FM, and the George FM breakfast slot. On screen, Gayford competed on reality show Treasure Island.
In 2017 he debuted with “Fish of the Day” – in which Gayford can be seen traveling the Pacific fishing and finding recipes for his catches. The show won Best Lifestyle Show at the 2016 Houston International Film Festival.
He met Jacinda around 2012, the two bonded over a shared interest in music, and the rest, as they say, is history. Gayford took Ardern on her first ever fishing trip, where she caught a 5.5kg snapper.
This isn’t his first high-profile relationship. Gayfrod was often seen at Auckland events with his former partner, actress Shavaughn Ruakere.
Jacinda Ardern – Children
Clarke Gayford and Jacinda Ardern became first time parents after they welcomed a daughter, Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford, together in June 2018.
Jacinda Ardern – Wedding
The couple got engaged at Easter 2019 at Mahia during a break at Gayford’s family bach. Gayford proposed to her at the top of a hill with a diplomatic protection squad officer nearby.
The couple is set to be married in 2021. Earlier this month, she revealed when the wedding will take place. She told Coast radio hosts Sam Wallace, Toni Street and Jason Reeves that she and Gayford have “finally got a date”.
And although she wouldn’t be drawn on the exact date of the wedding, she shared that it will take place this summer.
