Jacinda Ardern's admission to Waleed Aly: "That news did take some time for me to process"
In her first media interview since the Christchurch terror attack, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that it "did take some time to process" that the shooter was Australian.
Ardern was speaking to Waleed Aly, who was invited to NZ after he delivered an "incredible" segment on The Project in the wake of the March 15 shootings that left 50 people dead.
"It might seem strange but I saw your piece on The Project ... it was incredible," Ardern told Aly at the beginning of the interview.
In the interview, the NZ PM said it was difficult to confront the news that the shooter was an Australian citizen. "That was news that did take some time for me to process," she said.
"But I think New Zealanders are reflecting on the fact that it was not one of us, because in part that helps them process what has happened here. They do not point it out as an intent to blame, that is now why it’s raised."
Ardern also had a message to Australia. "I just say thank you. Thank you for the solidarity and support. We are absolutely family."
Ardern also addressed the criticisms that came after she wore a head scarf for a meeting with members of the Muslim community following the attack.
"I gave it very little thought ... it was so obvious to me that that would be the appropriate thing to do," she said.
"It didn't occur to me for a moment that there would be those women in the community that would feel unsafe wearing … their faith, and so if in wearing the hijab as I did gave them a sense of security to continue to practice their faith, then I'm very pleased I did it.
"My job is to make people feel safe. The idea that people do not, I find deeply distressing, and it's my job to bring that sense of security back."
While Aly’s segment impressed Ardern, it created a string of controversies back home, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison reportedly considering suing the Channel 10 show for defamation. In the segment, Aly referred to a 2010 cabinet meeting in which Morrison suggested using anti-Muslim community sentiment for political gain.
However, Morrison told ABC TV last week that he would not pursue any legal action. "I have no intention of doing that, I just simply want people to report the truth and that is an ugly and disgusting lie," he said.