Jacinda Ardern Instagram – Today my friend and old colleague, Grant Robertson, announced his retirement. I have known Grant for the better part of twenty years. In many ways, I credit him with my journey to becoming a Member of Parliament. When I was a list candidate for the Labour Party, it was your ranking on the regional list that determined your success. As the brand new candidate for Wellington Central, Grant was the hot favourite for the top spot. As nominations began, someone stood to put Grant’s name forward. Almost instantly Grant stood up and announced to the room “I don’t wish to be ranked, until Jacinda Ardern is.” That story says so much about who Grant is. He is selfless, thoughtful, incredibly intelligent, fiercely loyal, and to top it off, one of the funniest people I know. As Finance Minister, he has so many achievements – the establishment of the well being framework is just one of them. He was a champion of changing the way we worked for our people and our planet, and through Covid he showed such an intense commitment to making sure people were properly supported throughout. I can’t imagine having worked with anyone better. Thank you Grant, we all owe you a debt of gratitude.