Chris Hipkins has been sworn in as prime minister of New Zealand in a formal ceremony following the resignation of Jacinda Ardern.
The Labour Party elected the former COVID-19 response and police minister Mr Hipkins, 44, to lead the party and the country on Sunday.
It comes after the surprise resignation of Ms Ardern, 42, who said she had “no more in the tank” to lead the country.
Before Mr Hipkins became prime minister, Ms Ardern tendered her resignation to King Charles’s representative in New Zealand, Governor-General Cindy Kiro.
Ms Kiro then appointed Mr Hipkins to the role and he was sworn in.
“Congratulations, Prime Minister Hipkins,” Ms Kiro said to applause from those at the ceremony.
Mr Hipkins was the only nominee to replace Ms Ardern.
He said he was “humbled and honoured” by the support he had received from colleagues.
“I’m feeling energised and enthusiastic and looking forward to getting into the work,” he said over the weekend after his position had firmed up.
Mr Hipkins has promised a back-to-basics approach focusing on the economy and what he described as the “pandemic of inflation.”
He is due to hold his first meeting with ministers as leader later on Wednesday.
Ms Ardern, who has been New Zealand’s prime minister since 2017, will serve her final day in office on February 7.
Mr Hipkins will have less than eight months in the role before contesting a general election on October 14.
Ms Ardern on Tuesday made her final public appearance as prime minister, saying the thing she would miss most was the people because they had been the “joy of the job”.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the greatest privilege of my life,” Ms Ardern said.
Reuters/AP/ABC