WELLINGTON, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- The government of New Zealand's new Prime Minister John Key was sworn in Wednesday after an election victory earlier this month.

    Key and his 27 fellow ministers, including the 19 from his National Party who will form the cabinet and those from the support parties of ACT, the United Future and the Maori parties - were sworn in by Governor-General Anand Satyanand at a ceremony at parliament in Wellington.

    The Cabinet met on Wednesday afternoon for the first time, during which Key spelt out his expectations of ministers' performance and conduct.

    All 20 cabinet ministers are National Party MPs. There are three others who hold portfolios outside cabinet and five ministers from the support parties which have signed agreements with National.

    Key touched on the challenges faced by New Zealand at the ceremony where he and his ministers were sworn into their roles.

    Key told reporters that being sworn in was a wonderful feeling.

    "Obviously there's the enormity of the task that stands in front of us but, as I said, I've never felt more confident that the group of individuals that form the executive are the right individuals to take New Zealand on a more prosperous and safer future," he said.

    Key said it was now time to get to work.

    On Wednesday, Helen Clark carried out her last official duty as Prime Minister. Clark visited the governor-general to end the Labor Government after three terms in office.

    Clark was leader of the Labor Party for 15 years until she resigned following the party's defeat at the Nov. 8 general elections.

    Key said Wednesday marked the beginning of his "first 100 days" plan of action that was released during the election campaign.

    Parliament will sit on Dec. 8 for two weeks, and legislation to cut taxes, streamline the Resource Management Act and deal with law and order issues will be introduced.

    The new prime minister announced his Cabinet line-up on Monday with top priorities on economy.

    The National Party's deputy leader Bill English was appointed as deputy prime minister and minister of finance and will pick up the newly created infrastructure portfolio.

    Pansy Wong, 53-year-old ethnic Chinese member of parliament (MP), was appointed Minister for Ethnic Affairs and Minister of Women's Affairs, becoming the country's first Asian Cabinet minister.

    New Zealand held general elections on Nov. 8. The National party, led by John Key, defeated the Labor party of Helen Clark, who had led a government for nine years.