Jacinda Ardern has officially been sworn in as the prime minister of New Zealand promising to tackle climate change, eradicate child poverty and improve the lives of the country’s most vulnerable people.
Ardern received a round of applause from her cabinet, friends and family who had gathered at government house on Thursday morning for the event.
In her first comments as prime minister, Ardern promised to form an “active” government that would be “focused, empathetic and strong”.
A number of Ardern’s cabinet chose to take their oath to the crown in Te Reo (Māori language), including corrections minister and deputy Labour leader Kelvin Davis, minister for maori development Nanaia Mahuta, and women’s minister and Greens MP Julie Anne Genter, who is originally from the US.
Genter’s effort was singled out for praise by her colleagues at government house, and the New Zealand public on social media.
Mad respect for @JulieAnneGenter for making her parliamentary oaths in Te Reo Māori #TikangaMāori #KaPai pic.twitter.com/qYPNI55Rah
— Rob Sykes (@robiliciousnz) October 25, 2017
There are four Pasifika MPs in the new cabinet, and Maori MPs hold 18 cabinet portfolios.
After the swearing in ceremony a crowd of around 1000 people gathered on the lawn of parliament house to greet New Zealand’s new prime minister - the third woman to lead the country and the youngest PM in 150 years.
Ardern was elected leader of the Labour party less than three months ago after previous leader Andrew Little tanked in the polls, and she was picked as the only hope for the beleaguered party to enter government.
From parliament lawn Janice Fraser told Fairfax she was excited about politics for the first time in a long while.
“The programme looks really, really good, lots of good bills to go through,” she said.
“People will finally have to talk about climate change. They’ll have to.”
Ardern then emerged to address the gathered crowd and asked her cabinet and her partner Clarke Gayford to join her.
“We vow that regardles of who you voted for, regardless of where in Aoteroa you live, this will be a government for all New Zealanders,” said Ardern.
“All of us campaigned because we believe New Zealand is a wonderful country that could be even better ... we want to say hand on heart we want to be a society that will be judged on how well we look after our vulnerable and our elderly and our children, and be proud of how we look after them.”
Many broke into spontaneous cheers and clapping when Ardern said her government would be “empathetic”.
Ardern and her team then swept into the crowd where they were warmly embraced, cheered and welcomed - and Ardern was mobbed for selfies, as has become the norm now whenever she attends public events.
So today's the day huh, the swearing in. Or as my attending 3yr old niece told kindy: 'im going to auntie Cindas lady party!'
— Clarke Gayford (@NZClarke) October 25, 2017
She then headed into parliament house to hold her first cabinet meeting, with partner Gayford and the couple’s two nieces walking with her through the front doors.
“There will be good days and there will be bad days ... so ladies and gentleman without further ado, let’s go and do this.”
