Jacinda’s small business experience

The Prime Minister on Mike Hosking’s show said:

“Again, well again I would speak to my… you know, to my own experience. Yes, I haven’t been an owner/operator I have um… I have run a small NGO, um… I have worked in small businesses and I have been a small business spokesperson, I even worked in a small business in the UK.”

One of my readers sent the following OIA to the PM’s Office:

1. What was the business you have claimed to run that was not an NGO?
2. What were the small businesses you worked in?
3. What was the business you were a spokesperson for?
4. What was the small business you worked in while in the UK?

The response has to be seen to be believed:

1. The Prime Minister was the President of international political youth organisation IUSY.

So yes the Prime Minister told Mike Hosking she understood small business due to her having been the president of the international union of socialist youth!!!

2. The small businesses the Prime Minister worked at were a fish and chip shop in Morrinsville and a gift shop. She has also worked at a supermarket.

Oh dear. The best job experience you can claim of small business, is your after school jobs from 20 years ago.

3. The Prime Minister was referring to the fact that in Opposition she was Labour’s spokesperson for Small Business from 2014-2017.

A spokesperson for small business who has never worked in one, apart from after school jobs.

4. In the UK the Prime Minister was an assistant director in the Department for Business and Enterprise which involved working with small businesses.

With respect working for our equivalent of MBIE is not the same as actual business experience.

Ardern is far from the only politician not to have had small business experience. But what is cringeworthy is how she tries and pretend she does by claiming her role as head of the global young socialists gave her experience of small businesses.