Just So Stories

Penguin Australia

• June 2025
• ISBN: 9781776951277
• Imprint: Penguin
• RRP: $55.00

First up, I’m going to say a big thank you to Penguin, especially the indefatigable Dot Tonkin, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this. As someone who admired this young woman as a trailblazer, it has been interesting to see her in close-up, so to speak. I think for many of us, Australians especially, to observe, albeit at a distance, PM Jacinda being a refreshing, natural and kind type of leader caused us to feel, at the very least, so envious, given for most of the same period we were stuck with the odious and oily toe rag we had to endure.

What I loved most about this memoir is that it is written in exactly the same vein as Jacinda appeared to us all – down-to-earth, efficient but empathetic, socialist, unpretentious and bloody determined. Did she make mistakes as a leader? No doubt. She would hardly be human if she didn’t. Did she create a new sense of compassion and care for the people of NZ? I believe she did. Of course, I don’t live there but, certainly, from my perspective I see the good she did and the positive impressions she left on a global audience.

In this memoir Jacinda talks candidly of her childhood, raised in a Mormon family as the second daughter of a police officer dad and a tireless mum, who worked at any job she could fit around her two girls. Her interest in politics arose from her intense desire to be useful – to be of service to others – emulating both parents essentially. [Interestingly, this is also an aspect of Lutheranism that I found so persuasive during my tenures in Lutheran schools.]

A strong competitive debater in high school, you might think this would set her up beautifully for political campaigning and speech-making, but a deeply entrenched imposter syndrome often caused her immense anxiety. It was an ongoing battle to overcome this. Her growing involvement with politics and policies increased her already wavering commitment to the Mormon church. She simply couldn’t reconcile the teachings of the church with her own beliefs such as the support of civil unions and other social reforms.

Her journey to the top job was a series of leapfrogs from one stepping stone to another, all the time being scrutinised and often, scorned by male counterparts and the media because of her gender and appearance [sound familiar?].

As Jacinda took the stage as the youngest female world leader ever [so much better than being a raving geriatric, don’t you think?] she was determined to enact social reforms that would benefit her people, especially people like those who were struggling in the town she grew up in after so much downturn in NZ’s economy and industries. Issues such as welfare, child poverty and housing were high on her agenda. She gathered around her a cabinet she knew had both political nous and the same kind of commitment to the principle of social equality and elevating others by extending the hand up approach.

All of this receives mentions in the books but, as you would expect, it is the big issues that take a spotlight. The dreadful Christchurch massacre, and her immediate response – who can forget the grace, the compassion and the sorrow she so clearly demonstrated? with the extraordinary 10-day turnaround of gun laws. And then, the volcanic eruption of Whakaari / White Island and then Covid. It is easy with hindsight to judge on the aftermath of that – but to my mind, there can be no doubt that the harsh restrictions were meant with the best intentions at a time – and I underline this – that nobody, NO leader or even medic, could predict or foretell outcomes.

During her leadership she never failed to visit schools, make time for children – the Teddy Bear hunt and the public announcement re the Easter Bunny stand out – as well as her ongoing concern for the ordinary people and her deep respect and regard for all cultures especially Maori.

And throughout all of this, she dealt with her own very personal struggle of fertility treatment until, with great surprise, achieving a pregnancy just as she becomes the PM. I think the insight into the support of her ‘village’ – partner/husband Clarke, Mum, Mother-in-law, sister/friends/aides – is a great testament to anyone in a position that is demanding and is a conflict between public and personal responsibilities.

I also loved the look inside her official quarters as PM – with second-hand furniture and no personality, and the revelation that she too shops at Kmart! [shall we compare that to some other world leaders gutting and spending extraordinary amounts of the public purse on their own quarters??]. It is not a blow-by-blow detail of every political decision and legislation, so don’t look to it for that.

Above all, I enjoyed this insight into Jacinda the person – her views, beliefs, values, family and her determination to make things easier for the next woman to follow. Her example is, I believe, a great inspiration to our young women who deserve to be the leaders of the future – certainly, the old men who are the major players in charge of the world right now are sending it to hell in a handbasket.

Take some time to read it- you won’t be sorry. I’m giving it a 5 🥝🥝🥝🥝🥝 [closest thing to a kiwi!] rating and leave you with this quote from the excellent Barbie movie, that great cinematic commentary on patriarchy.

The Easter Bunny is an ‘essential worker,’ New Zealand leader assures kids