Barry Soper: Jacinda Ardern is treading water, the master of soft, flattering interviews 8 Mar, 2021 04:00 AM 4 minutes to read Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has cancelled her regular interview lot with Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has cancelled her regular interview lot with Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB. OPINION: Think about it, Jacinda Ardern is the accidental Prime Minister. This rookie leader, plucked from obscurity in the lead-up to the 2017 election, was appointed by Winston Peters simply because she gave him much more than what Bill English was prepared to wear. But she's been confirmed by Covid as the last election would attest to.