On Wednesday morning, Ms Ardern traded shots with AM Show sports presenter Mark Richardson, who argued employers - and in Ms Ardern's case the New Zealand public - need to know whether women are planning on having babies because employers are required to provide paid parental leave.



"I think it's a legitimate question for New Zealand, because she could be the Prime Minister leading this country. She has our best interest at heart. We need to know these things.

"If you're the employer at a company, you need to know that type of thing from the women you're employing," he argued, to a chorus of, "No. No, no, no, no, no," from co-host Amanda Gillies.

When she appeared at the desk for her interview with Duncan Garner, Ms Ardern addressed Richardson directly.

Ms Ardern told Garner it's not an inappropriate question to ask her because she's spoken about it openly before.

"But, you," she said, pointing at Richardson, "for other women, it is totally unacceptable in 2017 to say that women should have to answer that question in the workplace. That is unacceptable in 2017. It is the woman's decision about when they choose to have children," she said.

"It should not predetermine whether or not they get the job."