Explore Labour's leader, background and priorities. An educational guide, not an endorsement.
Chris Hipkins - 'Chippy' to almost everyone - grew up in Upper Hutt, near Wellington. He studied politics and criminology at Victoria University, where he was president of the students' association and led big protests against student fees. After uni he worked as an adviser in Helen Clark's Labour government, learning how Parliament works from the inside. He was elected MP for Rimutaka (now Remutaka) in 2008 and quickly became known as a hard worker with a clear, plain-speaking style. Under Jacinda Ardern he became one of the most powerful ministers in Cabinet, running Education, Police, Public Service and the Covid-19 response all at once during the pandemic. When Ardern stepped down in January 2023, Labour MPs picked Hipkins to take over, making him Prime Minister for most of that year. After Labour lost the 2023 election he stayed on as leader and became Leader of the Opposition, the person whose job is to hold the government to account in Parliament. He has spent the time since rebuilding Labour's policies on health, housing and the cost of living, and pushing back hard on government cuts. Hipkins is known for liking sausage rolls, Diet Coke and mountain biking, and for being one of the more approachable politicians on Wellington's streets. He goes into 2026 trying to convince voters Labour is ready to govern again.