Jacinda Ardern
Minister, Arts, Culture and Heritage
Minister, Child Poverty Reduction
Minister, National Security and Intelligence
Prime Minister
Good afternoon, everyone. Well, look, it’s a big week ahead for the Government, the main focus, of course, being on the Budget on Thursday, which I know, certainly, we are looking forward to. On Friday, post-Budget, I’ll be visiting Waitematā hospital in the morning, then we’ll deliver my post-Budget speech at a lunch event hosted by the Trans-Tasman Business Circle.
Budget 2018, as you will have heard from some of the speeches and statements from the finance Minister, is about transforming the economy and rebuilding the foundations of health, education, and housing to improve the living standards of all New Zealanders, and you will, of course, hear more on that on Thursday.
I want to use today’s post-Cabinet press conference, though, to touch on the arrangements with the Deputy Prime Minister during the period of absence that I will have with my baby— not intending to leave early, but one should always be prepared. As you know, I intend to take a leave of absence for six weeks. Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, has agreed to be the Acting Prime Minister during this time—although I don’t recall of much choice being involved in the matter. While it’s no different than other times, because of the public interest in these particular arrangements, I’ve set them out in a letter with Mr Peters, which we’ll be making publicly available to everyone.
Broadly speaking, the Minister—Deputy Prime Minister—will exercise the function and powers of the Prime Minister, in consultation with me where appropriate. And, as I say, it’s no different to any time that he would be Acting Prime Minister in my absence, for instance, for overseas travel.
Minister Peters will manage the day-to-day business of the Government, including chairing Cabinet, the Cabinet committees that I would usually chair, which include the Appointments and Honours Committee, the Cabinet Business Committee, the Cabinet Priorities Committee. He’ll also be answering questions in the House, as is usual practice, responding to media queries that are directed to the Prime Minister, and attending official engagements where he might be available.
I will continue to be consulted on significant matters and, as I say, we’ll be circulating copies of the letter and will happily answer any questions about it today. As I say, though, we see these arrangements as no different to the kind of consultation and dialogue that we have already as Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
I will take the opportunity, just as a pre-emptive strike against any questions I may be asked around the royal wedding. The couple have said that they are incredibly grateful for the goodwill shown to them since the announcement of their engagement, and they’ve asked anyone who wishes to mark the occasion that they consider a donation to a charity rather than sending a wedding gift. Of course, given New Zealand’s close contact with the royal family—our connection to the royal family—we have decided, as we did with Prince William and Catherine, to make a donation to mark the occasion of their wedding.
With the agreement of the royal couple, the Government will be making a donation of $5,000 to the New Zealand charity PILLARS. PILLARS is a charity I have known for some time. It does amazing work with the children of prisoners and their family and whānau to achieve generational change—to support those children for better outcomes for them and their family. Both Prince Harry and Ms Markle are very supportive of organisations working to improve the lives of vulnerable children and young people, and we’re very pleased to mark their wedding in this way. Of course, I wish them all the very best for their special day on Saturday, which also happens to be, I understand, the 30th anniversary of PILLARS establishment.
All right. Happy to take any questions.