I never, ever grew up as a young woman believing that my gender would stand in the way of doing anything I wanted.
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.
I hate the idea of anyone thinking that I don't put a lot of thought about the cost to taxpayers. I make our ministers travel to events in vans to pool together.
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.
This stardust won't settle, because none of us should settle.
Te Aroha was something we settled on quite early. It was our way of reflecting the amount of love this baby's been shown before she even arrived.
