Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unveiled what she called an "incredibly diverse" cabinet Monday that includes New Zealand's first openly gay deputy prime minister and a foreign minister with a Maori facial tattoo.

The centre-left leader revamped her ministerial line-up in the wake of a landslide election victory, saying her second-term priorities were responding to Covid-19 and promoting economic recovery. Ardern appointed Grant Robertson as deputy prime minister, making him the first openly gay person to hold the role.

Women and the Maori community are also strongly represented in the 20-member cabinet, including new Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta, who has a moko kauae — a traditional female Maori tattoo on the chin.

While expressing pride at her cabinet's diversity, Ardern also said appointments were made on merit.

"It is both a cabinet with huge merit and talent, which also happens to be incredibly diverse," the 40-year-old said. "I think it's an important point to make — these are individuals who have been promoted for what they bring to the cabinet, they also reflect the New Zealand that elected them."

Robertson, 49, has long acted as Ardern's right-hand man — he controlled the government's purse strings as finance minister during her first term and was chief strategist of her election campaign. The deputy's role — which he will hold along with the finance and infrastructure portfolios — formalises his position and will see him become acting prime minister when Ardern is overseas.

Asked about the significance of having a gay man as her second in command, Ardern said Robertson was selected for his leadership abilities, not how he identified. Read more via France24