Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unveiled what she called an "incredibly diverse" cabinet Monday that includes the country's first female foreign minister, indigenous woman Nanaia Mahuta.
The centre-left leader revamped her ministerial line-up in the wake of a landslide election victory, saying her second-term priorities were responding to Covid-19 and promoting economic recovery.
Women and the Maori community are strongly represented in the 20-member cabinet, including new Foreign Minister Ms Mahuta, who has a moko kauae – a traditional female Maori tattoo on the chin.
These are individuals who have been promoted for what they bring to the cabinet, they also reflect the New Zealand that elected them
While expressing pride at her cabinet's diversity, Ms Ardern also said appointments were made on merit.
"It is both a cabinet with huge merit and talent, which also happens to be incredibly diverse," the 40-year-old said. "I think it's an important point to make – these are individuals who have been promoted for what they bring to the cabinet, they also reflect the New Zealand that elected them."
Ms Mahuta, the first woman to become New Zealand foreign minister, was elected to parliament in 1996 but got the traditional tattoo in 2016 at the urging of her daughter.
The distinctive decoration is unique to her, although it has design elements specific to her iwi, or tribe. The male moko covers the entire face.
At the time, Mahuta said the tattoo was a way to both honour her ancestors and reduce stigma surrounding an aspect of Maori culture that many New Zealanders have associated with crime and gangs.
"She's someone who builds fantastic relationships very, very quickly and that is one of the key jobs in a foreign affairs role," Ms Ardern said of her new chief diplomat.
Maori and Pacific islanders comprise just under a quarter of the population but are vastly over-represented in statistics on crime, poverty and prisons.
Ms Ardern said it was simply a coincidence that her ministers for justice, courts, domestic violence, corrections and the police came from these communities.
"My focus was just (choosing the) best person for the job," she said.
Ms Ardern won the October 17 election campaigning on New Zealand's success containing coronavirus and her cabinet includes a new role of minister for Covid-19 response, filled by former health minister Chris Hipkins.
She said the change would allow Mr Hipkins to focus on issues such as border control and managed isolation, without distraction from the wider health portfolio.
Ms Ardern also appointed Grant Robertson as deputy prime minister, making him the first openly gay person to hold the role.
Mr Robertson, 49, has long acted as Ardern's right-hand man – he controlled the government's purse strings as finance minister during her first term and was chief strategist of her election campaign.
The deputy's role – which he will hold along with the finance and infrastructure portfolios – formalises his position and will see him become acting prime minister when Ms Ardern is overseas.
While Ms Ardern won the election with an absolute majority, meaning her Labour Party can govern alone, she also appointed two Greens lawmakers to ministries outside the cabinet.
One Greens co-leader, James Shaw, will become climate change minister and the other, Marama Davidson, will have a portfolio focusing on preventing family and sexual violence.
The government will be sworn in on Friday.
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Scoreline
Liverpool 3
Mane (7'), Salah (69'), Firmino (90')
Bournemouth 0
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: Najem Al Rwasi, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
2.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Fandim, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
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Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
if you go
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
MATCH INFO
Europa League final
Who: Marseille v Atletico Madrid
Where: Parc OL, Lyon, France
When: Wednesday, 10.45pm kick off (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE%20SQUAD
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Founders: Ines Mena, Claudia Ribas, Simona Agolini, Nourhan Hassan and Therese Hundt
Date started: January 2017, app launched November 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Private/Retail/Leisure
Number of Employees: 18 employees, including full-time and flexible workers
Funding stage and size: Seed round completed Q4 2019 - $1m raised
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, 500 Startups, Vision Ventures, Seedstars, Mindshift Capital, Delta Partners Ventures, with support from the OQAL Angel Investor Network and UAE Business Angels
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
THE SPECS
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The view from The National
