Kia ora, mates! It’s a blessed and very special day for our cuz’s across the ditch, as freshly installed Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern has announced she is expecting a wee little baby.
That’s right, the First Family of Aotearoa is pregnant, up the duff, with childe, for shiz up the spout.
Ardern announced the joyous imminent arrival on Twitter earlier this morning, with a somewhat ominous photo of three fish hooks representing partner Clarke Gayford‘s new role as the nation’s First Man of Fishing.
We thought 2017 was a big year! This year we’ll join the many parents who wear two hats. I’ll be PM & a mum while Clarke will be “first man of fishing” & stay at home dad. There will be lots of questions (I can assure you we have a plan all ready to go!) but for now bring on 2018 pic.twitter.com/nowAYOhAbF
— Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern) January 18, 2018
This will be Ardern’s first child, and comes just two and a half months after the 37-year-old sensationally swept her way into New Zealand’s highest office after a whirlwind election campaign.
Ardern and Gayford reportedly knew of the pregnancy back in October, just prior to her being declared the PM, but the couple chose not to publicly announce it until the pregnancy was further along.
The NZ PM will take just six weeks off work in June when her precious lil one is born, during which time Winston Peters will be the acting Prime Minister of New Zealand.
A female leader of a nation giving birth while in office is, it goes without saying, rare. But it’s by no means unprecedented. Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto gave birth to her eldest daughter in 1990 while Bhutto was in office.
Whakamihi to you and yours, Jacinda!
