Taking to Instagram on September 9, Ardern shared an IGTV clip of herself speaking from the back of a van on the campaign trail in rural Waikato, New Zealand. In it, Ardern revealed that the reason why she decided to head back home had everything to do getting her parents' help with her daughter, so she could focus on the "realities" of tour.
“I’ve been basing myself out of Morrinsville, which is where I grew up, so that I can stay with Mum and Dad,” she said.
“Because they are helping Clarke and I with Neve over the next couple of days – it’s just the realities of the road.”
She also shared a selfie from her parents' house, where she could be seen working at a modest desk with a tea (with the tea bag still in... relatable) and a cassette player in the background.
It's not the first time in recent months that Ardern has taken a down-to-earth approach to politics.
Besides her frequent Facebook Live updates, often taken in her pyjamas at home or even while putting her daughter to bed, garnering many fans (and not just in New Zealand), the Prime Minister has made a number of moves that demonstrate her relatability.
In April 2020, she took a 20% pay cut in solidarity with those financially hit by coronavirus. At the time, Ardern noted that the cut won’t “change the government books”, but instead stands as a matter of “leadership.”
“It’s an acknowledgement of the hit many New Zealanders are taking right now,” Ardern said.
The following month, she revealed that she is in favour of the four-day work week, particularly as a means to allow New Zealanders the opportunity to travel within their own country and restart the local tourism economy.
"I hear lots of people suggesting we should have a four-day week. Ultimately that really sits between employers and employees," she said.
"There are lots of things we've learnt about COVID and just that flexibility of people working from home, the productivity that can be driven out of that.
"I'd really encourage people to think about that if they are an employer in a position to do so, to think about whether that is something that would work in their workplace — because it would certainly help tourism all around the country."
New Zealand's election —which Ardern pushed back following a coronavirus outbreak in Auckland that would have prevented her opposition from being able to implement their campaign, looks set to be defined by concerns centred around the pandemic — such as health care, economic recovery and border restrictions.
