Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is mobbed by a crowd at The Base in Hamilton as she continues on the campaign trail for Election 2020. Photo / Amelia Wade
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is mobbed by a crowd at The Base in Hamilton as she continues on the campaign trail for Election 2020. Photo / Amelia Wade
Social distancing appears to be a thing of the past after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was mobbed by fans during a walk at The Base in Hamilton today.
Hundreds showed up in support of the Prime Minister ahead of her speech to Hamiltonians on the Covid-19 and economic plans Labour has in place should they win the election.
Asked how she feels about the ever-growing size of crowds following her on the campaign trail, Ardern admitted some were more intense than others but said she doesn't find the fanfare "too bad".
While the bustling crowds show Ardern's growing popularity, Hamilton electorates have had mixed results for Labour, with Hamilton historically voting in favour of the eventual election winners.
Hamilton West and East are currently held by National MPs.
At a function in Hamilton Gardens, a group of farmers asked her to address the freshwater regulations they faced.
Despite the crowd swamping Ardern, she found time to hug one of her biggest fans, a 4-year-old Scarlett who was squeaking with excitement at meeting her idol.
"Thank you so much," Ardern said. "I enjoyed the hug."
Ardern crouched down with the girl, who was holding a toy doll, before getting a photograph.
"This is Scarlett, she's your biggest fan," her mum said.
"She's learned that you're the boss of the whole world."
However, the swelling size of the crowd meant a number of excited fans missed the opportunity to see Ardern in action.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is mobbed by a crowd at The Base in Hamilton as she continues on the campaign trail for Election 2020. Photo / Amelia Wade
Tailua Mekuli, 22, waited for an hour before being disappointed.
"Yeah I'm disappointed but I still love her," she told the Herald.
Her sister, Malia, was working across the road and let her know Ardern was in the mall, so she rushed from home.
Mekuli hasn't voted but said the disappointment wouldn't change her mind and she'd still be voting Labour.
Malia also left without a selfie after finishing work early to see the Prime Minister.
After addressing media, local Labour MP Jamie Strange apologised to excited fans, saying Ardern wouldn't be stopping for selfies as she left to her next appointment through the basement.
The Prime Minister's selfie snubs come after she admitted a month ago she "made a mistake" when taking a selfie with supporters in Palmerston North without appropriate social distancing.
Neither Ardern nor any of the supporters in the photo were wearing a mask.
At the time Ardern said "in that particular photo I made a mistake".
She said she "worked hard" not to shake hands and keep her distance, in response to criticisms of the group selfie taken in Palmerston North.
"Yes I should have moved further forwards and I should have asked them to step apart as well.
"It is hard," she said. "I will keep up, as I have, those awkward moments where I refuse to shake hands."
Social distancing rules no longer apply in level 1.
Today's visit to Hamilton comes after Ardern outlined her vision for the next three years while talking to ZB's Mike Hosking.
Ardern was asked whether a single-party government would mean she could have no potential coalition partners in three years.
"What I have been taking to the electorate and to voters is that I do want a strong mandate … because I want an absolute focus on our recovery.
"It is fair to say in an MMP environment that multiple different parties can slow things down.
"That is not to say that there aren't things that can be drawn from consensus building, and I will build consensus on the big issues. But I also want a strong mandate."
Asked if she would stay on if in Opposition, Ardern said she did not want to speculate about what would happen with any of the minor parties or the effect on the election result.
"But nor have I got into a situation of declaring what would happen if we weren't successful.
"My focus has to be on the last five days of getting Labour into a good position."
At current polling, NZ First will not make it back into Parliament and the Greens are hovering just above the 5 per cent party vote threshold.
Ardern said the Greens were not to be feared.
Following her visit to Hamilton Ardern will be back in Auckland to wrap up her final few days of campaigning.
