Matua Kahurangi
Matua Kahurangi, unapologetically provocative, is infamous for his incendiary writings that challenge societal taboos and stir relentless debate.
It’s downright embarrassing that Jacinda Ardern, our former and most hated prime minister, is set to receive an honorary degree from Oxford University. This decision is not only baffling but an outright insult to the very principles that institutions like Oxford should stand for. While Ardern’s time in office was met with both praise and criticism, the overwhelming sentiment among many New Zealanders is one of disdain for her leadership. To see Oxford, a beacon of academic excellence, bestow such an honour upon a leader who failed so spectacularly in several key areas is nothing short of disgraceful.
Ardern’s tenure was characterized by a series of blunders that left many Kiwis frustrated and disillusioned. She handled the Covid-19 pandemic hoax with a heavy-handed approach of lockdowns and border closures. The economic fallout from these measures decimated small businesses, crippled the country’s economy, and left thousands of New Zealanders jobless and struggling. Is this the kind of leadership Oxford should be celebrating? Fuck off it is.
Ardern’s leadership was riddled with failures that New Zealanders are still grappling with. The housing crisis under her government spiralled out of control, with housing prices skyrocketing, and countless Kiwis were locked out of the housing market altogether. Her government’s inability to address this glaring issue exposed her inability to tackle the structural inequalities facing the country. Instead of meaningful action, Ardern was content to give speeches and promise change, while the everyday person was left to suffer. Not to mention the millions she was spending on emergency housing for benefit-bludging losers.
Ardern’s response to the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019, while initially hailed as compassionate, was just another example of her failure to confront the deeper issues plaguing New Zealand. Instead of addressing systemic inequality, she sought quick fixes and symbolic gestures, including calls for stronger gun control laws. These measures were not welcomed; they did little to address the broader, more profound problems facing the country.
Now, Oxford is prepared to honour this disastrous leadership with an honorary degree. What does this say about Oxford’s standards? Is a polished public image and a few good speeches all it takes to earn recognition from one of the world’s most prestigious universities? If so, it’s a sad day for academia. Ardern’s failure to produce meaningful, lasting reforms for New Zealanders should have disqualified her from any such accolades. Her time as prime minister was marked by indecision, poor policy choices, and a lack of genuine progress, and yet Oxford has chosen to ignore all of this.
The decision to award Ardern an honorary degree feels out of touch with reality and disrespectful to the many New Zealanders who were left to pick up the pieces after her reign. Oxford’s choice to honour Ardern reflects poorly on the institution itself, undermining its own prestigious reputation. If this is the calibre of leadership the university is willing to reward, then Oxford’s once-stellar reputation is in jeopardy.
It’s a disgrace that Jacinda Ardern, a leader who has become synonymous with failure in the eyes of many New Zealanders, is being handed such an honour. Oxford University should be ashamed for tarnishing its legacy by honoring a leader who did little to improve the lives of those she was supposed to serve. This decision is not only embarrassing but sends the wrong message to the world about what truly constitutes excellence in leadership.
This article was originally published on the author’s Substack.
