‘The World is Facing a New Challenge’: Where Hipkins will Refocus Labour in 2023
Auckland: New Labour leader and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says he will refocus the party on “bread and butter” issues in a wide-ranging address to the nation which covered the inflation “pandemic”, rethinking co-governance and a personal statement about his marriage.
In his opening remarks, Hipkins set out his intention to focus mainly on the cost of living and issues affecting New Zealand families.
He also pledged to prune Labour’s policy programme, saying that over the next week the Cabinet would look at what was not needed right now to trim back the government work programme. National leader Christopher Luxon congratulated Chris Hipkins and Carmel Sepuloni but said they had been part of a Government that had not delivered for New Zealanders and nothing had changed.
Hipkins said he was aware that many people thought the Government had been doing too much and going too far in its reform programmes.
He said he was really excited about the “focus and commitment” from his colleagues to make the process stable and seamless following Ardern’s resignation.
Hipkins said it was in the interests of New Zealand for the transition to be seamless and speedy.
Hipkins acknowledged his “very good friend” Jacinda Ardern, who he called one of New Zealand’s great prime ministers. Jacinda’s leadership has been an inspiration to women and girls everywhere.”
He said she “purposefully did politics differently.” She had been
an inspiration for women and girls everywhere “but it is also a reminder that when it comes to women in politics we have a long way to go.”
Hipkins recognised the challenging economic times and spoke of the Government’s choices it made during COVID-19.