OCEANIA/NEW ZEALAND - New Prime Minister elected; Christian leaders make an appeal for the war on poverty

Monday, 10 November 2008

Wellington (Agenzia Fides) – New Zealand has elected a new Prime Minister, after 9 consecutive years of the Labour Party, conservative John Key, a 47 year-old businessman, has been elected with 45% of the votes, versus the 33% allotted to the Labour Paty led by ousted Premier Helen Clark. The results shows that there were 59 seats awarded to the National Party, of the Prime Minister, and 43 to the Labour Party. Key brings with him a long-standing career as a banker, having been a member of the Federal Reserve Bank from 1999-2001, and is today a multi-millionaire.
The Prime Minister has met with his allies in government to form a coalition, given that in order to have the majority in Parliament, his party needs at least another 5 seats. The two parties are: ACT and United Future. New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy, with a parliamentary form of government, thus the Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II, who is represented by a leader in central government. The country has experienced a regular alteration between nationalists and labor party members in the last 20 years.
The new Prime Minister has mentioned that the country is passing through “difficult times,” due to the world economic crisis. According to predictions, the country's economy will be in a deadlock until 2009.
One of the first meetings to be attended by Key will be that of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, in which the countries in the area will examine possibilities for fighting the economic crisis.
On the eve of elections, the Christian leaders in New Zealand came together in an ecumenical forum, and sent an Open Letter to the future governors, asking them to make the war on poverty a priority for the national policy, especially considering large families, the poor, the unemployed, and the homeless.
These issues, the Christian leaders said, must be addressed by the government, in guaranteeing the respect for the dignity and well-being of all citizens.
The letter places five crucial issues at the government's attention: the use of national prosperity to eliminate poverty; support families and protect children; provide basic assistance (e.g. medical) for the elderly; guarantee all people the right to housing; support local communities with social services. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 10/11/2008)


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