WELLINGTON: Former airline chief Christopher Luxon officially took office as New Zealand’s prime minister on Monday, pledging to tame high inflation and bring down interest rates in the country.
He took over about six weeks following his conservative National Party won elections, ending a six-year Labour Party rule ushered in by former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Luxon once Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air New Zealand, was sworn in as top executive of a new coalition government by the country’s governor-general in a ceremony in Wellington. After the ceremony, he told the media that the new job is an honor and a tremendous responsibility.
Christopher Luxon Sworn in as New PM of New Zealand
He added that his number one duty is to address the issue of economy. He maintained that the new government has to decrease the cost of living and also get high inflation under control so to lower interest rates and make food more and more affordable in the country.
The previous Labour government had struggled to control the increasing cost of living, a global matter blamed in part on pandemic-related supply problems and Russia’s attack of Ukraine.
The previous prime minister, Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins, took over from Ardern in January. She had unexpectedly tendered resignation, calling an end to her term in office because she no longer had “enough in the tank”.
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Luxon becomes the 42nd PM of New Zealand following cobbling together a coalition government in prolonged talks that came to an end Friday, around six weeks after the poll in the country.
