Incoming New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, who was chosen to replace Jacinda Ardern after the latter announced her plans to step down, revealed that he would "make haste" on reprioritizing and determining whether or not current policies need to be altered.
On Monday, Hipkins made public appearances on several media outlets after the announcement that he would succeed Ardern as head of the Labour Party. He said that the government would work on turning its focus on "bread and butter issues" for the country, which includes inflation, and noted that officials would look at reining in other policies.
Chris Hipins' Reprioritization
In a second interview, Hipkins said they would be working on making hassle on all these issues. He added that in the next few weeks, the people of New Zealand would see quite a lot of clarity around them regarding reprioritization.
As the next prime minister of New Zealand, Hipkins is expected to face a tough road as the Labour Party is trailing the opposition in opinion polls. Furthermore, the country is anticipated to fall into recession in the next quarter ahead of a general election scheduled for October 14, 2023, as per Reuters.
Hipkins, on the other hand, was optimistic about the situation and his leadership of the Labour Party, adding that he had received a huge amount of support. The party has recently pursued several policies that were found to be relatively unpopular among the public or are seen as somewhat expensive.
These include the proposed merging of state-owned radio and television stations as well as an overhaul of ownership of New Zealand's water infrastructure. The incoming prime minister is set to be sworn in on Wednesday, which is the day that Ardern officially resigns.
The 44-year-old was the only candidate for the position, and his confirmation on Sunday, known as the Labour caucus, was seen as primarily a formality. When announcing his appointment, Hipkins said that it was the biggest privilege and responsibility of his life.
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Deputy Prime Minister
Hipkins also named Carmel Sepuloni as his deputy prime minister and has become the country's first to hold the position coming from Pacific origin. The incoming prime minister, known as "Chippy," has a reputation for competence in managing COVID-19. He was also a troubleshooter for Ardern when other cabinet ministers were struggling to get by, according to Rappler.
He was first elected into parliament in 2008 and quickly became a household name that championed the government's response to the health crisis. In July 2020, Hipkins was appointed as the health minister before taking up the COVID-19 response minister position at the same year's end.
On the other hand, his deputy prime minister, 46-year-old Sepuloni, is of Samoan, Tongan, and New Zealand European descent. She also holds several portfolios, such as social development and employment and arts, culture, and heritage.
Hipkins, who also serves as New Zealand's police minister and has a responsibility as the education and public service minister, will have roughly eight months as prime minister before facing general elections in October, said DW News.
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