Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has reacted to being called "New Zealand's saviour" during the Labour Party conference.
The comment came from supporter and mana whenua Peter Jackson.
"We have a very, very special leader: your leader, our premier, our Prime Minister, and New Zealand's saviour," he said.
Speaking to The AM Show on Monday, a visibly awkward Ardern said while she "really appreciates" the sentiment, it's a word she would use for herself.
"It's obviously not language I use and it's not my own personal view obviously," she told host Duncan Garner.
When asked if she felt uncomfortable with the moniker, she seemed to agree but quickly followed up, saying it's not for her to police the language people use for her.
"It's not for us to script a mihi which comes from manu whenua to open a congress, it's not for us to do that."
During the Labour conference, Ardern outlined her COVID-19 recovery plan and revealed the progress being made towards a trans-Tasman and Pacific bubble.
