FILE PHOTO: Prime Minister and Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins speaks at the New Zealand Labour Party’s election campaign launch event in Auckland, New Zealand, September 2, 2023. REUTERS/David Rowland/File Photo
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Friday urged voters to get out and re-elect Labour in Saturday's national election, as polls indicate a change in government after six years of left-wing rule.
Hipkins, who took over as prime minister in January when Jacinda Ardern made the surprise decision to step down, has struggled to win back swing voters disenfranchised with the Labour Party, which they blame for long COVID-19 lockdowns and a huge rise in the cost of living.
