Sawt Falasteen - New Zealand's next PM led Covid-19 crackdown

The 44-year-old police and education minister emerged Saturday as his Labour Party's sole contender to replace Jacinda Ardern following her shock resignation barely 48 hours earlier. He is to be formally endorsed for the job Sunday.

Hipkins won plaudits for his near two-year term as the Covid response minister in a country that shut its borders to keep the coronavirus out, only fully reopening to the outside world in August last year.

He later conceded that rolling lockdowns were "tough going" and said they had to be eased as people wearied of the restrictions.

Political commentator Josie Pagani has described Hipkins, with more than 14 years in opposition and government, as "sensible, likeable, tough and capable".

On a lighter note, Hipkins made a famous slip of the tongue in 2021 when he remarked that virus restrictions made it tough for Kiwis to "go out and spread their legs", instead of stretching them.

Hipkins has been police minister since June last year, a key role given criticism of the government's record on crime, and previously served more than five years as education minister and public service minister.

"Chris is decisive and will be an incredibly strong prime minister," said Justice Minister Kiri Allan, one of Labour's senior Maori MPs, who had been considered a potential prime minister herself.

"He is extremely competent, with a track record of delivering for New Zealand as one of our most senior ministers over the past six years," she said.

- 'Garbage' -

Hipkins, who describes himself as an "outdoor enthusiast" keen on mountain biking, hiking and swimming, studied politics and criminology at Victoria University and then worked in the industry training sector.

Before becoming an MP in 2008, he worked as a senior adviser to two education ministers and former prime minister Helen Clark.

Although known as a personable and laid-back operator, Hipkins was involved in some high-profile spats with Australia's former conservative government.

In 2021, he accused Australia of "exporting its garbage" to New Zealand -- a reference to Canberra's controversial policy of deporting criminals back to their country of birth.

Hipkins was admonished by Ardern in 2017 after he was accused of playing a role in a dual citizenship scandal in the Australian parliament.

Then-deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce was forced to stand down after information released to Hipkins revealed Joyce was a dual citizen of both Australia and New Zealand.

Australia's constitution forbids federal politicians from sitting in parliament if they hold dual citizenship.

Ardern said at the time that Hipkins' actions were "unacceptable".

H.Nasr--SF-PST