Chris Hipkins polls poorly as leaks and bullying allegation extend election pain for Labour

Labour continues to face hardship in the weeks following the party’s resounding loss at the election, including support decreasing for its leader.

A Taxypayers’ Union-Curia poll released yesterday had Labour leader Chris Hipkins’ popularity plummeting nine points to 18 per cent.

National leader Christopher Luxon only once polled as low as that since he became leader of the National Party in December 2021. That was in January 2022, when he polled 18 per cent.

Hipkins retained the party’s leadership after a vote by caucus on Tuesday. No other Labour MP put their hand up to be a candidate for selection.

Luxon rose four points in yesterday’s poll to 33 per cent. Incumbents traditionally enjoy a bump in the preferred prime minister poll, while Opposition leaders tend to struggle.

The poll came alongside news of a bullying allegation levelled at Labour MP Ginny Andersen, which included allegedly making teenage party volunteers feel responsible for Andersen losing her Hutt South electorate.

The Labour Party was investigating the complaint, which was made by the mother of one of Andersen’s volunteers and alleged poor behaviour over a period of three years, but particularly on election night this year, when Andersen lost her seat of Hutt South to rival Chris Bishop.

Ginny Andersen arriving in Upper Hutt on election night. Photo / George Heard

The letter, which was promptly leaked to multiple media outlets, including the Herald, said the “biggest issue” took place on election night when Andersen allegedly “yelled” at the woman’s daughter and son and said they should have done more door-knocking during the campaign.

The complaint detailed other issues over a period of three years including being called “useless” after getting addresses mixed up while delivering something for Christmas.

Andersen said she was sorry if her comments had caused hurt and committed to engaging with the party to resolve the matter.

Andersen wasn’t the only Labour MP to be hit with leaking - Mt Albert MP Helen White was forced to defend Hipkins after a leaked email to Newshub on Wednesday showed some of White’s campaign team believed the Labour leader was one of the reasons the party almost lost a seat it has never historically conceded.

After special votes had been counted, White only held a 20-vote lead over National’s Melissa Lee. In 2020, then-PM Jacinda Ardern won it by 21,000 votes.

National has requested an official recount in Mt Albert and in Nelson, where it trailed Labour’s candidate by 29 votes.

The email of volunteer feedback in Mt Albert, given to Newshub, showed a curated “chuck” list of what might have caused the 20-vote margin. It was allegedly leaked from a disgruntled volunteer.

On the chuck list was Hipkins, the Green Party, bad numbers in their phone database, being complacent on safe seats, a late and ineffective manifesto from the Labour Party, poor morale, and campaigning on management instead of vision.

In a statement to Newshub, White said she supported Hipkins as Labour leader, as did the Mount Albert electorate committee, and there was a wide range of views about why Labour lost.

Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.