New Zealand Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins has revealed he seriously considered resigning from his position following public allegations made by his ex-wife earlier this month, marking one of the most challenging moments in the former Prime Minister's political career.
In a candid interview with Stuff, Hipkins acknowledged that the personal scrutiny following his ex-wife's statements about their marriage breakdown had left him questioning whether he could continue leading the opposition party. He ultimately decided to remain in the role after consulting with close advisers and family members.
"It was a very difficult period," Hipkins said. "When your personal life becomes public in that way, you have to consider whether you can still do the job effectively. I thought long and hard about it."
The controversy erupted when Hipkins' ex-wife gave an interview discussing the circumstances of their separation, which occurred during his brief tenure as Prime Minister in 2023. While she did not make specific allegations of wrongdoing, the public nature of her comments—and the media attention that followed—thrust Hipkins' private life into the spotlight at a time when he was trying to rebuild Labour following its election defeat.
Mate, New Zealand politics has always been more personal and less vicious than what you see in Australia or the UK, but this is new territory. A party leader openly discussing whether personal issues should end their political career—that's rare anywhere.
Hipkins took over as Prime Minister in January 2023 after Jacinda Ardern's surprise resignation, but his tenure was short-lived. Labour lost the October 2023 election to a National-led coalition, and Hipkins shifted from governing to opposition.
The transition has been rocky. Labour is struggling to define its message under the new government, internal party tensions have surfaced over policy direction, and polls show the party's support remains well below where it needs to be to return to power. Adding personal drama to that mix created what some Labour MPs privately described as a potential crisis.
