How Hipkins claims spread from Facebook to news headlines

2026-03-16 - 16:57

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has denied as yet unsubstantiated claims about his relationship with his ex-wife Jade Paul, aired by Paul in a since-deleted Facebook post on Sunday night, and is seeking legal advice. The spread of the claims, which do not relate to any alleged criminal behaviour, from internet post to news headlines demonstrates the growing influence of social media and the erosion of conventions against reporting on politicians’ families. “The media and other politicians, but also the public, have tended to draw a ring around MPs’ family and personal lives, although that has changed a little in recent years with social media,” says political commentator Ben Thomas. However, that protocol has broken down in recent years. Last year, online posts about then-Green MP Benjamin Doyle and their child were amplified by NZ First leader Winston Peters, prompting media to pick up the story. In the case of Hipkins, no political figures have commented on the allegations but they have made headlines anyway. It began with a post from Paul on her personal Facebook page on Sunday evening, accessible only to those on her friends list. In that post, she accused Hipkins of hypocrisy in his selection of Labour’s campaign slogan “Jobs, Health, Homes” and made claims about various actions during their relationship. (“I reject the allegations entirely and don’t intend to make any further comment,” Hipkins says.) In a subsequent post, Paul says she’s had enough. “So many women are hurt by high profile men who just do what they want with no consequences,” she writes. “We get told all of the time that if we speak out then our lives will be ruined, our kids will be impacted. We get labeled as ‘crazy’ or defamatory when we tell the truth. Today I have had enough.” Around the same time as the first post, political campaigner and former National Party staffer Ani O’Brien posted to the social media website X: “They will call her crazy. She is not crazy. I suspect they will try say she is an alcoholic or something similar. They will do anything to discredit her.” O’Brien has previously spoken about being friends with Paul. In February, she hinted at a breakdown in Hipkins’ relationship with Paul. In response to a column describing Hipkins as likeable, she disagreed and said: “Ask Hipkins’ ex-wife”. When Hipkins become Prime Minister in 2023, he said he had separated from Paul the prior year but that, “we remain incredibly close. She’s still my best friend.” O’Brien says it was not she who had shared a screenshot of