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As New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern hands over the reins of power to new Labor leader Chris Hipkins, an old photo shows the storied bond between the couple runs deep and spans the globe.
A photo has surfaced of a young Adern and Hipkins smiling for the camera in London’s Hyde Park 16 years ago.
Greg O’Beirne, a professor of audiology at New Zealand’s University of Canterbury, dug up the above image and posted it on Twitter a day before Hipkins was to take over as leader of the ruling Labor Party from Ardern.
Chris Hipkins (pictured right) will take over as New Zealand’s prime minister from Jacinda Adern (pictured left) following her endorsement as Labor leader on Sunday.
“16 years ago, two future New Zealand Prime Ministers were hanging out in Hyde Park, London,” the professor tweeted.
She also informed the Twitter user that the original caption read: “Jacinda and Chris, former Wellingtonians – New Zealand memorial service seemed to have left them in excellent spirits.”
The couple had attended the opening of the New Zealand Memorial in London’s Hyde Park on Remembrance Day 2006.
After being named Labor leader on Sunday, Hipkins said he will focus on the country’s cost of living and housing crises.
M Adern and Mr Hipkins pictured in London’s Hyde Park after attending the unveiling of the New Zealand Memorial in 2006
Chris Hipkins, who was unanimously chosen by ruling party Labor MPs to the top job, will be officially sworn in as prime minister on Wednesday following the shock resignation of Jacinda Ardern.
Hipkins, who has an electoral mountain to climb with Labor trailing in the polls ahead of the Oct. 14 election, said his government would bring “clarity” to the issues facing New Zealand.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (left) and new Labor leader Chris Hipkins (right) enter Parliament House in Wellington before party MPs unanimously approved the change.
Although Hipkins said New Zealand was doing well economically compared to other countries in the post-Covid period, he acknowledged that skyrocketing prices and housing shortages are burning issues.
“Many people are suffering right now and I want them to know that we are on their side,” he said.
While Ms Adern was known for her increased focus on progressive social justice concerns, which led to New Zealand adopting a ‘Welfare Budget’, Mr Hipkins said he would concentrate on ‘bread and bread issues’. Butter”.
One of the top priorities would be chronic housing shortages and high property prices.
“You shouldn’t have to have a six-figure salary to buy a new home,” Mr. Hipkins said.
As he steps down as police minister, Mr Hipkins has also vowed to address concerns about crime.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and new Labor leader Chris Hipkins embrace in front of the press before Mr Hipkins was installed as the party’s new leader.
He also indicated that the government would seek to reduce what it was doing and indicated that some programs were going to be cut.
“I know that some New Zealanders feel we are doing it too fast and I have heard that message,” he said.
Mr. Hipkins paid tribute to Ms. Ardern, calling her one of New Zealand’s great Prime Ministers.
“Jacinda’s leadership has been an inspiration to women and girls around the world,” she said.
Hipkins said the formal change of national leader would occur on Wednesday, when Ardern would perform her final duties as prime minister before taking office.
Earlier, Hipkins told reporters that he was “honored and humbled” to be nominated by his colleagues.
Ms. Adern gave her stamp of approval.
“I am absolutely delighted to see that the caucus is absolutely united in their support for what will be a fantastic prime minister,” she said, endorsing Hipkins.
The self-proclaimed ‘redhead’ because of his auburn hair has faced a daunting electoral task with Labor consistently trailing the opposition National Party in the polls, with one in December putting the gap at five per cent.
Ms Ardern (pictured right with her partner Clarke Gayford after his resignation speech) endorsed Mr Hipkins as his successor.
A major problem Hipkins will have to deal with will be the country’s rising inflation, which stands at 7.2 percent, far outpacing wage growth.
Mr Hipkins, known for his quick wit and sometimes self-deprecating, will likely set a different tone to Ms Ardern’s brand of “pity” politics.
He has a more combative style than Ms. Adern, though at times his enthusiasm for scoring points has led him to cross the line.
His most notable episode for Australians came in 2017, when he used parliament to seek information about Barnaby Joyce’s dual citizenship status, drawing criticism from Australia’s then Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Ms. Ardern in a rare dispute between Tasmania.
Despite this, Labor MPs were quick to see Hipkins as their best option to follow Ardern, especially given Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson’s decision to rule himself out.
Hipkins also made jokes about her hair color, saying it was about time the country had “a ginger on top” at her first press conference as Jacinda Ardern’s successor.
The 44-hour process did not allow rank-and-file Labor members or the New Zealand public a say in the choice of prime minister.
Both Hipkins and Ardern argued that this was crucial in allowing government stability.
In what could be seen a typically Kiwi quirky side, Mr. Hipkins is known for his enjoyment of sausage rolls and even had a birthday cake made entirely from the pastries.
As acting health minister, Mr. Hipkins became a prominent face alongside Ms. Ardern during the covid-19 pandemic, where a tough border policy managed to keep the virus out of the country for a long period of time.
The restrictions polarized Kiwi society and led to a protest movement that was put down by hardline police tactics.
Mr Hipkins managed New Zealand’s Covid-19 response at a time when many Kiwis were protesting the country’s onerous restrictions.
His reputation as a “fixer” led to Mr. Hipkins becoming Police Minister as concern grew over New Zealand’s growing crime problem.
One thing he shares with his Australian Labor counterpart Anthony Albanese is that both men often look back on their humble working-class childhoods.
Like Mr Albanese and the Sydney suburb of Marrickville, Mr Hipkins continues to represent the tough area he grew up in, which is Upper Hutt. Wellington’s northern suburbs.
Labor MPs are expected to choose Carmel Sepuloni, an MP of Tongan descent as deputy prime minister.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson will retire as an MP but will retain his portfolio.
Hipkins will hold a news conference later on Sunday.