Whatever the answer, we know that not only does New Zealand’s Prime Minister have what has been described as libido dominandi, a desire for power, she is also presiding over the most incompetent, destructive government in our history. Its thoroughly anti-democratic attacks on that vital principle of equality for all, under the law, show no sign of diminishing.

That power corrupts is well illustrated by our political class and its bureaucrat fellow travellers. And what about a near-absolute power the plutocratic, overwhelmingly ambitious Klaus Schwab dangles before the World Economic Forum Young Global leaders, including Ardern? Interestingly, although Schwab had Swiss parents and has long lived in Switzerland, his application for Swiss citizenship was rejected. Perhaps this most successful of all democracies has not warmed to his grandiose, utopian aim to displace people’s control of their own countries in favour of management by inner circles of self-selected power brokers and multinational corporations. To this end, the WEF is using any possible tool of divisiveness such as the coronavirus, financial crises and the ridiculous demonisation of carbon dioxide.

Ardern’s early ambition to become President of the International Union of Socialist Youth suggests she is drawn to power as a moth to flame. However, had it not been for NZ First joining Labour and the Greens, her low polling would never have seen her become Prime Minister. With Covid then hitting the country, her far from academic degree, basically focusing on obtaining political skills, stood her in good stead while projecting her mantra of kindness and well-being.

However, like so many of the Left, her understanding of how the wheels of business, including vital small businesses, drive the viability of any economy appears non-existent. Her limited experience of employment before Parliament, both as a former DJ and wrapping fish and chips, may well explain  not only her apparent indifference to the collapse of so many thousands of businesses as a result of her government’s policies during the pandemic – but also the hardships faced by employers, as well as employees. Many of the former, trying to save their businesses and to keep supporting their employees, are close to ruin, threatened by yet another tax and income insurance scheme, an extra burden on employers already having to contribute in other ways to their employees. It will also take away as ‘a job tax’ part of their income from workers struggling with rocketing food prices; inflation growing at twice the rate of wage increases; petrol prices above $3 a litre; and rising rents. So many have also lost hope of eventually being able to own their own homes. Moreover, as former National party finance minister Steven Joyce points out, our hard-left government is apparently intent on destroying productivity. He asks what planet we would need to be on to saddle small businesses with a six-month, minimum wage increase – plus the spectre of centralised wage negotiations. The answer is Planet Jacinda.

New Zealanders are suffering under a government viewed as further to the left of socialism and financially incompetent, with Ardern regarded as sly and evasive when it comes to answering questions she dislikes. In spite of her charm offensive, more media are risking her displeasure by voicing concern about the inappropriateness of so many of the control policies widely imposed. Only now reversed, for example, is forcing fully-vaccinated, well people from overseas to enter expensive quarantine facilities while Omicron rampages throughout the country!

The Ardern government’s provision of superior, unprecedented rights for part-Maori who belong to powerful, immensely wealthy, neo-tribal corporations was a factor bringing so many to protest at Parliament recently. Although it was pilloried as run by anti-vaxxers and others against vaccination mandates, the majority of the crowd – apart from an inevitable mob element – was there to protest against the loss of so many of our freedoms. Well-meaning, ordinary New Zealanders set up support systems for families and children there. The police, on the whole – apart from the usual fringe bullies found in a police force – left them alone until sufficient provocation was provided to require them to act. Many highly respected New Zealanders, including the America’s Cup winner, Sir Russell Coutts, came to join the protesters. He himself, like others, stated he was strongly opposed to the ever-increasing erosion of our human rights and the growing limitations on freedom of choice. Most importantly, he stated he was against creating different laws and privileges based on race.

Disgracefully, neither Ardern, nor National’s leader Christopher Luxon condescended to talk to those New Zealanders wanting their concerns to be heard. MPs simply watched from Parliament’s windows. Ardern hid away, merely ostentatiously touring Parliament grounds to inspect damage when the protestors were finally moved on, after three weeks. When Luxon, by no means supporting those who had come to voice their concerns, eventually tactically shifted ground, saying people should be allowed to sympathise with some issues behind the protest (an extraordinarily condescending statement) Ardern snapped back, describing this as a backflip. Her petulant ‘I find their (sic) position at the moment quite upsetting to see now they seem to be responding and sympathising with the protesters’. A bit of a giveaway, given her own backflip from her initial assurance that there would be no distinction between vaccinated and unvaccinated to subsequently imposing a two-tiered citizenship based just on this distinction. Moreover,  when recently forced to address the unpopularity of vaccine mandates, and asked if this was a response to the protesters she replied, ‘Absolutely not,’ laying out her reasoning, but adding ‘not because you demanded it’. Her arrogance was stunning.

Nor did the already controversial Speaker of the House, Trevor Mallard, earn any rebuke from his leader for turning hoses on the protesters below Parliament – soaking even little children – and then blasting them with piped music.

So much for the constant invoking of kindness and well-being, falling so readily from the lips of our leader. One thing was constantly obvious – Arden’s antipathy to those worried enough to voice their concerns. She simply told them to go away. And now our power-wedded leader is thinking of extending the confusing traffic light control system over the country – to cope with the possible emergence of flu this winter. New Zealanders have only just begun to protest.