Bill English concedes defeat
The outgoing PM is speaking now.
He says he is proud to leave New Zealand “in great shape … a more confident country with more aspiration”. He says he wishes the new government well.
NZ First leader announces he has reached coalition deal to form government with Labour, which says it also has backing of Green party
The outgoing PM is speaking now.
He says he is proud to leave New Zealand “in great shape … a more confident country with more aspiration”. He says he wishes the new government well.
Here are the key takeaways from Jacinda Ardern’s press conference:
English, the outgoing PM, will hold his own news conference shortly.
Ardern, amid a barrage of questions, has asserted some of her priorities as prime minister. She has mentioned:
“We have tried to be as proportional as possible” in determining ministerial roles, Ardern says, but insists she won’t be drawn on what has been offered to the Greens until that party’s delegates have concluded their meeting, which is happening now.
Asked if she’s had congratulations from other world leaders, Ardern says she hasn’t had a chance to check her phone.
Ardern says she is looking forward to travelling to Australia “as soon as I am able”.
(Here’s why it could be diplomatically tricky.)
Asked if she’d have preferred to find out that she was PM-elect before Winston Peters announced it on television, Ardern laughs:
I enjoyed the theatre … I joined with NZ as we learned the news together.
She says she is “privileged and humbled” to become prime minister.
And on her relationship with Peters, she adds:
We’ll have a partnership, we’ll continue to learn from one another.
On the Greens, Ardern says she awaits the outcome of the party’s decision on whether it will back the Labour/NZ First coalition.
Tomorrow afternoon the Labour caucus will meet to elect cabinet positions. The coalition agreements with NZ First and the Greens will be published early next week, followed by news of ministerial appointments.
NZ First will hold four cabinet positions and one junior ministerial role.
Peters has been offered the role of deputy PM and is considering whether to take it, she says.
Ardern won’t be drawn on what roles could be offered to Green MPs, but confirms they will have ministerial portfolios.
Ardern says coalition negotiations have been “robust”, but says the parties found more to unite them than divided them.
She says Labour and NZ First are “true allies” when it comes to protecting the rights of New Zealanders.
She says policy agreements are the “solid foundation on which we will now build a coalition government”.
The PM-elect starts by thanking Bill English for his service as prime minister.
She says English has conceded that coalition talks have now concluded.
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