The Ardern era begins
Out with the old, in with the new. Jacinda Ardern was always going to treat day one of her prime ministership as a chance to stamp a fresh face on the Beehive. She did that with an American-style ‘‘inauguration’’ ceremony on the steps of Parliament, cheered on by hundreds of jubilant Labour supporters.
It’s the victory party Ardern never got after the election.
In contrast, there was no pomp and not much ceremony to farewell National leader Bill English as he drove off from Parliament for probably the last time as prime minister – just a small gathering of supporters and former staff.
Probably, because National faces a painful period of change and renewal even if, for now, it believes its election loss is just a temporary setback on the path back to power. When it’s back – maybe three, six or nine years from now – it’s unlikely to be with English at the helm.
The path ahead for Ardern won’t be easy either, but she has two powerful advantages over her opponents – incumbency and the undivided attention of voters, who still have a voracious appetite for news about the new Government.
Ardern will be using that honeymoon period to usher in the new era with a raft of changes, including potentially a miniBudget before Christmas, free tertiary education kicking in from January, a big boost to incomes through a whopping increase to the Working For Families package, and a ban on foreigners buying existing houses.
Putting the wheels in motion for Labour’s big house-building programme and the creation of a large regional infrastructure fund under NZ First will also give the new government programme impetus.
Some changes may be less popular – like the regional fuel tax that Auckland motorists are griping about, even if it will be at arm’s length from the Government itself – but first-term administrations usually get more leeway.
That’s one reason National will spend the period between now and Christmas giving Ardern’s new government space – not out of courtesy but because it knows it will struggle to be heard while everyone is focused on the change of government, and will risk looking like Opposition carping.
Politics, after all, is a lot like the Rugby World Cup. It’s winning that counts, not the manner of winning. Or, as former prime minister Sir John Key once observed, ‘‘winning ugly is better than losing tidy’’.
But the period of grace from National won’t last beyond the end of the year.
Ardern and her new executive should make the most of it.
History has been made as Jacinda Ardern takes the reins as New Zealand’s 40th prime minister, and the youngest woman to lead the country at 37.
In true Labour style, Ardern and her ministers travelled by bus to Government House in Wellington to be sworn in by GovernorGeneral Dame Patsy Reddy yesterday.
Family, friends and hordes of media gathered inside Parliament House, with Ardern’s partner Clarke Gayford, and her father Ross, front and centre.
Gayford’s nieces were also there for what one of them called ‘‘Aunty Cinda’s lady party’’. Meanwhile, in Britain, Ardern’s sister Louise gave birth to a boy on the same day.
When asked by Reddy, Ardern confirmed she could form a stable government, and was officially sworn in as leader of the executive, to great applause.
She signed her warrant as prime minister, and swore an oath of office ahead of the other ministers.
Many – such as Shane Jones and Kelvin Davis – took their oaths in Ma¯ ori, and for the first time an MP, Su’a William Sio, took the oath in Samoan.
Ministers then signed documents, before a ceremony where ministerial warrants were signed by the Governor-General. Parliamentary under-secretaries were then sworn in.
In total, 14 ministers and undersecretaries took the affirmation of allegiance, instead of swearing on the Bible, including Ardern.
Meanwhile, 17 did use the Bible, including all of NZ First.
Before the new executive broke to have a pictures taken and lunch with the Governor-General, Ardern addressed her new Government.
‘‘I expect, but I also know, that all of you will do this job to the best of your abilities,’’ she said.
‘‘We have a responsibility now, to all New Zealanders, to do our very best to achieve the goals of this Government. To be a Government that is active, that is focused, that is empathetic, and that is strong.’’
Following the more sombre, traditional swearing in, the fresh Government met the masses with an inauguration-style return to Parliament.
A band – a quarter of Kiwi group Fat Freddy’s Drop – and more than 500 supporters gathered at Parliament to welcome the new Government. The relaxed, campaign-style welcome was partially Ardern fulfilling her promise to a voter who she’d spoken to online ahead of the election.
The new prime minister addressed the crowd, flanked by her ministers, saying it was an ‘‘enormous privilege and an honour’’ to stand before her supporters; ‘‘in front of your house, with your Government’’.
‘‘Not everyone voted for us, this is a democracy, of course not everybody voted for us. But we vow that, regardless of who you voted for, regardless of where in Aotearoa New Zealand you live, this will be a Government for all New Zealanders.’’
She signed off with a twist on Labour’s campaign slogan: ‘‘Let’s go and do this.’’
Ardern is set for a big pay rise as she takes on the top job, while Opposition leader Bill English will receive a pay cut.
The salary for the Opposition leader for the 2018 financial year is $296,007, plus $16,980 in allowances ($312,987).
The salary for the prime minister is $471,049, plus $22,606 in allowances. Taking the total to $493,655.
That means Ardern has snagged a $180,668 annual pay rise, which means English’s salary has been slashed by the same amount.
English will also lose some of the perks of the top job, like his security details. But he will keep a Crown limo.
Meanwhile, Ardern has signalled she will be moving into Premier House, the prime minister’s official residence.
NZ First leader Winston Peters will also receive a pay rise as deputy prime minister, to $334,734, plus $16,980 in allowances.
Following her public welcome, Ardern addressed the media and said she would outline her new 100-day plan on Tuesday.
There would be a few changes to the plan that was released before the election, but not many, she said. It would likely include a ‘‘mini Budget’’, and would still include the promise of free tertiary education for the first year, from 2018.
Ardern and her senior ministers then made their way to the Beehive, where she led her first Cabinet meeting.
Shortly before the new prime minister and her government were officially sworn in, another resigned.
Earlier yesterday, about 40 staff gathered at the entrance to the Beehive to farewell English, as he set off on his last trip as prime minister.
Bring driven off in Crown Car CR1, he also went to Government House, but this time to hand his resignation to the GovernorGeneral.
English is now be the leader of the Opposition.
Late on Wednesday night, English sent a letter to his supporters saying the final election result was ‘‘of course disappointing’’, but it was important to accept the election result ‘‘which is entirely legitimate under MMP’’.
‘‘The job now is to pick ourselves up and begin the fight again for the values we all believe in.’’
"We vow that ... this will be a Government for all New Zealanders." Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern