Jacinda Ardern
Portfolio responsibilities for the incoming Labour-led Government underline our commitment to chart a new course for New Zealand.
I am excited by how my executive will tackle the challenges this country faces.
The allocation of portfolios shows how the government that I lead will be focused on making a difference for all New Zealanders, no matter where they live.
The Ministers
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters will be my Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He brings a wealth of experience to both roles and I look forward to working closely with him.
Labour Deputy Leader Kelvin Davis takes on the new portfolio of Crown/Maori Relations as we transition to the post-Treaty environment.
Grant Robertson will be the Minister of Finance. We are a government of change, and will be one that makes fiscal responsibility a priority as we take action on our critical challenges.
Reducing Child Poverty
My government will have a key focus on reducing child poverty. To underline the importance of this, I am taking a new portfolio as Minister for Child Poverty Reduction. As Prime Minister, I want to see urgent progress in this area. That is why we will be introducing measures and targets to ensure our policies across government are making a difference to the lives of children.
We are making restoring the Kiwi dream of owning your own home a priority through our KiwiBuild strategy. This requires a concerted and coordinated effort across our cities, working closely with councils. That is why there will be a Minister responsible for Housing and Urban Development, who will also have responsibility for our commitment to state housing.
Regional Development
We said during the campaign that many of our regions have been left behind and that we needed a new approach to ensure all of New Zealand shares in our economic prosperity.
This is also a priority for my government. To that end, I have appointed a Minister of Regional Development to drive our strategy to create jobs in the regions. The Minister will be responsible for the new Regional Development Fund.
In addition, the same Minister will have responsibility for both Infrastructure and Forestry which are also pivotal to providing opportunities for regions.
Consequently, I am dividing the Primary Industries portfolio along its traditional lines of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Pike River Re-Entry
We also promised during the campaign to help the families of Pike River get justice for the men they lost. A Minister responsible for Pike River Re-Entry will make re-entering the drift a priority, and will work closely with the Pike River Families and the Deputy Prime Minister on this work.
I am proud of my Ministers. The team well knows their responsibilities. We are all ready and determined to make a difference as we govern for all New Zealanders.
Jacinda Ardern speaking outside the Parliament after being sworn-in as Prime Minister of New Zealand on October 26, 2017. Picture by Radio New Zealand/Rebekah Parsons-King
