Three Northland MPs in Cabinet - unprecedented

Prime Minister elect Jacinda Ardern arriving for her press conference with Grant Robertson, left, and Kelvin Davis.

Crikey.

Northland is set to have three ministers in Parliament - Winston Peters (deputy prime minister), Shane Jones (NZ First) and Kelvin Davis (Labour).

Unprecedented.

Having been tipped by a Wellington-based journalistic colleague that Winston was going with Labour, it was still a moment to remember, when he actually said it.

Clearly, Winston has no issue being alongside Labour - look no further than former Labour NZ First MP Shane Jones for evidence of that.

But there will be a few farmers shaking their heads over a Lion Red or two tonight, hoping the country's rural sector doesn't go to hell in a red-coloured handbasket in the next three years.

Selfishly, this could be good for Northland in terms of the activation of the regional economy in the next three years.

Winston campaigned on creating business for Northland's deep water port and moving containers and cars from Auckland, creating space in Auckland and work for the North.

He was asked about this on Thursday night after announcing he had chosen Labour, and deferred questions on it to new PM Jacinda Ardern.

Ms Ardern remarked during her conference that Winston had stuck strongly to the issues that he had campaigned upon. So look for some announcement re ports in the next few weeks or months.

The timing is excellent - a developer has bought Marsden City - set up to cope with port and Marsden/One Tree Point commercial expansion, and slowed by dodgy plumbing and a buggered, albeit brand new, waste and stormwater system.

But that's in the past, those problems are being or have been addressed and someone (a mystery because ownership documents are not yet public) clearly has faith in the port and the area.

Are we going to get containers and cars out of Auckland, to Northland's port?

Perhaps not, perhaps one of them becomes a concession in order to get the deal done.

But if it happens, Winston Peters' legacy to Northland will be a legendary one, because for years, decades even, the "how to" factor has been debated re the port fulfilling its potential, and until now no one has been able to make it happen.

Shane Reti was able to achieve significant government funding for his electorate while National was in power. In three years he demonstrated potential to be the city's most effective MP in years, and three years in opposition will make him a bigger, faster, stronger MP.

Kelvin Davis - wow, what an ascension. As someone who observed on Twitter on Thursday night said, "A woman under 40yo, a Māori man, and an openly gay man on our screen as our new govt."

Tu meke!

So what comes from our region having three ministers in Cabinet?

Plus MPs in government like Labour's Willow-Jean Prime, in the Northland electorate. And opposition MPs like Matt King and Shane Reti keeping them honest?

Greater expectation from voters for a start, and therefore increased pressure to perform.

Some of us were on the verge of ceasing to give a toss while we waited to hear who was going with whom.

For goodness sake, Winston even delayed telling us who it was by five minutes with his prelude ramble to the announcement.

But now we know, it's time to get on with it.

Northland has been neglected - we are now feeling the political love like never before.

Let's turn that into something tangible - jobs, social and health improvements, a stronger regional economy, reduced crime, a housing and rental market in tune with our "local" economy.

May the honeymoon be long and the polygamist political marriage a happy one.