ROSEMARY ABBOTT | National
ON THE MOVE
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has found a new passion this week, joining a trendy Wellington run club just days after refusing to appear at the Covid-19 public inquiry.
The former Covid-19 Response Minister, who alongside Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson, and Ayesha Verrall declined to take part in the week-long public hearing, was spotted in full running gear on Wellington’s waterfront last night, beaming in his new running shoes and hi -vis sports gear.
Hipkins told The Whakataki Times that running had always been part of his fitness routine, but had recently taken on a new “therapeutic” meaning.
“I’ve always enjoyed a good run,” he puffed, stretching awkwardly outside Waitangi Park. “It’s great for clearing the head, getting the heart rate up, and, you know… getting away from things you’d rather not face.”
When asked if “things you’d rather not face” included being grilled under oath in a public forum about his pandemic decisions, Hipkins chuckled and adjusted his shoelaces.
“Look, it’s always nice to run from your problems, whether that’s a stressful day, a tough week, or an entire Royal Commission hearing.”
Run club members say Hipkins has been a natural fit for the group, particularly with his enthusiasm for “changing direction suddenly without warning” and “picking routes that avoid public scrutiny”.
Former PM Jacinda Ardern also began speaking to our reporters, but after several minutes without reaching an actual point, we were forced to wrap it up so this story could be published before the deadline.
More to come.
