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

New Zealand Herald · Fran O'Sullivan · 2026-10-21 18:00 UTC

Barbara Edmonds tops Labour’s frontbench rankings at 3.39 out of 5.

Labour 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, writesFran 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 envisagerunning the country.

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