Hipkins emerged as the consensus candidate and was the only nominee for the role in a hastily convened leadership ballot.I’m feeling really fortunate to be working with such an amazing group of people who have a real commitment to the service of the people of New Zealand.”He would not be drawn on his policy plans.This week, Hipkins was quickly seen by Labour MPs as their best choice to follow Ardern, especially given Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson’s decision to rule himself out of contention.Both Hipkins and Ardern argued this was crucial to allow stability for the government.“The most important thing is that we focus on a process that is swift, that ensures that the team was able to move quickly back to focusing on the issues that matter for New Zealand,” Ardern said."