Chris Hipkins was the sole nominee for the Labour leadership vacated by Jacinda Ardern and will become New Zealand's 41st prime minister.

* Born September 5, 1978 in Wellington

* Entered parliament in 2008, alongside Ms Ardern

* MP for Remutaka, in the Upper Hutt, the downtrodden northern suburbs of Wellington where he was raised

* Studied politics and criminology at Victoria University of Wellington, where he was student president

* Staffer to former prime minister Helen Clark

* Spent nine years in opposition, and upon winning government in 2017 was made education minister and Leader of the House by Ms Ardern

* Became health and COVID-19 minister in 2020, taking a prominent role through the pandemic

* Moved to police minister this year as concerns grew over law and order

* Known to Kiwis as a self-depreciating sausage roll enthusiast

* Married wife Jade at the prime minister's official residence in 2020, with finance minister Grant Robertson as his best man

* Has two children, a six-year-old son a four-year-old daughter

Australian Associated Press