New Zealand Prime Minister- elect John Key on Sunday announced the formation of a National partry-led centre-right government.
At a joint press conference with ACT party leader Rodney Hide at the parliament on Sunday, Key announced he had formally signed up ACT's support.
The ACT Party formally supported the National-led government in return for its leader Rodney Hide and fellow MP Heather Roy being appointed ministers outside Cabinet.
Under the deal, Hide will be the Minister of Local Government and Regulatory Reform while Roy will be the Minister of Consumer Affairs.
On Sunday afternoon, the National Party is to announce the agreements it has reached with the United Future and the Maori Party.
The ACT Party won five seats in the Nov. 8 general elections and along with the United Future Party, which won one, pledged to support National, meaning National's haul of 59 seats assured it a majority in the incoming 122-member Parliament.
But Key's success in signing up the Maori Party means National could command 70 votes on confidence and supply issues.
Key's formal inking of the deals paves the way for him to announce his Cabinet on Monday and for him and his ministers to be sworn in on Wednesday.
That will allow Mr. Key to fly out on Thursday to the APEC informal leaders meeting in Peru at the weekend as New Zealand's new prime minister.
(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2008)
