On pricks, politics and Purim

Jacinda Ardern’s reframing of her ‘hot-mike’ vulgarity reminds us of the power of words and carries powerful echoes of Esther’s bravery in confronting Haman.  

The former prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, was feted for many things. She was praised for her courage and compassion, admired for her principled leadership and recognised as a role model for young women everywhere.

In my mind she will always be remembered for knowing a prick when she sees one.  

At the end of December 2022, in the last days of her term, Ardern was inadvertently caught calling the opposition leader, David Seymour, an "arrogant prick". It was under her breath but as it emerged from her microphone it was included in the Hansard, the official parliamentary record.

In itself this is not particularly surprising or noteworthy. It’s what you may expect from time to time in the cut and thrust of vigorous political debate. Politicians can be brutal and bolshie. It’s rather what happened afterward that makes the eye water and the heart rejoice with mirth and wonder.

Not only did Ardern apologise but she and Seymour decided to print the Hansard, sign it and then auction it to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. They raised over $NZ100,000. The pièce de resistance has to be David Seymour’s summation: “The funds will go towards raising money for pricks everywhere”.

This is a remarkable little vignette of the pitfalls and power of politics but also the potency of words and the flavour of forgiveness. And a lovely little drama to consider at Purim time.

It’s a reminder of how politicians are not above being rude and abrasive, arrogant and aggressive. These masters of words need to be especially careful about their utterances lest they need to eat them.