Jacinda Ardern talks feminism, climate change in first international TV interview

Jacinda Ardern has fiercely defended her stance on issues of equality and climate change in her first international TV interview.

Speaking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday morning (NZT), the Prime Minister was quizzed on her thoughts around gender equality in the workplace.

"We've started in our own party with a goal to have 50 per cent of our members women," she said.

"We've almost achieved that."

Amanpour also touched on Ardern's interview on Three's The Am Show, when host Mark Richardson said all employers should be able to ask female job applicants if they planned to take maternity leave.

The interview sparked a chorus of international media reporting Richardson's controversial line of questioning.

Ardern said the issue was one that had come up again and again in her role in politics.

"It will continue to be an issue until we accept the fact that it's a woman's choice to discuss it, or not.

"I absolutely believe that we'll have to address this for a little while longer to come."

Speaking on video link from Parliament, Ardern said the Government would have to continue to "weed out" the problems as they arose.

Amanpour briefly touched on Labour's policies, asking whether New Zealand First's stance around immigration would alter the party's actions around immigration.

Ardern said she was resolute on sticking to the initial election promise, to reduce net migration by 20,000-30,000 a year.

However, Ardern said her party would support Pacific nations by taking in "climate change refugees".

Ardern said that being on the forefront of watching people made into refugees because of the phenomenon "we couldn't just ignore what was going on".

"I think that's accepting that we are Pacific neighbours and friends."