Scoop Images: We Have A New Government

Prime Minister Helen Clark announced the formation of a minority coalition government between Labour and the Progressive Coalition, with support from United Future on confidence and supply, in the Legislative Council Chamber at Parliament today.

Jim Anderton’s Progressive Coalition Party will have one cabinet post. United Future will have none, but as a condition of the confidence and supply agreement, Labour has agreed to develop proposals for a Commission for the Family; pass victims’ rights legislation; and introduce new transport legislation to accelerate the development of new roading infrastructure.

Miss Clark said her government would not introduce legislation to decriminalise or legalise cannabis, in another concession to United Future. She pointed out, however, that there was nothing to stop any MP introducing a private members bill to change the legal status of the drug.

United Future Leader Peter Dunne said that under the agreement, the government can have absolute confidence of his party’s support, providing it observes the good faith and no surprises provisions laid out in the agreement. He said he had no reason to believe that would be broken on either side.

Miss Clark said she that although there were no plans to include Mr Dunne in Cabinet, she isn’t ruling anything out in the future.

Asked about whether, as claimed by Rod Donald earlier in the day, she had opted for a Government that supports quarantining AIDS victims, she said there is nothing in United Future’s policy that backs such an initiative.

“That’s clearly not United Future policy,” she said, adding that in all the years she known Mr Dunne she’s found him to be a “mainstream and moderate person.”

Asked if this could be considered a mainstream and moderate government, she said: "We are a mainstream, moderate, social democratic government.”

Helen Clark announces a new government

The coalition and confidence and supply agreements are signed…

…and shaken on

Jim Anderton addresses media, MPs and parliamentary staff...

...and Peter Dunne begins work saving the nuclear family

All three share a special hug…

…and feel slightly embarrassed

© Scoop Media