New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern returns girl’s ‘bribe money’

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has rejected a "bribe" from an 11-year-old girl who wrote asking the government to conduct dragon research, her office confirmed on Tuesday.

The girl, identified only as Victoria, wanted to be given telekinetic powers so she could become a dragon trainer.

She included NZ$5 ($3.20) with her letter, apparently as a bribe.

The letter exchange first emerged on web forum Reddit after a picture of the PM's reply was posted by a user who claimed his little sister had tried to "bribe Jacinda".

The Reddit user said his youngest sister wanted the government to "make [dragons] telekinetic... and wanted to find out what they know about dragons and if they had found any yet, so she could train them".

Replies included: "Reasonable. good thinking ahead," and "Your sister sounds rad."

Writing back on official letterhead, Ardern said: "We were very interested to hear your suggestions about psychics and dragons, but unfortunately we are not currently doing any work in either of these areas.

"I am therefore returning your bribe money, and I wish you all the very best in your quest for telekinesis, telepathy and dragons."

In a handwritten note, Ardern added: "P.S. I'll still keep an eye out for those dragons. Do they wear suits?"

This is not the first time Ardern, who gave birth to a daughter last year, has replied to a young girl's letter.

In March, one Twitter user posted a letter that was reportedly sent from Ardern in response to an eight-year-old girl who had said it was a "good idea to ban dangerous guns".