Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, has said that she and other ministers in the country will take a 20% pay over six months, in order to show solidarity with those in the country who have been worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The New Zealand PM says:
‘If there was ever a time to close the gap between groups of people across New Zealand in different positions, it is now’
Ardern has said that it was important that the government’s most highly paid politicians show “leadership and solidarity” with those workers on the frontline as well as those who have lost their livelihoods.
The Prime Minister herself, as well as government ministers and public service chief executives will all be taking a reduction in pay for six months, starting immediately.
The pay cut will reduce Ardern’s Prime Ministerial salary by $47,104 (around £22,558), and her cabinet ministers will be taking reductions in pay of $26,900 each, and deputy prime minister Winston Peters’ salary would be reduced by $33,473.
Jacinda Ardern said in a statement: “If there was ever a time to close the gap between groups of people across New Zealand in different positions, it is now. I am responsible for the executive branch and this is where we can take action … it is about showing solidarity in New Zealand’s time of need.”
So far New Zealand has been implementing their lockdown measures for three weeks,that mean that no one in the country is allowed to leave their homes except for necessities or to exercise or get fresh air outside.
Over 1,300 people in the nation have now contracted COVID-19, and there have been nine deaths due to the cornavirus so far, all of the fatalities have been elderly people with pre-existing health conditions.
1.5 million people in New Zealand have claimed assistance from the government’s wage subsidy to help them deal with a temporary loss in income.
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