Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s new Ministers, who were elected during last month’s general elections, were sworn in on Friday ahead of a first Cabinet meeting.
In her welcome speech, Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy said the formation of a new government is always a “momentous” moment for the country, reports The New Zealand Herald newspaper.
Patsy also officially signed a warrant, making Ardern the Prime Minister, who secured a second term in office after her ruling Labour Party won a landslide majority in the October 17 general elections.
In her speech while addressing the Ministers, Ardern said it was her “honour” to be Prime Minister, adding they would govern during one of the hardest times in New Zealand’s history.
“We will be a government for all New Zealanders, because we must be,” Ardern said, adding
that her Ministers had a sense of direction and purpose.
Friday’s swearing in came after the Prime Minister unveiled her new Cabinet on Monday, which includes new portfolios for the country’s economic recovery and ongoing Covid-19 response.
Grant Robertson is the new Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Infrastructure Minister, drawing together the key portfolios central to that economic recovery.
The incumbent Health Minister Chris Hipkins has been given the Covid-19 response portfolio.
This new portfolio which will give the Minister responsibility for all aspects of the ongoing response, including the running of managed isolation facilities, border defences as well as health response including testing and contact tracing systems and managing any resurgence of the virus.
Andrew Little was sworn in as the Minister of Health, while Nanaia Mahuta became the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the first woman in New Zealand’s history to be appointed to the post.
