The Hunter Centre hosted the Labour Party's health announcement on Friday last week.
Labour has been making remarkable ground on National in the polls since Jacinda Ardern replaced Andrew Little as the party’s leader three weeks ago.
The atmosphere in the centre was buoyant as two hundred supporters quickly filled the venue to capacity. The so called ‘Jacinda Effect’ began to feel palpable. A sea of red and white chatted excitedly, continually looking streetwards in anticipation of Ardern’s arrival.
The venue erupted when Ardern and her endearing grin finally arrived. She gave a relaxed, confident speech introducing climate change, housing and water resources as issues she would tackle as Prime minister.
And then came the event’s headline policy. Ardern promised a new hospital to be built in the centre of Dunedin. She explained to raucous applause that the hospital would be publicly owned rather than be a public-private-partnership, as proposed by National. The $1.4 billion build would begin in Labour’s first term. Ardern promised hastiness, explaining that the 7-10 year time-frame planned by National is just too long to wait.
It wasn’t clear whether the masses had turned out for Labour’s policy or simply to be in the presence of the party’s beloved heroine. Following the event, Ardern was swamped by crowds of people eager to take a photo with the esteemed leader. “I’ve never wanted a selfie in my life this bad,” exclaimed one giddy student waiting to meet Ardern.
Indeed, Ardern has a way with crowds. She is patient, affable and willing to meet every supporter. Ardern has breathed life into what looked to be a dreary, uninspiring and lifeless election. While National will continue to push their ‘policy over personality’ rhetoric, it seems as if Ardern’s ability to excite New Zealanders will continue to tighten the gap between the major parties in what is shaping up to be a fascinating election race.
When the Hunter Centre reached capacity, a crowd of 200 grew outside. Ardern, armed with a megaphone, delivered an impromptu speech to those who weren’t able to enter the Centre.
Jacinda Ardern enters the Hunter Centre.
Moments before, Dunedin North MP, David Clark, played Nostradamus, announcing to the crowd, “I have the pleasure of introducing the next prime minister”.
All eyes on Jacinda.
"You think you’ve shown up to hear me make an announcement, but actually what you’ve done is given me more fuel for my fire, so I thank you for that.”
The first of many selfies. Ardern conveys a degree of personability that seems unprecedented in NZ politics.
Ardern’s claim of ‘relentless positivity’ is no ploy. Ardern is beaming in almost every photo I took of her that afternoon.
‘A New Hope’.