New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern unveils diverse cabinet, appoints first indigenous female Foreign Minister

Ardern appointed Nanaia Mahuta, a Maori (indigenous people of the country), as the country's first indigenous female Foreign Minister.

Earlier Mahuta was the Minister for Maori development and Local Government.

The new cabinet also comprised of Finance Minister Grant Robertson, an openly-gay, who has been appointed as the Deputy PM by Ardern.

Robertson, who is the country's Finance Minister since 2017, has been appointed to the Deputy PM's post after Labour Party deputy leader Kelvin Davis ruled himself out from standing.

A native of the Indian state of Kerala, Priyanca Radhakrishnan, has created history by becoming the first-ever Kiwi-Indian minister in the Ardern government.

She has been handed over three portfolios, Community and Voluntary Sector, Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities, Youth and Social Development and Employment.

The 42-year old two-time MP was born in Chennai, India despite having her roots in Kerala's Paravoor.

Jacinda Ardern in an address (Image Credit: Jacinda Ardern Facebook)

Riding on the successful tackling of Covid-19 pandemic, Ardern-led centre-left Labour Party was re-elected last month with a thumping majority of 49.1% of the total votes.

With 64 off 120 seats, the Labour Party was the first ever to win a majority since 1996, when the new political system was introduced.

Speaking on her new cabinet, Ardern said, "This is a cabinet and an executive that is based on merit that also happens to be incredibly diverse and I am proud of that."