One day before the Herald said Jacinda's gender was not an issue, it had a headline hinting that prime ministerial witchcraft cursed the All Blacks.
The article that kicked off claims of a Jacinda Ardern "curse" on the All Blacks. Photo: photo RNZ
Last Monday, the New Zealand Herald’s editorial said that “apart from the most partisan amongst us,” the nation seemed to be wishing Jacinda Ardern well.
She has become only our third female Prime Minister, the Herald said but “already it seems to matter so very little, just 20 years since Jenny Shipley broke the gender deadlock. It is reassuring New Zealand women can assume office with barely an eyebrow raised.”
Nice thought.
But the PM’s gender was certainly an issue for the Herald’s sports desk just the other side of last weekend.
On the morning the All Blacks played the Wallabies across the ditch, the Weekend Herald’s sports section had “five reasons to worry” about the game.
A woman PM was number 5.
"The first time New Zealand had a female prime minister was when Jenny Shipley was in power from 1997-99 and in 1998, the All Blacks went through one of their worst losing streaks in history when dropping five tests in a row, culminating in a horrible 19-14 loss to the Wallabies in Sydney,” the Herald said.
After The Wallabies won again last weekend a piece The Herald’s website asked: "Did Jacinda Ardern 'curse' the All Blacks?”
“There will be many excuses offered up for the All Blacks being dumped in Brisbane - and as silly as it sounds, don't be surprised at some tongue-in-cheek finger-pointing at the changing face of our government,” the story said.
But the finger-pointing had come from the Herald itself, which went on to say the All Blacks have never won a World Cup with a woman in charge of the country.
“The ABs have bombed out of World Cups while Dame Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark have been PM,” the paper said.
Intriguingly, no journalist at the Herald put their name to this piece which was circulated on social media by readers who found it stupid, sexist - or both.
Radio Sport’s Tony Veitch posted the Herald’s ‘curse’ story on his Veitch on Sport Facebook page, with this message:
“This has been a constant theme on social this morning. Please take this as a wee bit of fun guys …
Many of his listeners didn't.
“She isn't the PM, she hasn't even been sworn in yet. Dumb article,” said ‘Seth’ on Facebook.
“So all you men/boys who have had losses made mistakes etc. in your life have blamed your mum … sister … aunty ...wife for them. That’s what you are doing with Jacinda,” wrote ‘Gail’.
The Herald’s original ‘curse’ story had claimed that Australians might see the ascent of a woman this side of the Tasman as an omen.
On Monday, The Dominion Post seemed to agree.
"Australian media have mused whether Jacinda Ardern might have put the mockers on The All Blacks," said the paper.
But the Australian media which noticed the Herald's story were poking fun at it.
News.com.au for example said the Herald was grasping at straws with clams of a curse, rather than crediting Rhys Hodge’s superb clutch kicking.
If the Herald believed in witchcraft, it hadn’t fully explored it - as comedian James Nokise pointed out last Monday on RNZ National after the Blacks Caps beat India in an ODI.
A story exploring the possibility the new PM blessed the cricketers has yet to appear on nzherald.co.nz.
