Chris Hipkins was confirmed as New Zealand’s next prime minister on Sunday, choosing Carmel Sepuloni as his deputy, the first time a person of Pacific Island heritage has advanced to the position.
The 44-year-old education and police minister won the unanimous support of lawmakers from his Labor Party after being the only candidate to enter the race to replace Jacinda Ardern, who shocked the nation on Thursday when she announced she would step down after more than five. years as a leader.
Hipkins will officially step down from his new role on Wednesday. He will have less than nine months to fight a hard-fought general election, with opinion polls suggesting his party is trailing the Conservative opposition.
The lack of other leadership candidates suggested party lawmakers were rallying behind Hipkins to avoid a protracted contest and any sign of disunity following Ardern’s departure.
In setting his priorities, Hipkins said he knew many families were struggling because of “pandemic inflation” and that the economy would be central to his government’s thinking.
Asked if he would take the same transformational approach to government that Ardern promised after first winning the top job, Hipkins indicated he wanted to get back to basics.
“We’re going to deliver a very solid government that will focus on the bread and butter issues that are important to New Zealanders and that are relevant to the times we’re in now,” Hipkins said. “2017 was five and a half years ago and quite a lot has happened since then.
Hipkins criticized the treatment Ardern endured during her tenure and vowed to protect his own family from such attention.