Chris Hipkins, who played a significant role in New Zealand\u2019s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, is set to replace Jacinda Ardern as prime minister after emerging on Saturday as the only candidate to lead the ruling Labour Party.<\/p>\n
Hipkins, 44, is expected to be confirmed as the new leader on Sunday at a meeting of Labour\u2019s 64 lawmakers, or Caucus.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re an incredibly strong team,\u201d Hipkins told a news conference after the party announced him as the sole candidate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve gone through this process with unity and we\u2019ll continue to do that. I\u2019m feeling really fortunate to be working with such an amazing group of people who have a real commitment to the service of the people of New Zealand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hipkins would not be drawn on his policy plans. A cabinet reshuffle proposed by Ardern would go ahead but Finance Minister Grant Robertson was likely to continue in the role, he said.<\/p>\n
He said he had spoken to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who tweeted the two had had \u201ca warm discussion\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chris Hipkins, who played a significant role in New Zealand\u2019s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, is set to replace Jacinda Ardern as prime minister after emerging on Saturday as the only candidate to lead the ruling Labour Party. Hipkins, 44, is expected to be confirmed as the new leader on Sunday at a meeting of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":308802,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-308793","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n