Labour MPs have been grilled by reporters a day after Ardern’s announcement, as speculation builds over who will become the country’s 41st prime minister.
Hipkins told reporters at Wellington Airport that Ardern had served the country “remarkably well for the last five and a half years”.
Asked if he would be putting his name forward to be Prime Minister, Hipkins said: “I’m involved in conversations with my colleagues about making sure that we make a good, sound decision about who should be the leader of the party, that the party then unites behind that new leader and that we continue to provide the stability of leadership that New Zealanders have come to expect from us for the last five and a half years.
“The conversations that I’ve had with my colleagues suggest that they take their responsibility very, very seriously, there is no fight going on here, everybody is just really constructively engaged in making sure we make a good decision.”
Asked if he could be that person, Hipkins said: “I’m not saying who’s in or out, I think it’s really important that people have an opportunity, you know it’s not even 24 hours since the Prime Minister made her announcement, I think it’s important people have the chance to digest the news, to talk to their colleagues, to think about their own futures, to do all of those things and people need a bit of space to do that.”
Hipkins believed “we’re all indebted as a country to her for the contribution that she has made” to New Zealand.
“I think a lot of people will be very, very sad to see Jacinda go and I am one of those. She is not only a very valued colleague, she’s a close personal friend and I’m sure she will continue to be.
“During her tenure as Prime Minister she’s probably faced more bumps and obstacles and challenges than most Prime Ministers would face even if they were serving twice as long as that.”
Asked why Ardern had not called a snap election, Hipkins said: “New Zealanders have elected a Labour Government for this term of government, generally speaking we haven’t had snap elections, if there has been a change in Prime Minister during a parliamentary term and I don’t really see any need for that to change.”
Michael Wood: ‘Big change’ for Labour caucus
Speaking in Napier, Michael Wood said Ardern was an “exceptional leader” and her resignation was a “big change” for the Labour caucus before Sunday’s vote for a new leader.
”I’m a team player, we’ve all agreed that we’ll do this as an internal team process. I don’t think that politicians ever do themselves or their parties of the country any favours by playing these things out in public.”
“I think there’s a, there’s a strong will for us to build consensus to be united and have a leader that we all back to make progress for New Zealand.”
Wood believed the caucus would be able to select a new leader during Sunday’s meeting.
Ardern: A decision ‘tinged with sadness’
A relieved Jacinda Ardern says she knows she has made the right decision to step down as Prime Minister, but concedes the move is “tinged with sadness”.
Ardern kept a low public profile yesterday after revealing she was walking away from the top job. Today she spoke to reporters gathered at Hawke’s Bay airport in Napier, where the Labour caucus had gathered for a retreat.
Asked how she was feeling, Ardern said she “slept well for the first time in a long time”.
“But still a range of emotions, I of course feel sad, but also I do have a sense of relief.”
In a short stand-up, Ardern said she felt “deeply humbled” by the response she’d received to her decision to step down. She had seen excerpts of all the tributes and intended to catch up on them when she had the time.
“To have those messages of gratitude has been really moving for me and for my family.”
Ardern planned to go home for a few days and get ready for time in Wellington.
”The focus for the team is selecting a new leader of the Labour Party and therefore a new Prime Minister for New Zealand. It’s an incredibly important decision and the team is very focused on it.”
Ardern said she had not considered calling a snap election while considering her future.
She said the normal practice when a Prime Minister decided to step down was to have a transition.
”Elections are incredibly disruptive. There was no need for one in this case.”
Asked if candidates should tell the public if they wanted the top job, Ardern said the first thing they need to do was to determine that for themselves.
”This process is so condensed that it will move quickly ... there will be a candidate and then voting on that candidate.
“Everything I’ve seen from the caucus [is that] caucus are very determined to make that decision on Sunday and get on with the job.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she's feeling relieved, and doesn't doubt her decision to step down. Photo / RNZ
Asked about the misogyny many commentators say she had faced, Ardern told reporters that played no role in her decision to stand down.
“And my strong message to women in leadership and girls who may be considering leadership in the future, this is a place where the foundation has been laid long before me to make it possible for us to be in these roles in a way that in the past it just wasn’t [possible] ... you can have a family and be in these roles, you can lead in your own style. Is there more work to do? Yes. But that was not the cause for my departure,” she said.
Asked if it was hard, she replied: ”I think any leader in a role like this will face difficult moments and I have. But I’ve also faced incredible support and I don’t lose sight of that.”
Ardern said she intended to remain neutral in Labour’s selection of the next Prime Minister, although she will be voting as a member of caucus.
Asked if she thought Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson would reconsider running for the top job, Ardern said: ”His decision has been made. I have deep respect for Grant Robertson, He’s a friend, he’s a colleague. I see day in and day out all he gives for the job and he of course wants to continue to give his all in the role that he has. But he’s ruled himself out for this one.”
Asked if Robertson had tried to talk her out of resigning, Ardern said he’d wanted to make sure she’d given everything consideration.
She also confirmed said she had spoken with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese since her decision to resign: ”He’s become a friend and I respect him greatly. So I sent him a message. We had a quick conversation afterwards yesterday and he only had words of kindness.”
