Breakfast's FULL INTERVIEW: 'There was more that united us, than divided us' - Jacinda determined to deliver on campaign promises as PM

October 20, 2017

Jacinda Ardern talks to Breakfast just hours after finding out she had been propelled into power.

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern says it will "take a little bit of time" for the term Prime Minister to sink in.

Ardern said she found out with the rest of the country that Winston Peters had picked Labour over National last night for the formation of the country's next government.

She told TV1's Breakfast that "there was more that united us, than divided us" with regards to the coalition talks with NZ First.

The PM-elect will discuss how NZ's new government may look in the coming days.

"I knew it was a knife-edge negotiation," she said.

Ardern said "there are a few matters to be ironed out", but that "the things we campaigned on, we will now deliver on".

She said there were points with NZ First where "we agreed to disagree". Full details about the agreements are to be made public next week.

Today, Ardern will face her first major task as the leader of the next government today - choosing her cabinet.

They're the people she'll most rely on as she navigates the responsibilities that come with being prime minister.

The cabinet will include not only her own MPs but also four NZ First ministers, positions secured in the deal that allowed the two parties to form a coalition government.

Three portfolios will also be reserved for Green Party MPs who will sit outside cabinet.

Bryce Edwards said 'Winston Peters really wanted to shake things up'.

Decisions will be made at a caucus meeting this afternoon.

The full government deal is expected to be finalised by Friday evening, meaning policy gains and concessions will start to be revealed.

Some policy positions have already been revealed - Labour will retain both its KiwiBuild housing plan and its immigration proposal.

Winston Peters speech in the Beehive, where he announces the new NZ Government.

Ms Ardern indicated Labour's position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership - seeking changes to the original agreement before signing a new TPP11 deal - also remains the same.

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