WELLINGTON, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister-designate Jacinda Ardern on Wednesday named Winston Peters, leader of the New Zealand First Party, as the deputy prime minister and foreign minister under a coalition government.
Ardern, leader of the Labor Party, has named ministers both inside and outside cabinet of her new government, which is due to be sworn in on Thursday.
The New Zealand First Party decided to side with the Labor Party to form a coalition government on Oct. 18.
Peters, 72, will hold the two positions which he is familiar with. He served as the deputy prime minister under the Bolger cabinet from 1996 to 1998, and foreign minister under the Clark cabinet from 2005 to 2008.
Ardern said that she hoped Peters can bring "experiences and expertise" to both roles of the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, especially in the coming APEC meetings and international trade.
The 37-year-old PM-designate herself will also hold the ministerial portfolios of arts culture and heritage, national security and intelligence, as well as child poverty reduction. She said reducing child poverty is a key focus of the new government. "As prime minister I want to see urgent progress in this area."
Kelvin Davis, deputy leader of the Labor Party, will hold a new role of minister of crown/maori relations, as well as tourism minister and corrections minister.
Under the new government, the role of minister of primary industries will cease to exist. The ministry will be split up, with fisheries, agriculture and forestry being separated.
David Parker, a senior Labor MP, will become minister of economic development, minister of environment and minister of trade and export growth. Ardern said she hoped that Parker and Peters will come to Vietnam for next month's APEC meetings with her.
Ron Mark, deputy leader of NZ First and a former soldier mechanic, is set to become the defence minister. NZ First MPs also hold the cabinet-ministerial positions of internal affairs, infrastructure and regional development.
In last month's election, the Labor Party and its campaign partner the Green Party secured 54 seats out of 120-seat parliament, while the ruling National Party for the last nine years won 56 seats.
As neither sides has a majority advantage, Peters and the NZ First Party, which won 9 seats became the "kingmaker" and chose the Labor Party three weeks after the Sept. 23 vote.
The Green Party did not join the coalition, but as a supporting party for the new government. The party will hold three minister roles outside the cabinet. James Shaw, the leader of the Green Party, will be the minister for climate change and minister of statistics.
