It wasn't exactly clear why a relatively new administration holding up relatively well in the opinion polls needed to explain itself, but explain it did.

It wasn't on a particularly auspicious day, being just 11 months since its formation rather than the usual, celebratory one-year mark.

It was an invite only affair, in a university lecture theatre darkened to permit viewing of a skite-video of the first, well, 11 months and featuring a scrolling, too-fast-to-read list of the achievements of this Labour-led Government. Or the Labour-New Zealand First Coalition. Or the Labour-New Zealand First Coaltion with support on confidence and supply from the Green Party.

New Zealand First got to speak first, with the old-school leader Winston Peters doing old-school podium and script reading politics.

Then Labour's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stepped out to a podium-less stage, adorned only with a remote in her hand and a smart Persian rug to measure her steps left and right as she gave what immediately became labelled a political Ted Talk. . . . . . >