“This is the biggest privilege and responsibility of my life,” Hipkins said in his first comments as prime minister. “I’m energised and excited by the challenges that lie ahead.”

After the official photo had been taken he said “it feels pretty real now”.

The 44-year-old has promised a back-to-basics approach focusing on the economy and on what he described as the “pandemic of inflation”.

He will have less than nine months before contesting a tough general election, with opinion polls indicating his Labour Party is trailing the conservative opposition.

Ardern shocked New Zealand by announcing her resignation last Thursday, saying she was exhausted and couldn’t seek a third term in good conscience.

Many have not taken her comments at face value, including ex-PM Helen Clark, who cited “unprecedented hatred and vitriol” aimed at Ardern during her five years in office.

Local media have reported a tripling of threats towards the PM’s office in the last two years, suggesting a need for ongoing police protection.

In his Instagram post, Gayford took aim at the levels of online hate thrown at Ardern, recalling a response from a Maori elder.

“When asked how they saw that given some of the discourse we’ve seen in ugly places online and via a certain type of public commentator, their response was simply, ‘when you pull the plug on the bath, it’s always the last dregs that are the noisiest’,” he said.

“His comments sit in a sea of the most incredible outpouring of thanks and respect I’ve witnessed first hand over the last few days.

“From spontaneous tears of strangers in airports, to corespondence (sic) staff talking about unprecedented inbox’s full of overwhelmingly positive messages.

“I’ve also learnt that in politics while it might be easier to take the sugar hit path of popularity through division and hate and avoiding unpopular but necessary decisions, there is a better much tougher way of governing in empathy that plants many quiet trees for us all to enjoy the shade of for lots of good years to come.”

Others believe Ardern decided to leave ahead of the October 14 election, reading the tea leaves on her eroding personal and party support.

Among those paying tribute to the outgoing leader on her last day in office were the Prince and Princess of Wales.

“Thank you Jacinda Ardern for your friendship, leadership and support over the years,” reads a tweet posted to the couple’s official account, @kensingtonroyal, “not least at the time of my grandmother’s death. Sending you, Clarke and Neve our best wishes”.

It was signed off informally with “W & C”, for William and Catherine.

Reuters, AAP, Stuff.co.nz