Formal opening of Parliament next week

Parliament will meet for the state opening of the 52nd Parliament on Wednesday, November 8, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced yesterday.

Members will be sworn in and a Speaker elected next Tuesday – a day later than the Beehive gossip had suggested – at the commission opening. Labour’s nomination for Speaker veteran MP Trevor Mallard is expected to be elected.

The next day Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy, will read the Speech from the Throne setting out the Government’s agenda.

‘‘We promised we would be a government of action so I’m pleased to announce the opening of Parliament next week,’’ Ardern said.

‘‘The Speech from the Throne will set out our vision for a fairer, better New Zealand and the measures we intend to introduce over the next three years to achieve that.

‘‘Our priorities are to take action to reduce child poverty and inequality, help Kiwis to live in affordable, warm, dry homes, restore funding to our health system so all can access it, expand jobs and opportunities in our regions, make post-secondary school education more affordable, clean up our rivers and play our part in tackling climate change,’’ she said.

‘‘The opening of Parliament means we will be able to start making progress on many of the key elements of our 100 Day Plan and start delivering real change to improve the lives of New Zealanders.’’

The Commission Opening will take place at 11am on Tuesday with Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias acting as a royal commissioner. The public can watch both ceremonies in Parliament grounds or live on Parliament TV and RNZ.

The first full Cabinet meeting of the new Labour-NZ First government will be held today.