A HUTT boy set to become NZ’s next Prime Minister

Hipkins was the only candidate to put his name forward for the top job, Labour whip Duncan Webb has confirmed.

“The Labour Party caucus will meet at 1pm on Sunday to endorse the nomination and confirm Chris Hipkins as Party Leader,” Webb said.

Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson ruled himself out of the race on Thursday following the surprise announcement from Jacinda Ardern she would step away from the role.

Announcing her retirement from the premiership and politics in Napier, Ardern said she “no longer had enough in the tank” to do the job justice.

She said she was not stepping down because she did not believe Labour could win the 2023 general election, but because she believed it could and wanted to allow space for a new leader to take the helm.

If Hipkins gains the endorsement of his colleagues, and his leadership of the party is confirmed, Ardern will tender her resignation to the Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro.

Hipkins would then be sworn in as Prime Minister to serve the remainder of the term.

Who is Chris Hipkins?

Hipkins, 44, is from the Hutt Valley.

He is well known for a slip of the tongue in a Covid-19 press conference where he suggested people “spread their legs”. He meant for people to stretch their legs.

As well as being the education and police minister, Hipkins is the leader of the house and the public service minister. He is the MP for Remutaka.

According to his biography on the Beehive website, Hipkins is a keen mountain biker, tramper and swimmer and currently lives in Upper Hutt.

Hipkins was head boy of Petone College, which at the time was known as Hutt Valley Memorial College. He completed a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Criminology at Victoria University of Wellington.

He was also a student politician at the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association.