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“I want them to grow up with a typical Kiwi kid life. I want them to be able to make mistakes. I want them to be able to learn and to grow, without 5 million people looking over their shoulder.

“You won’t see pictures of them, you know, on social media or in the media and so on, and I simply asked New Zealanders to respect that as well.

“I know that putting my name forward to be a minister, to be an MP, to be the prime minister, I make myself public property. I absolutely accept that, but my family aren’t, and I asked that people do respect that.”

Both Ardern and National Party leader Christopher Luxon have followed political convention in making public appearances with their family, as well as fronting magazines such as Women’s Weekly for soft-focus stories on their family lives.

Ardern’s daughter Neve has been largely kept out of the media, however, unless photographed at official events such as Waitangi celebrations.

Stuff.co.nz

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