"It's a big day for a boy from the Hutt," he said, referring to the Hutt Valley region near the capital Wellington.
"My parents came from relatively humble beginnings and worked really hard to provide a good life for my brother and I," Hipkins added, vowing to give New Zealanders the opportunities to improve their lives.
Justice minister Kiri Allan, one of Labour's senior Maori MPs, who had been considered a potential prime minister herself, said Hipkins was decisive and would be an "incredibly strong" prime minister.
"He is extremely competent, with a track record of delivering for New Zealand as one of our most senior ministers over the past six years," she said.
