Chris Hipkins

Christopher John Hipkins (born 5 September 1978) is a New Zealand politician who has served as leader of the New Zealand Labour Party since January 2023 and leader of the Opposition since November 2023. He was the 41st prime minister of New Zealand from January to November 2023, previously serving as the minister for the public service and minister for education from 2017 to 2023, the minister for health for several months in 2020, and the COVID-19 response from 2020 to 2022. He has been the member of Parliament (MP) for Remutaka since the 2008 general election.

Hipkins was born and raised in the Hutt Valley in Wellington. He was heavily involved in student politics while at Victoria University of Wellington and was elected president of VUWSA twice, in 2000 and 2001. He stood for the typically safe Labour seat of Remutaka in the Hutt Valley in 2008 and won it, albeit by a small margin due to an increased vote for the National Party across the country. After Jacinda Ardern led Labour to victory in the 2017 general election, Hipkins assumed multiple portfolios within the Sixth Labour Government, serving variously as minister of education, police, the public service, and leader of the House. For his perceived competence within multiple roles and responsibilities, he became regarded as Labour's "fixer".

As minister of health, Hipkins was responsible for the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand. The elimination policy became the primary focus of the 2020 election, helping Labour win in a landslide. After the victory, Hipkins took on more responsibility, serving as minister for COVID-19 response from November 2020 to June 2022.

After Ardern announced her resignation as leader of the Labour Party, Hipkins was elected unopposed, and consequently became prime minister on 25 January 2023. His premiership was faced almost immediately with the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods, and then by further flooding from Cyclone Gabrielle. He led his party into the 2023 general election, with Labour losing to National. He became Opposition leader on 27 November 2023.