Chris Hipkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Hipkins
MP
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Hipkins in 2022
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| 41st Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 27 November 2023 |
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| Prime Minister | Christopher Luxon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Carmel Sepuloni | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Christopher Luxon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 41st Prime Minister of New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 25 January 2023 – 27 November 2023 |
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| Monarch | Charles III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Governor-General | Cindy Kiro | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Carmel Sepuloni | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Jacinda Ardern | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Christopher Luxon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th Leader of the Labour Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 22 January 2023 |
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| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | Jacinda Ardern | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th Minister for National Security and Intelligence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 25 January 2023 – 27 November 2023 |
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| Prime Minister | Himself | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Jacinda Ardern | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Christopher Luxon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 25 January 2023 – 27 November 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Jacinda Ardern | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Christopher Luxon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Remutaka Rimutaka (2008–2020) |
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| Assumed office 8 November 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Swain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Majority | 8,859 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Christopher John Hipkins
5 September 1978 Hutt Valley, New Zealand |
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| Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Jade Hipkins
(m. 2020; separated 2022) |
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| Domestic partner | Toni Grace | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residences | Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Victoria University of Wellington (BA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Chippy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Christopher John Hipkins (born 5 September 1978) is a New Zealand politician. He was the 41st prime minister of New Zealand from January to November 2023. Before that, he held important jobs like Minister for the Public Service and Minister for Education from 2017 to 2023. He was also the Minister for Health and the COVID-19 Response from 2020 to 2022. Since November 2023, he has been the Leader of the Opposition, leading the main political party not in power. He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Remutaka since the 2008 general election.
Hipkins grew up in the Hutt Valley in Wellington. While studying at Victoria University of Wellington, he was very active in student politics. He was elected president of the VUWSA twice. In 2008, he became an MP for Remutaka. When Jacinda Ardern's Labour Party won the 2017 election, Hipkins took on many roles in the government. He was seen as a "fixer" because he was good at handling different jobs.
As Minister of Health, Hipkins was in charge of New Zealand's plan to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan was a big part of the 2020 election, which Labour won easily. After the election, he became the Minister for COVID-19 Response. In January 2023, after Jacinda Ardern resigned, Hipkins became the only person nominated to lead the Labour Party. He was elected leader on 22 January 2023 and became Prime Minister on 25 January 2023. His time as Prime Minister started with big challenges, including severe floods in Auckland and Cyclone Gabrielle. He led his party in the 2023 general election, where Labour lost to the National Party. He then became the Leader of the Opposition on 27 November 2023.
Contents
Chris Hipkins: His Early Life and Journey
Growing Up and School
Christopher John Hipkins was born in the Hutt Valley on 5 September 1978. His mother, Rosemary Hipkins, is a chief researcher for the New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Chris went to Waterloo Primary School and Hutt Intermediate School in Lower Hutt. He was the head boy at Hutt Valley Memorial College in 1996. Later, he studied at the Victoria University of Wellington. He was the student president there in 2000 and 2001.
Standing Up for What's Right
In 1997, when he was a first-year university student, Hipkins was part of a protest. He and many others were protesting against a new education bill at Parliament. Even though the police claimed the protestors were violent, a judge later ruled that the protest was peaceful. The judge also said there were no good reasons for the arrests. Ten years later, the 41 protestors received an apology and shared a payment of over $200,000.
Starting His Career
Hipkins earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Victoria University of Wellington. He studied political science and criminology. After university, he worked as an advisor for the Industry Training Federation. He also managed training for Todd Energy. Before becoming an MP, Hipkins worked in Parliament as an advisor to important politicians like Trevor Mallard and Helen Clark.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
| New Zealand Parliament | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party |
| 2008–2011 | 49th | Rimutaka | 47 | Labour |
| 2011–2014 | 50th | Rimutaka | 30 | Labour |
| 2014–2017 | 51st | Rimutaka | 9 | Labour |
| 2017–2020 | 52nd | Rimutaka | 7 | Labour |
| 2020–2023 | 53rd | Remutaka | 6 | Labour |
| 2023–present | 54th | Remutaka | 1 | Labour |
First Election as an MP
In 2008, Chris Hipkins was chosen to run for the Labour Party in the Rimutaka area. This area was usually a safe seat for Labour. The previous MP, Paul Swain, was retiring. Hipkins was 29 years old at the time. He won the election with a small lead of 753 votes. This was because the National Party came into power that year.
His First Years in Parliament (2008–2017)
For his first nine years in Parliament, the Labour Party was the main opposition party. This meant they were not in government. In his first speech as an MP, Hipkins showed his strong interest in education. He became the Labour spokesperson for internal affairs. He also worked on several important parliamentary committees.
In 2011, Hipkins won his Rimutaka seat again with more votes. He was promoted to Labour's shadow Cabinet. This meant he was a key spokesperson for areas like state services and education. He also became the Labour Party's chief whip. As the education spokesperson, Hipkins spoke out against some of the government's education plans. He also supported legalising same-sex marriage in New Zealand in 2013.
He won his seat for a third time in 2014. He continued to be the education spokesperson. He also became the shadow leader of the House. This role helps manage the party's work in Parliament.
Important Roles in Government (2017–2023)
When the Labour Party formed a government in 2017, Chris Hipkins became a senior minister. He was ranked sixth among Labour ministers. He was given important jobs like Minister of Education, Minister for the Public Service, and Leader of the House. People saw him as a "fixer" because he handled many different responsibilities well. Later, he also became Minister of Health and Minister for COVID-19 Response. He also served as Minister of Police.
Helping with Education
As Education Minister, Hipkins worked to change some education policies. He supported getting rid of "National Standards" and "charter schools." These had been supported by the previous government. He also looked into reviewing the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) system for high school students.
In 2019, Hipkins suggested combining New Zealand's 16 polytechnics into one big organization. This was to help with money problems and fewer students. This new organization, called Te Pūkenga, would also take over vocational and apprenticeship programs. While some groups supported this, others worried about polytechnics losing their independence.
Dealing with COVID-19
In July 2020, Hipkins became the interim Minister of Health. After the 2020 election, he kept his education job. He also became the Minister for COVID-19 Response. In this role, he made rules about wearing face masks on public transport. He also introduced pre-departure tests for people coming from overseas. He oversaw the launch of the "My Vaccine Pass" and the national vaccination rollout.
In 2022, Hipkins oversaw the easing of many COVID-19 rules. This included changes to isolation requirements and mask wearing. He also announced that the government would hold a special inquiry into how New Zealand handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leading New Zealand (2023)
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Premiership of Chris Hipkins
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| 25 January 2023 – 27 November 2023 | |
| Charles III | |
| Cabinet | Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand |
| Party | New Zealand Labour Party |
| Appointer | Cindy Kiro |
Becoming Prime Minister
On 19 January 2023, Jacinda Ardern announced she was stepping down as Labour Party leader. Chris Hipkins quickly became the only person nominated to take her place. He was confirmed as the new leader on 22 January 2023.
On 25 January 2023, Hipkins was sworn in as Prime Minister by the Governor-General, Dame Cindy Kiro. His deputy was Carmel Sepuloni, who became the first Pasifika person to hold that role. When he became Prime Minister, Hipkins said his main focus would be on the "cost of living" for New Zealanders. He also said his government would delay some new projects to focus on the economy.
Facing Floods and Changes
Soon after becoming Prime Minister, Hipkins faced a big challenge: the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods. On 28 January, he visited Auckland to see the damage and talk with emergency services. His quick response to the floods helped increase his popularity and that of the Labour Party in opinion polls.
In February 2023, Hipkins announced that some government plans would be stopped or changed. These included a proposed merger of TVNZ and RNZ, and a biofuel rule. He also confirmed that the minimum wage would increase. In response to the North Island floods, his government provided money for recovery and mental health support.
In March, he announced more policy changes. These included stopping plans to lower the voting age to 16 and revising alcohol reforms. The government decided to focus on a welfare package to help New Zealanders with the "cost of living" crisis.
Budget and International Visits
The 2023 New Zealand Budget, announced in May 2023, focused on helping lower-income New Zealanders. It included plans to remove prescription fees, offer more free early childhood education, and provide free or cheaper public transport for young people. It also put more money into making homes warmer and reducing emissions.
In February 2023, Hipkins made his first international trip as Prime Minister to Australia. He met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. They talked about the relationship between the two countries and a policy about deporting people.
In May 2023, Hipkins attended the coronation of King Charles III in the UK. He also met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and New Zealand soldiers. He spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to show New Zealand's support for Ukraine. He also visited Papua New Guinea and China to strengthen New Zealand's relationships with these countries.
After Being Prime Minister (2023–present)
Hipkins led the Labour Party in the 2023 general election on 14 October. Labour lost its majority in Parliament, and Hipkins conceded the election to National Party leader Christopher Luxon. However, Hipkins kept his Remutaka electorate seat.
On 7 November, Labour MPs voted to keep Hipkins as their party leader. He continued to serve as caretaker Prime Minister until a new government was formed. On 27 November, he stepped down, and Christopher Luxon became the new Prime Minister.
Now, Hipkins is the Leader of the Opposition. He also speaks for Labour on topics like ministerial services and national intelligence. In late 2024, polls showed his popularity had changed, but many people still thought he should remain as Labour leader.
His Ideas and Family Life
Political Views
Chris Hipkins is generally seen as a moderate politician. He focuses on practical solutions. During his time as Prime Minister, he emphasized "bread and butter" issues. These are everyday concerns for people, like the cost of living. Some people believe this was to gain support from voters who are not strongly aligned with one party.
Hipkins is not a monarchist, meaning he doesn't think New Zealand should have a King or Queen. However, he said he wouldn't push for New Zealand to become a republic while he was Prime Minister. He believes New Zealand will become fully independent over time.
Personal Life
Hipkins married Jade in 2020. They had two children together. They separated in 2022. In 2018, he took time off work when his second child was born. This was one of the first times a senior male minister in New Zealand did this. He later started a relationship with Toni Grace, which became public in October 2023.
Both of Hipkins' children have Von Willebrand disease. This is a blood-clotting disorder. In August 2023, he took time off from his election campaign to support his four-year-old daughter.
Images for kids
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Hipkins in 2022
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Hipkins in 2011
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Hipkins at a teachers' strike rally in 2018
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Chris Hipkins
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Hipkins (right) and Carmel Sepuloni (left) being sworn in as Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister by the Governor-General, Dame Cindy Kiro, on 25 January 2023
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Hipkins with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak, May 2023
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Hipkins with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, May 2023
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Hipkins meeting with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Port Moresby in May 2023
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Hipkins at the 2023 Vilnius NATO summit
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