Opinion: Jacinda Ardern is the new captain of the Titanic.

The New Zealand Labour Party did the seemingly inevitable today; they have put Andrew Little out of his misery and replaced him with Jacinda Ardern. Yes, it's two years sooner than many people care for, Yes Andrew Little was relieved of his role of leading the party to its fourth consecutive defeat, but in saying this Labour has taken its first step forward in a long time.

For all intents and purposes, putting Jacinda in charge is putting lipstick on a pig. Please don't take this the wrong way, it's an excellent strategy. In fact, it's the best possible strategy available to the party short of bringing Helen Clark back from the political dead. Where Joe Public were put off by a string of tired, uncharismatic, characterless, white male leaders following Helen's departure, they are drawn in by the fresh faced, energetic, charismatic woman; everything her predecessors were not. A pig is still a pig though. She will bring in some new support, she will steal some supporters from the Greens, from TOP. The ship will be steered forward, but the iceberg has already been hit.

I have no doubt about Jacinda's intelligence, her charm and wit, but it takes more than these qualities to be the Prime Minister. She will get there-I have no doubt about it; 2017 is too early for her.

In many ways, she is following the same path Bill English followed fifteen years ago. In 2002, Bill English, just like Jacinda is now, was the shiny new toy of his party. The flavour of the month. The man to lead National forward following the days of Bolger and Shipley. The result was humiliation. A crushing defeat to Helen Clark. The voters are smart you see. They weighed up the two candidates and Helen was the overwhelming winner. Clark was battle heartened, experienced, knowledgable. All the qualities, Bill English had to accumulate and lays claim to now, 12 years later. History has a funny way of repeating itself.

If there's one thing you can be sure of in life is that the best things are earnt not given. Jacinda, while well on her way to her ultimate goal has essentially been given the reigns of the Labour party. She has not earnt it the hard way. She hasn't fought for it. She hasn't gone through the trials and tribulations. She will be defeated, but in this she will become stronger. Maybe this is the ultimate goal of the Labour Party. The method to the madness.

Time will tell. The New Zealand voters will tell. As the wide smiling Ardern looks around following her ascension to the heights of the Labour leadership, she eyes up her next mountain; the title of Prime Minister. A challenge which is looking more and more like the politicial version of Mt Everest.