In August last year, the delta strain of COVID-19 entered New Zealand, prompting a sharp lockdown for the whole country that continued in various forms in Auckland until December. But that October, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that New Zealand would abandon its much-vaunted elimination strategy for the virus.

From that point, her Labour government has met one challenge after another. So much so, that this year has ended with a series of polls showing her popularity is at its lowest level since being elected in 2017.