No matter who you are or where you come from, everyone deserves the opportunity to fulfil their potential and live life to the fullest. We all have a responsibility to ensure nobody gets held back because of circumstances beyond their control.

Chris Hipkins ‘Chippy’ is the Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party and Member of Parliament for Remutaka.

Chris’ vision of New Zealand is a country where Kiwis can create a better life for themselves and their families through hard work. His belief that every New Zealander should have the opportunities they need to succeed is why he got into politics – and it’s what drives him every day.

Chris became the Leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister in January 2023. Amid a global cost of living crisis and economic uncertainty around the world, he immediately reset the Government to focus on the bread and butter issues that matter most to New Zealanders. He has put supporting families front and centre, while growing a strong economy that works for all New Zealanders.

Through Budget 2023, the Chris Hipkins led Government introduced a range of practical and targeted cost of living measures to support New Zealand families. This included scrapping the $5 co-payment on prescriptions, free or cheaper public transport for young people, and cheaper childcare.

At the same time, Chris ensured that his first Budget did more than just respond to the challenges of today, it also built for the future. It made targeted investments in areas he believes are critical to growing our economy and improving productivity, including skills, science and technology and infrastructure.

Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Chris held a range of Ministerial portfolios. Following the 2017 election, he became the Minister of Education, Minister for the Public Service and Leader of the House. During this time, he oversaw a number of significant achievements, such as introducing free and healthy lunches in schools, and free apprenticeships and trades training which led to record apprenticeship numbers. On top of this, more schools and classrooms were built across the country, and almost every state school was upgraded through the School Investment Package.

Chris later took on the ministerial portfolios for Health, COVID-19 and Police, where he delivered a range of measures to make New Zealand safer and fairer for everyone.

Growing up, Chris was strongly influenced by his parents, his education and the caring Hutt Valley community. This upbringing sparked his passion in public service and grounded him in the reality of working families with big aspirations.

He attended Waterloo Primary School, Hutt Intermediate and Hutt Valley Memorial College (later known as Petone College), where he was the Head Boy in 1996. He went on to be the president of the students’ association at Victoria University in 2000 and 2001, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics and Criminology. After completing his studies, he worked in a variety of roles across government and business.

Chris is a father of two who loves spending time with his family, particularly in the Hutt Valley, his home.