Known by the nickname “Chippy”, Hipkins rose to fame thanks to his successful response to the covid-19 pandemic
The ruling Labor party of New Zealand today elected Mr Chris Hipkins to replace Jacinda Ardern in his presidency and thus become the country’s 41st Prime Minister.
Hipkins, 44, was the only candidate for the post and his election by the party today was largely a formality, following Ardern’s surprise announcement on Thursday that she was stepping down as prime minister and the Labor leadership.
“This is the greatest privilege and the greatest responsibility of my life,” he said. “I feel very energized and excited by the challenges ahead,” he added.
Hipkins selected Carmel Sepuloni as deputy prime minister, the first woman of Pacific descent to hold the position.
Known by the nickname ‘Chippy’, Hipkins rose to prominence thanks to his successful handling of the covid-19 pandemic and was one of the ministers in the Ardern government best able to deal with the problems that arose.
He was first elected to parliament in 2008, but found himself in the spotlight as the face of the government during the pandemic. He was appointed health minister in July 2020, before becoming minister responsible for covid management at the end of the same year.
Sepuloni, 46, is of Samoan, Tongan and New Zealand descent and lives in Auckland, and has served as Minister for Social Development and Disability Affairs, as well as Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage.
Hipkins indicated that the rest of his cabinet will be announced at a later date.
Before Hipkins becomes prime minister, Ardern will hand in her resignation to King Charles’ representative to New Zealand, Governor-General Cindy Kiro, who will appoint Hipkins.
New Zealand’s new prime minister is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday.
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
