Focus: Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford celebrates her first birthday.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, fiance Clarke Gayford and baby Neve are holidaying in Rarotonga during Parliament's current break.
The trio made a low-key arrival in Rarotonga yesterday. They were greeted by Prime Minister Henry Puna and his wife Akaiti, Cook Islands Tourism chief executive officer Halatoa Fua and staff ofthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Rarotonga International Airport's VIP lounge.
Jacinda Ardern at Rarotonga International Airport with Akaiti Puna, the wife of prime minister Henry Puna, and baby Neve. Photo / Cook Islands News
Ardern and her family was adorned with fresh ei garlands by Prime Minister Puna, Cook Islands News reported.
Her arrival went relatively unnoticed by people at the airport.
Ardern, Clarke Gayford and Neve arrive at the airport. Photo / Cook Islands News
The wife of Puna, the Cook Island prime minister, was pictured carrying baby Neve who also had a garland around her neck.
Speculation is that Gayford would be filming for his television show Fish of the Day while there but the Cook Islands News was told the family were there "purely on holiday".
Winston Peters is acting prime minister while Ardern is away.
He told Newstalk ZB's Tim Dower today that he knew Ardern was taking a well-deserved break but he wasn't told where.
"That is one of the hard parts of this job," admitted Ardern.
"There's just an acceptance I guess from Clarke and myself that I won't perhaps get as much time as otherwise I might. But most nights, I get to put her to bed. And you know, some parents don't have that."
Barnett responded, "Most of us have parental guilt if that happens. Do you suffer from parental guilt?"
Ardern replied, "Oh absolutely. But name me someone who doesn't. That just makes me human, actually."
Despite feeling that guilt, Ardern seems to be balancing running the country with raising her daughter well.
Most recently she shared her cake-baking efforts for Neve's birthday.
