Safe battleground

Remutaka

General electorate

—

days to election day

What it takes to flip this seat

Chris Hipkins won by 8,859 votes in 2023. 4,430 voters switching to NZ First would have flipped Remutaka.

In the news

Coverage naming Remutaka or Chris, from our tracked feeds.

The roster

The defender's record, and who's confirmed to challenge them in 2026.

Won Remutaka by a majority of 8,859 in 2023, making it a safe seat.

Chris Hipkins is the Member of Parliament for Remutaka and leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. First elected in 2008, he has served across six Parliaments (49th–54th). He became Labour leader and Prime Minister in January 2023, and has been Leader of the Opposition since the November 2023 election.

Full MP profile

What Chris has prioritised this term

Official roles, sourced from parliament.nz.

Spokesperson roles

Leader of the Opposition
Labour Party Leader
Opposition Spokesperson — National Security and Intelligence
Opposition Spokesperson — Ministerial Services

Select committees

Intelligence and Security

Legislative activity this term

From Parliament's official bills record, as at 28 August 2026.

No government bill in charge, members' bill passed, or members' bill currently in the ballot for Chris this term. We checked that against the official record, so it isn't a gap in our data.

Written questions to Ministers this term

What is this, and why does it matter to you?

Any MP can put a written question to a Minister, demanding information on the record. The Minister must reply, usually within days. It costs nothing and needs no debate, which makes it the main day-to-day tool MPs use to hold the government to account between bills. It matters most for opposition MPs, who can't pass laws but can still force information into the open. Which Ministers an MP questions most, below, is a numbers-based picture of what they watch on your behalf, and it's worth comparing against what they say they prioritise.

2,930written questions asked since the 2023 election

Where it's gone, by Minister

Prime Minister

1531

Minister responsible for Ministerial Services

503

Deputy Prime Minister

Battlegrounds map 2026 election

2023 result and margin: Electoral Commission. 2026 candidates are added only once officially confirmed — never assumed.

Read 5 recent questions & replies, in Chris’s and the Minister’s own words

To the Prime Minister · 2026-08-18

"Further to his answer to written question 35184 (2026): what were the pickup, drop off locations, and times of each of these pickups and drop offs for all uses of crown cars or crown vehicles by him on 25 September 2025, if any?"

Reply not yet due or not yet published.

To the Prime Minister · 2026-08-18

"Further to his answer to written question 35186 (2026): what was the name and location of the National Party event on 16 October 2025?"

Reply not yet due or not yet published.

To the Prime Minister · 2026-08-18

"On what dates, if any, did he use Air Force assets to travel in order to attend a National Party event?"

Reply not yet due or not yet published.

To the Prime Minister · 2026-08-10

"What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 3 August 2026, by title and date?"

Reply: In my capacity as Prime Minister, I have not presented papers to Cabinet within the specified timeframe.

To the Minister for National Security and Intelligence · 2026-08-10

"What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 3 August 2026, by title and date?"

Reply: In my capacity as Minister for National Security and Intelligence I have not presented papers to Cabinet within the specified timeframe.