Wellington, November 2: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday unveiled her "incredibly diverse" cabinet. Jacinda Ardern appointed Grant Robertson as deputy prime minister. Notably, Grant Robertson is the first gay Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand. Robertson will also look after the Finance and Infrastructure Ministry.

"In what will be a difficult environment it's critical we have our most experienced ministers leading the ongoing Covid response to keep New Zealanders safe from the virus and to accelerate our plan for economic recovery," reported Bloomberg quoting Ardern as saying. Jacinda Ardern After Winning New Zealand Election 2020: 'The World Is Increasingly Becoming Polarised But I Hope NZ Has Shown That This Is Not Who We Are'; Watch Video

The 49-year-old Deputy PM of the country was chief strategist during Ardern's election campaign. Ardern said that, the main reason for selection Robertson for the post was his leadership qualities. How New Zealand Defeated COVID-19: Timeline of The Kiwi Battle to Eliminate Coronavirus and Role Played by Jacinda Ardern.

Ardern also appointed Nanaia Mahuta as Foreign Minister, Mahuta has a moko kauae - a traditional Maori tattoo on her chin. She belongs to Moko community. The New Zealand PM said that her cabinet was based on merit.

Last month, Ardern won a landslide victory in the country's general elections held earlier on October 17, securing her a second term in office. Ardern's liberal Labour Party had won around 49 percent votes. Its main rival, conservative National Party managed to bag 27 percent of votes. This would also be the first time since 1996 when New Zealand will witness the formation of a single-party majority government.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 02, 2020 10:07 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).