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Story: Cabinet government

New government's first cabinet meeting

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New government's first cabinet meeting

New National Party Prime Minister John Key (centre left) poses with members of his cabinet at their first meeting in the Beehive cabinet room on 18 November 2008. Beside him is the highest-ranked minister, Minister of Finance Bill English. Ministers are seated around the cabinet table in order of seniority, with the most junior minister opposite the prime minister.

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New Zealand Herald

Reference: 191108NZHMMCABINET3.JPG

by Mark Mitchell

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How to cite this page

Chris Eichbaum, Cabinet government – What is cabinet?, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/34339/new-governments-first-cabinet-meeting (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Chris Eichbaum, published 23 March 2012.