In the Room

'Every Prime Minister needs someone who will challenge them - and that was you.'

So said Jacinda Ardern to Andrew Campbell on his final day as her Chief Press Secretary.

Now, for the first time, Campbell offers a revealing insider's account of one of New Zealand's most extraordinary political eras. Serving alongside Ardern for almost her entire time in office, he was far more than a spokesperson. Acting as strategist, speechwriter, media manager and a trusted voice in the room, he was present for the moments the public never saw.

From managing the global attention when Ardern became only the second elected leader to give birth in office, to navigating the Christchurch mosque shootings, the Whakaari / White Island eruption, the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic and three hard-fought election campaigns - Campbell was there as decisions were made in real time, often under intense pressure and with no margin for error.

At home and on the world stage, he worked at the intersection of politics, media and leadership, helping shape the responses that would be seen, scrutinised and remembered.

Insightful, witty and full of 'pinch me' moments, this is a candid account of the conversations, challenges and choices that shaped Aotearoa during remarkable times, and a rare glimpse of what it is really like working at the centre of power.