Labour’s road to redemption

After a challenging year in opposition, Labour leader Chris Hipkins and the party's Pacific caucus chair Jenny Salesa are charting a course for a political resurgence.

Speaking to Pacific Mornings, Hipkins describes Labour’s recent annual conference in Christchurch as a turning point.

“Our members are feeling energised and enthusiastic,” he says.

Focus on real issues

As the 2026 election approaches, Hipkins touches on the importance of addressing voter priorities.

“Right now, the cost of living is still the number one issue… at the top of the list," he says.

“Health is now the second most prominent issue.

“As a party, we have to make sure we're focused on those things.”

The Labour Party conference was held in Christchurch this year. Photo/Labour Party Facebook

Salesa is critical of the Government’s recent announcement on getting jobseekers into work and raises concerns over the lack of jobs.

“When you look at just one sector, the building and construction sector, we know that since this new government came in, there's been a loss of just over 12,000 jobs in that sector alone.

“I'm not even talking about the job cuts the Government has implemented within the public service itself.

“I'm talking about jobs that are lost in the private sector…there is not an abundance of jobs out there…“

At the Ministry of Social Development itself, they've cut 712 staff.

“The people that are on the benefit now, there's an additional 30,000 that we know of.

“There aren't that many people at MSD to process those people that are coming on.

“And so, we know from just a day or so ago there is about one in four people whose assessments are not done correctly in terms of the entitlements that they actually get.”

Commitment to Pacific and Māori communities

Salesa also highlights Labour’s policies to improve Pacific and Māori outcomes.

She criticises the Government’s Māori Education Action Plan, citing its lack of detail and failure to incorporate lessons from past initiatives.

Watch Jenny Salesa's full interview below.

She also calls for a more targeted approach to Pacific education, noting the growing Pacific and Māori populations in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

“If we don’t actually ensure that the educational achievement of all of our children… is addressed, that is actually going to be the effect on the economy of the country overall.”

AUKUS and the Pacific voice

Labour’s stance on AUKUS (the security alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) also signals a commitment to Pacific concerns.

Hipkins reaffirms the party’s opposition to AUKUS, a stance many Pacific leaders share.

“I’ve heard feedback very clearly from our Pacific neighbours that they don’t want to see nuclear submarines in the Pacific,” he says.

“Frankly, I can’t see anything for New Zealand in being part of AUKUS, but I can see some real downsides.”

Salesa speaks at the final reading of the Restoring Citizenship Bill. Photo/Ala Vailala

Labour’s path forward

Hipkins is clear Labour’s work is far from over.

While the recent conference offers a preview of their intentions, he promises more detailed policies in the coming year.

“Next year, you’ll start to see more detail of the kind of policies that Labour wants to pursue in government.”

Hipkins and Salesa convey a sense of urgency, knowing that winning back public trust requires action.

As Salesa puts it, “One of the things we want to do when we come into this role is… make a difference.”

Watch Chris Hipkins' full interview below.