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Roman Travers: Yesterday was a big day for new PM Chris Hipkins

Author
Roman Travers,
Publish Date
Thu, 26 Jan 2023, 8:01AM
Outgoing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern congratulates new Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins on their way to the caucus room. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Outgoing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern congratulates new Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins on their way to the caucus room. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Roman Travers: Yesterday was a big day for new PM Chris Hipkins

Author
Roman Travers,
Publish Date
Thu, 26 Jan 2023, 8:01AM

Yesterday was a very big day for new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.  

There aren’t very many of us that can say we’ve been Prime Minister. Evidently, there aren’t too many who want the job. We’re only up to number 41.  

There aren’t very many that put their hand up for the job and given the way they’ve been treated in recent years, you’d have to say, it takes a certain kind of someone.

Regardless, I think we’re all excited and waiting with baited breath, to hear about which policies will be quietly folded and stuck back in the sock drawer, and which ones will be tinkered with and given new direction.  

I do wonder how many people engage daily with the news around the new leader of the Labour Party and the announcements being made apropos their new direction. Do you think the new right hand down approach on the drive to the general election is spinning many wheels?

Most people are just far too busy. Busy trying to work out how to keep their job. Busy trying to keep a business running. Busy trying to keep their heads above water with rising costs with crushing inflation.  

Just flat out just trying to live a life dreamt of - but exhausted by national and international events that move us like rising and receding tides.

Most people would have been too busy to have been to glued to everything that was said yesterday with the official handing over of the Prime Ministers warrant from the battle-fatigued Jacinda Ardern to the seemingly effervescent Chris Hipkins.

So here’s all you need to remember from yesterday’s ceremonial proceedings. Prime Minister Hipkins said he will:  

“Reprioritise, refresh, and refocus the Government's work programme so we can move our resources where we need to so that we can address the bread-and-butter issues that New Zealanders are most concerned about”.  

That’s all we need to remember. That’s all you and I need to think about when we go into the voting booth later this year.  

Will they - and - did they, are the two questions that’ll largely determine which boxes we tick.  

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