Business leaders struggle to see Labour as NZ government-in-waiting

Head of Business·NZ Herald·21 Oct, 2026 06:00 PM4 mins to read‌Labour leader Chris Hipkins, (2nd from right) with senior Labour MPs, from left, Kieran McAnulty, Ginny Andersen, Barbara Edmonds and Carmel Sepuloni at Parliament in August. Photo / Mark Mitchell Barbara Edmonds and Kieran McAnulty lead Labour’s rankings, but business leaders question the depth, visibility and economic credentials of Hipkins’ would-be government, writes Fran O’Sullivan A government-in-waiting needs more than a leader and a collection of policy promises. It needs a front bench that business can identify, trust and envisage