“Golden era of high-performance sport”: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern praises the record success of the Commonwealth Games

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Sport Secretary Grant Robertson make an announcement welcoming the Commonwealth Games team at home Video / Mark Mitchell

New Zealand’s golden Commonwealth Games campaign will be celebrated after the team’s arrival in the country, the government said.

At a post-Cabinet press conference this afternoon, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson – also Secretary of State for Sport and Leisure – gave details of how the Aotearoa athletes will be greeted from Birmingham, England.

New Zealand achieved its highest gold medal tally this morning as cyclist Aaron Gate won the country’s 18th gold – surpassing the total of 17 gold medals won at the 1990 Auckland Games.

With a total of 19 following Joelle King and Paul Coll’s win in mixed doubles squash today, New Zealand currently have the fourth-highest gold medal haul behind Australia (66), England (55) and Canada (26).

On August 11th at 11:20am and 12:20pm there will be an official welcome at Auckland Airport for the athletes arriving back in the country.

Reflecting on this year’s performance and that of Team NZ at the Olympics last year, Ardern said: “We are in a golden era of high-performance sport in New Zealand.”

Robertson said it was a “truly extraordinary event [Commonwealth] Games” for New Zealand so far.

Robertson said it’s also games where athletes can speak up for causes. He said he was proud that New Zealand athletes were doing this, including mental health mountain biker Sam Gaze.

Despite recent good performances, the focus in sport must remain on well-being, he said.

It was a good day to celebrate the achievements, including those of the cycling team and Olivia Podmore’s friends, but also to work on those other issues.

Related Articles

Ardern said these celebrations shouldn’t take away from “where we know we have to work to support all of our athletes across all codes.”

Sport Secretary Grant Robertson has recently returned from Birmingham where the games are being held. Photo / Getty Images

Ardern on Nat’s social plan, tensions in Taiwan

Ardern also raised questions about the National Party’s proposed welfare changes, which she addressed this morning.

As leader Christopher Luxon announced at the Christchurch party conference over the weekend, a national government would cut funding from the Department for Social Development to fund community providers offering job coaching to young unemployed Kiwis.

The policy would offer people under the age of 25 on welfare for three months or more a dedicated job coach to help them find a job.

Anyone who has received benefits for 12 months or more, then finds a job and remains ineligible for the next 12 consecutive months will receive $1,000 for remaining in work.

Those who did not follow their employment plan would face sanctions such as cuts in their favor.

Ardern said while young people often bore the brunt of tough economic times, there were now record numbers of Rangatahi on welfare.

A number of things that National has proposed — including access to skills and training, a driver’s license, and job coaching and support — already exist, she added.

What was different was the way young people were talked about, Ardern said.

Regarding recent developments in the Taiwan Strait, Ardern said New Zealand stands by the one-China policy but is concerned about China’s recent actions.

“It is in nobody’s interest that this escalation continues,” Ardern said.

It was “no value” to comment on the diplomacy of others and said former Prime Minister John Key’s comments on Nancy Pelosi’s visit were “unhelpful”.

National Party leader Christopher Luxon. Photo / George heard

Speaking to RNZ this morning, Ardern said it was “a little annoying” that the current government has been attacked for its efforts to help young people find work, she said, as the Department for Social Development did not when Labor took office had enough staff.

“Our MSD case managers — who obviously want to do this work to match people into jobs — had less time to do it because they didn’t have enough staff,” she said.

“We’ve increased the number of case managers, we’ve put a special focus on that during Covid, something I now see the National Party attacking us too for overspending.”

Ardern said the government has focused on things known to be barriers to young people entering the labor market, like supporting them once they are on the job and helping them get driver’s licences.

“Rather than just … jumping to the old tropes that we see from the opposition, let’s look at what’s needed.”

Aaron Hendry, youth worker for youth homeless collective Manaaki Rangatahi, told RNZ a successful plan would target the root causes of generational poverty.

“The idea, the assumption that our young people are lazy and push for advantage, that’s just not true,” he said.

“I have never met a young person who has no hope, dreams and aspirations for their future. I’ve met a lot of disempowered young people who grew up in cycles of poverty and abuse and are dealing with some huge complexities in their lives.”