New Zealand’s new prime minister Chris Hipkins separated from wife and family

New Zealand’s incoming Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has revealed the private pain of the breakdown of his marriage while begging the media for privacy.

Hipkins, 44, was chosen as Jacinda Ardern’s successor on Sunday after ruling Labor Party lawmakers unanimously chose him as their new leader.

Speaking to Kiwi media afterwards, Mr Hipkins revealed that he and his wife, Jade, had been living apart for around a year.

The couple, who married in 2020, have two children, a six-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl.

Hipkins said the decision to live apart had been “in the best interest of our family.”

He made a heartfelt appeal to the media and the public to respect his family’s privacy.

“As a member of Parliament and a public figure, I worked very hard in my time in politics to keep my family out of the limelight,” Hipkins said.

‘Want [my children] growing up with a typical Kiwi-kid life.

Mr Hipkins estranged from his wife Jade (pictured right) had been a source of rumors in Wellington.

“I want them to be able to make mistakes, I want them to be able to learn and grow without five million people looking over their shoulders, so I intend to keep them out of the public spotlight.”

‘I know that presenting my name to be a minister, to be a deputy, to be a prime minister, I become public property. I absolutely accept that, but my family is not and I ask that people respect that.’

Hipkins acknowledged that the split had been widely rumored in the New Zealand capital of Wellington.

He said that the pressures of political life can be very difficult for a family to bear.

“Being the partner of a politician and the partner of a minister, when you are in the public spotlight as I have been, particularly during the Covid response, is very difficult,” he said.

“Families are under an enormous amount of pressure.”

‘A year ago, my wife and I made the decision that we would live apart, that we would do everything possible to raise our children together.

“We’re still incredibly close, she’s still my best friend, but we’ve made that decision in the best interest of our family.”

Outgoing New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (pictured right) had special messages for her partner Clarke Gayford (pictured left) and daughter Neve (centre) in her resignation speech.

As COVID-19 response minister, Mr. Hipkins was constantly in the public eye during the pandemic and is associated with some of the country’s harsh border and lockdown policies that have polarized the nation.

Calling for his family’s privacy to be respected, Mr Hipkins referred to the “enormous scrutiny and pressure” he said had been brought to bear on Ms Ardern’s family.

During her shocking resignation speech last Thursday, Ms Ardern made a special mention of her partner Clarke Gayford and their daughter Neve, who was born during her tenure as Prime Minister.

Mr Hipkins, seen here after being appointed Labor leader, made a special appeal to the media to respect his family’s privacy.

Ms Ardern said Ms Gayford and Neve are “the most sacrificed of all of us”.

“To Neve: Mum can’t wait to be there when you start school this year,” she said.

And to Clarke, let’s get married at last.

Mr Hipkins will officially take over as Prime Minister from Ms Ardern on Wednesday.