Jacinda Arden bids farewell on her last day at office
Jacinda Ardern addressed the media on her last day as New Zealand’s Prime Minister on Tuesday. She has made the announcement of stepping down from her position earlier this month stating that she had “no more in the tank” to lead the country.
Talking to the reporters, she said, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the greatest privilege of my life”.
“My overall experience in this job of New Zealand and New Zealanders in this job has been one of love, empathy and kindness,” she added.
The 42-year-old Prime Minister feels that she now ready to take a back seat in her work life and is looking forward to newer challenges in life, “I am ready to be lots of things. I’m ready to be a back bench MP (member of parliament). I’m ready to be a sister and a mum,” she said.
Following her departure on Wednesday, Jacinda Ardern will be succeeded by former COVID minister Chris Hipkins. He was chosen on as for the position on Sunday and will be sworn as the new Prime Minister on January 25.
Addressing a press conference, Chris Hipkins who is excited for this challenge said, “This is the greatest honor and the greatest responsibility of my life.”
Talking about his Predecessor, Jacinda Ardern, Hopkins acknowledged her leadership as an ‘inspiration for girls and women’.
He said, “She gave voice to people who were often ignored in times of challenge and deliberately set out to do politics in a different way.”
He also feels that Jacinda wasn’t treated was not ok. He said, “The way Jacinda has been treated, particularly by some segments of our society — and they are a small minority — has been utterly abhorrent.”
He has also made the decision to keep his family away from the limelight after seeing the scrutiny and pressure Jacinda and her family were under and wants his children to group up with a “typical Kiwi kid life”.
Chris Hipkins also known as ‘Chippy Hipkins” was the only candidate nominated by the Labour Party MPs to take over as their leader and the new Prime Minister of the country.