Hipkins in hot seat

Newly appointed Health Minister Chris Hipkins has taken over from David Clark, who on Thursday resigned, to avoid distracting from the Government’s Covid-19 response. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says Hipkins is well placed for the role, because he is the Minister for State Services. She says he has an operational ministry and knows how to work all the levers to get the response right on the ground. Ardern says the Health Minister role will be reassessed after the election.