Just announced that Labour will be forming a coalition government with the Greens and New Zealand First!
Some key points:
Jacinda Ardern becomes the youngest-ever New Zealand Prime Minister, at 37, and the third woman to take the post, only a few months after becoming party leader.
The Greens will have Ministerial portfolios for the first time in New Zealand. As I’m a Green party member and door-knocked for them, I’m pretty chuffed.
Our likely Finance Minister is a total indie kid and a Flying Nun fanatic. (And I used to play touch rugby with him!). He’s also going to be the highest profile openly gay politician in NZ. (I hate the phrase openly gay, but a former PM was widely considered to be a lesbian, although she never said so, so in this case it is somewhat relevant).
New Zealand First are kinda like a less objectionable UKIP: somewhat xenophobic and socially conservative. Let’s hope the other parties can minimise this and keep them involved in regional development and revitalising the racing industry.
A lot of misogynists are crying really hard now. Jeremy Corbyn is happy.