“Covid-19 and the global pandemic have created a health crisis. Now it has become an economic one and that will be the focus of my government,” Hipkins said.
He also announced that the country would have Pacific Island native Carmel Sepuloni as its first deputy prime minister.
Sepuloni, 46, entered parliament in 2008 and has been social development minister since 2017.
Sepuloni, who has four children ranging in age from nine to 24, and a grandson, said her eldest son was “very reluctant” when he was first told about the promotion, but has since received a message from expressed pride.
Sepuloni said that his father, of Samoan and Tongan heritage, arrived in New Zealand in 1964 to work on the railways.
He added that his daughter becoming Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand was “very difficult to comprehend”.
“I want to acknowledge its importance to our Pacific community.
“I’ve gotten a lot of polite messages about another glass ceiling being shattered.”
About eight percent of New Zealand’s 5.1 million population identify as Pasifika – a New Zealander of Pacific Islander descent.
Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson is expected to remain as finance minister under Ardern.
