Jacinda Ardern now living and working in Australia, after time in US
Thursday, 26 February 2026
Former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern is currently living in Australia with her family, a spokesperson has confirmed.
“The family has been travelling for a few years now. For the moment they’re basing themselves out of Australia,” Ardern’s office said in a statement.
“They have work there, and it brings the added bonus of more time back home in New Zealand.”
The confirmation followed reports of Ardern, husband Clarke Gayford and their daughter had attended open home viewings on Sydney’s northern beaches, according to The Guardian.
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Over the weekend, Ardern was unexpectedly spotted at a community expo in Gerringong, south of Sydney, where an Australian mayor said meeting the former leader was “a real thrill”.
Kiama mayor Cameron McDonald was taken by surprise when he saw Jacinda Ardern at a community expo in Gerringong, NSW, on Saturday morning.
“Someone said, ‘The ex-prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, is over there’. I saw her and thought, my God, it is,” he told local news outlet Region.
The mayor went straight over to Ardern to introduce himself. “I just walked over and said, ‘It’s a real thrill to meet you. I think New Zealand was very lucky to have you as a prime minister,’” he said.
McDonald told Ardern how much he admired her leadership through Covid-19, and the Christchurch mosque attacks. “I think you’re a role model for women everywhere,” he told her.
Ardern was in Gerringong with fellow former Labour MP and Cabinet minister Dame Annette King, who supported the former PM’s campaign in 2017.
King had spent more than 50 years in public services, retiring from her final role, as High Commissioner to Australia, in 2023.
McDonald told Region that King was in town to visit family, and Ardern must’ve been “along for the ride as a friend”. Neve, Ardern’s young daughter, was there too, he said.
The Kiama mayor said there weren’t many world leaders who can keep their compassion, humility and good grace, and live by those values. “I have had so much respect for her over the years,” he said.
“If you’re going to list the five people you’d want to meet in your lifetime, I reckon she’d be one of them.”
Ardern’s visit across the ditch had sparked rumours that she might be looking to relocate there, and other Australian publications were speculating about her plans.
Realestate.com.au said this week she and husband Clarke Gayford had been spotted at a couple of properties for sale in the Northern Beaches region of New South Wales.
Comments on the stories had added to speculation with other sightings noted, one person saying they spotted her grocery shopping a few weeks ago in Dee Why.
The Australian Government’s directory said her father, Ross Ardern, became a member of Australia Pacific Security College on December 5 last year.
Since leaving office in January 2023, Ardern took has taken up dual fellowship roles at Harvard University, continued her work on the Christchurch Call– a project she established to combat online extremism, after the Christchurch mosque shootings – and joined the board of trustees of Prince William’s Earthshot prize, The Guardian reported.