Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern can be called a lot of things, but one thing you can’t call her is exceptional. Just compare Ardern to Helen Clark. Again, Clark was called many names, but mediocre was never one of them. She was New Zealand’s best politician (I’m not sure that’s a compliment). Ardern, however, will be remembered as simply another PM. Nothing great. Nothing amazing. About normal.

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Nathan Smith is a former business journalist and columnist at the NBR. He also worked as the chief editor at the New Zealand Initiative policy think tank. He is now a freelance writer and copy editor.