Childhood and Education Journey of Jacinda Ardern in Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Jacinda Ardern, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Jacinda Ardern served as the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party from 2017 to 2023. Before becoming Prime Minister, she was a Member of Parliament, first as a list MP from 2008 to 2017, and then representing the Mount Albert electorate from 2017 to 2023. Her tenure was marked by significant events, including the Christchurch mosque shootings and the COVID-19 pandemic, which shaped her leadership and policy decisions.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

July 1980: Jacinda Ardern born

In July 1980, Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern was born, later becoming the 40th prime minister of New Zealand.

Others born on this day/year

1990: Benazir Bhutto gives birth while in office

In 1990, Benazir Bhutto was the first elected head of government to give birth while in office.

1994: Began studying at Morrinsville College

In 1994, Ardern began studying at Morrinsville College and later became the student representative on the school's board of trustees.

1996: Introduction of a proportional representation system

In 1996, New Zealand introduced a proportional representation system in Parliament.

1999: Assisted with campaigning for Harry Duynhoven

In 1999, Ardern assisted with campaigning for New Plymouth MP Harry Duynhoven during his re-election campaign.

2001: Graduated from the University of Waikato

In 2001, Ardern graduated from the University of Waikato with a Bachelor of Communication Studies in politics and public relations.

2003: Invasion of Iraq

In 2003 the invasion of Iraq took place, an event Jacinda Ardern later questioned Tony Blair about.

2005: Ardern leaves The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

In 2005, at age 25, Jacinda Ardern left The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because it conflicted with her personal views, in particular her support for gay rights.

2008: Best election result since 2008

In September 2017, Labour gained 14 seats, increasing its parliamentary representation to 46 seats, the best result for the party since losing power in 2008.

February 2010: End of youngest MP status

On 11 February 2010, Ardern ceased to be the youngest MP in Parliament.

2011: Questioned Tony Blair

In 2011, Ardern questioned Tony Blair about the 2003 invasion of Iraq at an event in New Zealand.

2012: Ardern and Gayford first met

In 2012, Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford first met through a mutual friend, Colin Mathura-Jeffree, but did not spend time together until Gayford contacted Ardern regarding a bill.

2014: Suhayra Aden joins ISIS

In 2014, Suhayra Aden traveled to Syria to live in the Islamic State as an ISIS bride.

December 2016: David Shearer's resignation

On 8 December 2016, David Shearer resigned, leading to the Mount Albert by-election.

January 2017: Ardern identifies as agnostic

In January 2017, Jacinda Ardern identified as agnostic, saying "I can't see myself being a member of an organised religion again".

January 2017: Participated in the 2017 Women's March

On 21 January 2017, Ardern participated in the 2017 Women's March. She was confirmed as Labour's candidate at a meeting on 22 January.

2017: Trump Administration abandoned TPP Agreement

In 2017, the Trump Administration had abandoned the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.

January 2018: Ardern Announces Pregnancy

In January 2018, Jacinda Ardern announced she was pregnant and that Winston Peters would serve as acting prime minister for six weeks after the birth of her child.

June 2018: Gave birth to daughter

On 21 June 2018, Ardern gave birth to her daughter, making her the world's second elected head of government to give birth while in office.

August 2018: Ardern Returns from Maternity Leave

In August 2018, Jacinda Ardern returned from maternity leave, which she had taken from 21 June following the birth of her daughter.

2018: Ardern Marches in Pride Parade

In 2018, Ardern became the first New Zealand prime minister to march in a pride parade.

2018: Ardern Attends Waitangi Day Commemoration

In 2018, Jacinda Ardern traveled to Waitangi for the annual Waitangi Day commemoration and stayed for five days. She became the first female prime minister to speak from the top marae, and her visit was largely well-received by Māori leaders.

March 2019: Christchurch Mosque Shootings

On 15 March 2019, 51 people were fatally shot and 49 injured in two mosques in Christchurch. Ardern condemned the attacks as acts of terror carried out by extremists.

May 2019: Ardern and Gayford announce engagement

On 3 May 2019, it was reported that Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford were engaged to be married.

2019: Christchurch mosque shootings lead to ban on semi-automatic firearms

Following the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, New Zealand banned semi-automatic firearms.

2019: Ardern meets with LDS Church president

In 2019, as prime minister, Jacinda Ardern met the president of the LDS Church, Russell M. Nelson.

June 2020: Meeting with Bill and Melinda Gates

On 17 June 2020, Prime Minister Ardern met with Bill Gates and Melinda Gates via teleconference. Melinda Gates requested Ardern to support a collective approach to a COVID-19 vaccine. Ardern agreed to assist.

October 2020: Cannabis Legalisation Referendum

In October 2020, a non-binding referendum to legalise cannabis was held in conjunction with the general election, where voters rejected the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill by 51.17 per cent.

December 2020: Support for Australia in dispute with China

In early December 2020, Ardern expressed support for Australia during a dispute between Canberra and Beijing over a Chinese Foreign Ministry official's Twitter post alleging Australian war crimes against Afghans. She deemed the image factually incorrect and stated that New Zealand would raise its concerns with the Chinese Government.

December 2020: Travel bubble announcements and vaccine purchases

On 12 December 2020, Ardern and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown announced a travel bubble between New Zealand and the Cook Islands, set for 2021. On 14 December, Ardern confirmed a travel bubble agreement with Australia for the following year. On 17 December, the government purchased additional vaccines from AstraZeneca and Novavax for New Zealand and its Pacific partners, supplementing existing stocks from Pfizer/BioNTech and Janssen Pharmaceutica.

December 2020: Speech at Singapore FinTech Festival

On 9 December 2020, Ardern delivered a virtual speech at the Singapore FinTech Festival, applauding the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) among New Zealand, Chile, and Singapore as "the first important steps" to achieve regulatory alignment to facilitate businesses.

2020: Grant Robertson clarified Labour would not introduce new taxes until after the 2020 election.

In 2020, Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson clarified that Labour would not introduce new taxes until after the 2020 election.

February 2021: Commencement of COVID-19 vaccination program

In February 2021, New Zealand's COVID-19 vaccination programme began.

February 2021: Criticism of Australia's citizenship revocation

On 16 February 2021, Ardern criticised the Australian Government's decision to revoke dual New Zealand–Australian national Suhayra Aden's Australian citizenship, accusing them of abandoning their obligations. Aden had traveled to Syria to join ISIS in 2014. Ardern offered consular support to Aden and her children.

May 2021: Meeting with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison

In late May 2021, Ardern hosted Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison during a state visit at Queenstown. The two heads of governments issued a joint statement affirming bilateral cooperation on COVID-19, bilateral relations, and security issues in the Indo-Pacific. Concerns were raised about the South China Sea dispute and human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.

June 2021: Formal apology for the Dawn Raids

On 14 June 2021, Ardern confirmed that the New Zealand Government would formally apologise for the Dawn Raids, a series of police raids which disproportionately targeted members of the Pasifika diaspora in New Zealand during the 1970s and early 1980s, at the Auckland Town Hall on 26 June 2021.

December 2021: Participation in Summit for Democracy

In early December 2021, Ardern participated in the virtual Summit for Democracy hosted by US President Joe Biden. She discussed bolstering democratic resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic and announced additional financial contributions to support anti-corruption efforts in Pacific countries and media defense funds.

2021: Establishment of travel bubble with Cook Islands and Australia

In 2021, Jacinda Ardern announced that travel bubbles would be established between New Zealand and the Cook Islands, and New Zealand and Australia, allowing two-way quarantine-free travel between the two countries.

2021: Delta variant spreads; nationwide lockdown and accelerated vaccination

In 2021, the Delta variant of COVID-19 spread in New Zealand, leading to a nationwide lockdown in August. Cases continued to rise, prompting the government to abandon containment and accelerate vaccination efforts. Ardern expressed concerns that New Zealand's sense of togetherness was starting to fracture as anti-vaccine protests increased.

2021: Response to Israel-Palestine crisis

In response to the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, Ardern stated on 17 May 2021 that New Zealand "condemned both the indiscriminate rocket fire we have seen from Hamas and what looks to be a response that has gone well beyond self-defence on both sides." She also stated that Israel had the "right to exist" but Palestinians also had a "right to a peaceful home, a secure home."

January 2022: Ardern and Gayford wedding postponed

In January 2022, Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford's wedding was postponed due to COVID-19 Deltacron hybrid variant.

January 2022: Self-isolation after COVID-19 exposure

On 29 January 2022, Ardern, Governor-General Cindy Kiro, and chief press secretary Andrew Campbell self-isolated after being in close contact with a COVID-19 case on an Air New Zealand flight on 22 January.

April 2022: Banned from entering Russia

In April 2022, Ardern was banned from entering Russia along with 129 other parliamentarians and senior government officials after the New Zealand Parliament unanimously imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

May 2022: Trade mission to the United States and Harvard commencement address

In late May 2022, Ardern led a trade and tourism mission to the United States. She urged the Biden Administration to join the CPTPP. She condemned the Robb Elementary School shooting while attending the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and advocated stronger gun control measures. On 27 May, Ardern gave the annual commencement address at Harvard University and was awarded an honorary doctorate in law. On 28 May, Ardern signed a memorandum of understanding with Governor of California Gavin Newsom, formalizing bilateral cooperation between New Zealand and California in climate change mitigation and research.

May 2022: Ardern tests positive for COVID-19

On 14 May 2022, Jacinda Ardern tested positive for COVID-19. Her partner, Clarke Gayford, had tested positive several days earlier on 8 May.

June 2022: Meeting with US President Joe Biden and Vice-president Kamala Harris

On 1 June 2022, Ardern met with US President Joe Biden and Vice-president Kamala Harris to reaffirm bilateral relations between the two countries. A joint statement was issued, reaffirming cooperation on issues including the South China Sea dispute, support for Ukraine, Chinese tensions with Taiwan, and human-rights violations in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

September 2022: Nation's tributes following the death of Queen Elizabeth II

In September 2022, Ardern led the nation's tributes following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, describing her as an "incredible woman", a "constant in our lives", and a "much admired and respected" monarch. Ardern also stated that republicanism was currently not on the agenda but believed that the country would head in that direction in the future.

September 2022: Ardern Attends Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral

In September 2022, Jacinda Ardern, along with her fiancé Clarke Gayford and their daughter Neve, attended Queen Elizabeth II's funeral. During the funeral, she wore a traditional Māori cloak designed by Māori fashion designer Kiri Nathan.

December 2022: Hot mic comment and reconciliation with David Seymour

In mid-December 2022, Ardern was recorded on a hot mic calling the leader of the ACT Party, David Seymour, an "arrogant prick" during Parliament's Question Time, which was televised. Ardern later apologized to Seymour via text. The two politicians reconciled and auctioned a signed copy of the remark to raise NZ$60,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

January 2023: Ardern Announces Resignation

On 19 January 2023, Jacinda Ardern announced she would resign as Labour leader and prime minister by 7 February and leave Parliament by the 2023 general election. She cited a desire to spend more time with her family and an inability to commit to another four years.

2023: Ardern accepts Fellowships at Harvard Kennedy School

In 2023, Ardern accepted dual fellowships at the Harvard Kennedy School for a semester beginning in fall 2023, to serve as the 2023 Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow and as a Hauser Leader at the Center for Public Leadership. She will also work with Harvard's Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society as its first Knight Tech Governance Leadership Fellow, focusing on the study of online extremism.