Summarised by Centrist
Writing for Chris Lynch Media, independent journalist Chris Lynch critiques the former PM’s memoir and media tour.
He calls it “a calculated attempt to reshape her reputation, assisted by a global media that rarely questions her narrative.”
“Her government presided over one of the most polarising periods in modern New Zealand history,” he writes.
The slogan “Be Kind” masked deeper controls. “In practice, it meant ‘do not question,’” writes Lynch.
He points to vaccine mandates, restrictions on movement, and “entire departments” formed to “manage speech.” However, these were “not built for clarity.” Rather, “they were designed for control,” he argues.
Lynch notes, “Disinformation initiatives were stacked with far-left activists more interested in silencing opposition than protecting truth.”
He also criticises the political double standards around gender: “Her defenders often cry misogyny when she is criticised. That does not mean all criticism is sexist. Where were those defenders when women on the political right were vilified?”
According to Lynch, Ardern’s 2021 comment on a two-tier society based on vaccination status – “That is what it is” – was a defining moment. “Those words should never be forgotten,” he says.
As Ardern tours the world to promote A Different Kind of Power, Lynch says the real story remains unfinished at home: “For all the praise overseas, she knows her standing here is unresolved.”
