Chris Hipkins named to succeed Jacinda Ardern as New Zealand prime minister
- The education minister and Leader of the House is the sole nominee for the role, according to the ruling Labour Party
- Labour is moving swiftly to replace Ardern after her shock resignation, seeking to unite the party behind a new leader ahead of a tough October election
The Labour caucus must still endorse Hipkins at a meeting on Sunday, the party said in a statement on Saturday in Wellington.
Hipkins’ confirmation by Labour lawmakers is expected to be a formality. Ardern will then tender her resignation to the Governor General before Hipkins is appointed.
“I think we’re an incredibly strong team,” Hipkins told a news conference after being announced as the sole candidate.
“We’ve gone through this process with unity and we’ll continue to do that. I’m feeling really fortunate to be working with such an amazing group of people who have a real commitment to the service of the people of New Zealand.”
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Hipkins would not be drawn on his policy plans. A cabinet reshuffle proposed by Ardern would go ahead, but Finance Minister Grant Robertson was likely to continue in the role, he said.
He said he had spoken to Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who tweeted the two had had “a warm discussion”.
Hipkins must resurrect support for Labour, which trails the opposition in opinion polls, even as the economy is forecast to enter a recession.
Hipkins, 44, is a mild-mannered but talented politician who has a reputation as a safe pair of hands.
Political commentator Josie Pagani has described him as “sensible, likeable, tough and capable”.
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Ardern often turned to him to sort out difficult situations, most recently making him police minister at a time when concerns about law and order were denting the government’s popularity.
He won plaudits for his near two-year term as the Covid-19 response minister in a country that shut down its borders to keep the coronavirus out, only fully reopening in August last year.
He also currently holds the education and public service portfolios, as well as being Leader of the House.
Hipkins has a big challenge before him, said New Zealander Eva Murphy in Auckland.
“He won’t ever fill the shoes that Jacinda has and it will be interesting to see what Labour come out with in terms of the election campaign over the next year and we’re looking forward to seeing what happens,” she said.
Hipkin’s appointment quashes speculation that Justice Minister Kiri Allan, one of Labour’s senior Maori MPs, might have become the country’s first Maori prime minister.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse, Reuters
