NEW ZEALAND: After Jacinda Ardern’s abrupt resignation announcement on Thursday, Chris Hipkins is to follow the former PM as the Labour leader after no other candidates emerged despite Labour trailing the opposition in opinion polls. The country would gear up for a recession next quarter before a general election on October 14.
Hipkins promises to continue Ardern’s legacy and her governing style
“I intend to emulate Jacinda’s leadership style, which was composed, secure, and comforting. But others will notice that we are distinct people, I’m sure,” he confessed at a news conference on Saturday.
Hipkins was appointed the Health Minister in July 2020 before being the COVID response minister at the end of the year. Hipkins is now minister for police, education, and public service as well as the leader of the House.
Hipkins’ popularity was reinstated by his efficiency in providing the right measures to tackle COVID-19. New Zealand was amongst the first to close borders during the pandemic under Ardern’s “go hard, go early” policy towards COVID.
A lot of backlashes were faced by the government on this policy as strict lockdowns were mandated to control the Delta outbreak from August 2021 onwards. Hipkins, however, said that the quarantine measures should have been imposed earlier.
Hipkins is aware of the challenges that he had to face in the past five and a half years. “And, as you may know, I am a human being. Every now and then, I’ll make an odd mistake. I attempt to take responsibility for my errors,” he said.
In accordance with the 1News-Kantar poll conducted last December revealed a dearth in Labour support, falling to 33% from 40% at the commencement of 2022. Forming a majority, even with the traditional coalition partner, the Green Party, at 9% too, seemed impossible.
Eva Murphy, a citizen of New Zealand from Auckland, points out that there is a new challenge for the new PM, saying that “he would never lift the shoes that Jacinda has. “
Green Party co-leader James Shaw said, “Chris will make a great prime minister, and we look forward to working with him for the remainder of this term and the one after that.”
Hipkins will be appointed as soon as Ardern submits her resignation to New Zealand’s Governor General. On confirmation, he will continue to hold office as PM until the party term concludes.
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