Arden, he adds, “is the boss – I’ll follow her lead.”
And he’s done.
He says a confidence and supply arrangement will allow the Greens to vote against the Labour/NZ First on issues outside the deal. It means the government will be the first truly MMP (mixed member proportional representation) government, he says:
"It forces us to work together".
He repeats Ardern’s line that the three parties have found they have more in common than issues that divide them.Shaw says there are around 155 delegates on the call right now to determine whether the party accepts the deal; 75% need to agree.
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Greens set to enter confidence and supply deal
Shaw says his party will decide tonight and he is “very confident” it will back the deal.
It will be a confidence and supply deal, he confirms, rather than a coalition, with the Greens having three ministers outside cabinet and one under-secretarial role. It is the first time the party will be in government, he stresses:
It will be a confidence and supply deal, he confirms, rather than a coalition, with the Greens having three ministers outside cabinet and one under-secretarial role. It is the first time the party will be in government, he stresses:
We will be in cabinet for those discussions which are relevant to our interests.
Where we’ve landed up is, we think, a really good place for us to be.
Greens to back coalition
Green leader James Shaw says his delegates are still discussing the details of the deal that would see it back the Labour/NZ First coalition, but he sees it as a great opportunity:
Jacinda Ardern earlier confirmed that the Greens would be offered ministerial roles, although Winston Peters had said this would not be in the cabinet.For the first time we are probably going to be in a position to have ministerial control of the issues that are important to us.
English says questions of leadership are not for tonight but for the weeks ahead.
But it is the second time he has led National to general election defeat. In 2002, under his leadership, National had its worst-ever electoral defeat, losing to Labour’s Helen Clark.
This time, National was the largest party, securing 44.4% of the vote, but is once again the loser. There will inevitably be questions over how long English can stay as leader, particularly against Ardern, the 37-year-old who stormed from deputy leader of a Labour party flagging in the polls to prime minister in the space of less than three months.
But it is the second time he has led National to general election defeat. In 2002, under his leadership, National had its worst-ever electoral defeat, losing to Labour’s Helen Clark.
This time, National was the largest party, securing 44.4% of the vote, but is once again the loser. There will inevitably be questions over how long English can stay as leader, particularly against Ardern, the 37-year-old who stormed from deputy leader of a Labour party flagging in the polls to prime minister in the space of less than three months.
English says there is probably not a party in the world that won 44.4% of the vote – as National did – and did not end up in power, but says that’s just how the system works.
It means National will be a large opposition, he adds, as
It means National will be a large opposition, he adds, as
He calls Ardern’s win “a fairly remarkable performance … 10 or 12 weeks ago she was deputy leader of a fading opposition”.A group of people who were geared up to be a government. We’re not going to be a government, we accept that.
“We had satisfactory negotiations,” says English of talks with Peters and NZ First, adding: “He had more influence on forming a government than we did.”
He says speculation about disagreements over ministerial roles is “quite wrong”, but declines to go into details about what National offered to Peters.
He says learning that he was no longer PM via Peters’ televised speech, and not in advance, English dismisses it as “a bit of a detail”.
He says speculation about disagreements over ministerial roles is “quite wrong”, but declines to go into details about what National offered to Peters.
He says learning that he was no longer PM via Peters’ televised speech, and not in advance, English dismisses it as “a bit of a detail”.
English says he has called Jacinda Ardern to congratulate her on becoming prime minister – but adds that National will be the strongest opposition the country has seen.
(National has 56 seats in the 120-strong parliament).
Asked if she’s had congratulations from other world leaders, Ardern says she hasn’t had a chance to check her phone.
(National has 56 seats in the 120-strong parliament).
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.
Ardern, amid a barrage of questions, has asserted some of her priorities as prime minister. She has mentioned: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.
Ardern key points
Here are the key takeaways from Jacinda Ardern’s press conference:
- NZ First will have four cabinet roles in the Labour-led coalition, plus one ministerial role outside cabinet. Portfolios will be revealed next week.
- Winston Peters, NZ First’s leader, has been offered and is considering the role of deputy prime minister.
- The Green party has yet to vote on its agreement to back the Labour/NZ First coalition but has been offered ministerial roles.
- Ardern says she “enjoyed the theatre” of finding out via Peters’ televised speech that he was entering a coalition with Labour. Peters said he did not tell Ardern or National leader Bill English in advance which party he had picked.
- Ardern said coalition negotiations had been robust and agreements would be published early next week. She said the parties had more in common than issues that divided them, including affordable housing, clean rivers and reworking the TPP.
- The Labour caucus will meet on Friday to elect its cabinet.
- English has conceded that National cannot form a government.
- Housing and the need for affordable homes, as well as restricting foreign ownership of NZ homes.
- A manned re-entry of the Pike River mine.
- “A period of renegotiation” on the TPP.
- A possible alternative site for Auckland’s port (a key Winston Peters concern).
- Protection of NZ rivers.
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.)
(Here’s why it could be diplomatically tricky.)
Ardern on learning her win from TV
Asked if she’d have preferred to find out that she was PM-elect before Winston Peters announced it on television, Ardern laughs:
And on her relationship with Peters, she adds:
She says she is “privileged and humbled” to become prime minister.I enjoyed the theatre … I joined with NZ as we learned the news together.
And on her relationship with Peters, she adds:
We’ll have a partnership, we’ll continue to learn from one another.
Four cabinet roles for NZ First
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.
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”.
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”.
Jacinda Ardern speaks
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.
She says English has conceded that coalition talks have now concluded.
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