New Zealand Greens accept Ardern's offer of 'cooperation agreement'
Source: The Guardian
New Zealand Greens accept Ardern's offer of 'cooperation agreement'
Deal with Labour stops short of a coalition but will see Greens co-leaders, James Shaw and Marama Davidson, hold ministries outside of cabinet
Eleanor Ainge Roy in Queenstown
@EleanorAingeRoy
Sat 31 Oct 2020 07.57 GMT
New Zealands prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has agreed on a governing cooperation agreement with the Green party, offering two ministries and agreeing to a handful of shared policy priorities for her second term an offer they accepted late on Saturday.
Labour won the general election in October with an outright majority, meaning they could govern alone. But Ardern invited the Greens into a cooperation agreement, saying it would allow the government to benefit from the expertise of Green party members in areas such as the environment, climate change and child wellbeing.
In a move being applauded by supporters of the left, Green party co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson will both hold ministerial portfolios outside of cabinet, making the most of their areas of experience, interest and expertise.
Shaw will continue as climate change minister, as well as associate environment minister (biodiversity), while Davidson will be appointed to the new position of minister for the prevention of family and sexual violence, and will also take on the role of associate minister of housing (homelessness).
Davidson is Māori, and a survivor of sexual violence.
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Read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/31/new-zealand-greens-accept-arderns-offer-of-cooperation-agreement