The C-word hits the mark as quote of the year
Thursday, 18 December 2025
A swear word usually considered too taboo to mention has won the title of Massey University’s quote of the year after it captured national attention.
The winning quote, penned by The Post and Sunday Star-Times national affairs editor Andrea Vance in a Star-Times column in May, took aim at the Government’s decision to abolish ongoing pay equity claims.
“Turns out you can have it all. So long as you’re prepared to be a c… to the women who birth your kids, school your offspring and wipe the arse of your elderly parents while you stand on their shoulders to earn your six-figure, taxpayer-funded pay packet,” she wrote.
The quote reverberated around the Beehive and became a controversial topic when ACT deputy leader Brooke van Velden made reference to it in the debating chamber, becoming the first person to utter the C-word in Parliament.
Vance’s words were the clear favourite, earning 41% of 4000 votes.
The top 10 quotes were shortlisted by a panel of communications experts from dozens of nominations before the public voted for the winner.
Massey journalism lecturer and former broadcast journalist Charlotte Shipman was on the judging panel and said the winning quote’s power lay in its purpose.
“Swearing for the sake of it isn’t enough to shock Kiwis. Andrea used it as a vehicle to drive the bigger point about how many women this decision affected.
“She could have said midwives, teachers and aged-care workers but she chose to highlight what they do, not what they are.”
Many of the top 10 quotes shared a common theme – they fought for the underdog.
“Kiwis pride themselves on taking a stand,” Shipman said. “These quotes show we don’t limit that advocacy to ourselves. It’s the fight – for nature, peace and fairness – that has captured us in 2025.”
Second place went to Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick, whose fiery words during a debate on Palestinian statehood led to her being ejected from the House.
“If we find six of 68 Government MPs with a spine, we can stand on the right side of history,” the MP said in August.
Third place was claimed by Matt Bailey, organiser of the North Canterbury Hunting Competition, with his memorable response to a question about feral cats.
“They’re killing our native birds and not shagging them.”
Finlay Macdonald, a journalist, publisher, broadcaster and New Zealand editor of The Conversation, was also part of the panel shortlisting the nominated quotes.
“While New Zealanders are often typecast as reserved and reticent, the three top quotes suggest we also appreciate bluntness when it’s called for,” he said.
“And you didn’t necessarily need to agree with them to still appreciate they were authentic and heartfelt.”
Previous winners have often been accidental slipups such as former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ infamous “spread your legs” gaffe, or former National Party leader Simon Bridges’ “Paula Benefit” blunder about former National MP Paula Bennett.