Quotes from Jacinda Ardern

We will work hard to ensure New Zealand is once again a world leader, a country we can all be proud of. We said we could do this; we will do this.

There's probably a tendency to view power... to be either based on size or the size and power of your economy. I think New Zealand's strength has always been using our voice on the issues that matter, and we've been consistent on it. There is power in that.

It becomes tricky if you ever try to partition off what might be seen as sexist criticism. To be honest, I just don't engage. The best way I can rebel against those notions is being competent, good at my job.

Back in the early days of my political career, I was called Socialist Cindy. I just hate the nickname Cindy.

A lot of women in New Zealand feel like they have to make a choice between having babies and having a career or continuing their career. So is that a decision you feel you have to make or that you feel you've already made?

We aspire to be a government for all New Zealanders and one that will seize the opportunity to build a fairer, better New Zealand.

We've had a debate about immigration in New Zealand for some time. Now what we're trying to champion in that conversation is a recognition that New Zealand has been built off immigration. I myself am a third-generation New Zealander.

I didn't think I would be prime minister, because I didn't consider it. But that's the power of saying yes, because there will be a moment when someone asks you to do something beyond your comfort zone. I am not unique.

Things like promoting healthy behaviours, including nutrition and activity, and beginning that at school is so critical. We used to have a healthy eating, healthy action plan, elements of which really were dumped by the last government, so we're trying to rebuild a bit of a program of action in that space.

I'm constantly anxious about making mistakes.

I might be at the odd press conference with a little bit of spill on me because I'm not going to hide the imperfections of parenting. I don't think anyone needs that.

Getting stopped in the middle of the lingerie section, when you're trying to stock up on a few things, by an older man who wants a selfie is a little bit awkward... but I don't let that get in the way of me trying to do normal things, because that is when I get to interact with people as well. Preferably not amongst the underwear, though.

The thing that drives people more often than not is they genuinely feel that they can make a difference. So that means there are nice people in politics.

This stardust won't settle, because none of us should settle.

Everyone knows that I have just accepted, with short notice, the worst job in politics.

Lots of people juggle a lot of things in their personal and private lives, and I'm not unusual in that. Plenty of women have multitasked before me, and I want to acknowledge that.

The most difficult thing for us to do is to mitigate and offset our agricultural emissions. If we find a way to do that, then we're showing other countries how to do it, too.

If we want to make workplaces more open, we need to acknowledge logistical challenges... by being more open, it might create a path for other women.

When you're a bit of an anxious person, and you constantly worry about things, there comes a point where certain jobs are just really bad for you.

As soon as I came in as leader, we had seven weeks to an election, so we had to be entirely focused on the job we had in front of us.

I refuse to be held up as some kind of superwoman because, in my mind, the superwomen are the ones who do it on their own. I have my partner, who will be a stay-at-home father. I will do as much as I can, but I will have a village around me, and there's lots of people who don't have that.

I hope for little girls and boys that there is a future where they can make choices about how they raise their family and what sort of career they have, which is based on what they want and what makes them happy.