National signs deal with Maori Party

Prime Minister John Key hongis with Maori Party leader Te Ururoa Flavell before their confidence and supply talks at the Beehive. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Maori Party Co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell has been appointed as Minister for Maori Development, Whanau Ora and Associate Economic Development Minister after his party inked its confidence and supply deal with National this afternoon.

The portfolio of Maori Development is the new name for Maori Affairs.

The deal which is also a ''Relationship Accord'' was signed by Prime Minister John Key, Mr Flavell and Maori Party Co-leader outside of Parliament Tariana Turia.

Mr Key said along with the portfolios National had agreed to work with the Maori Party on a range of priority areas including Whanau Ora, the Ministerial Committee on Poverty and Maori economic and regional development.

National's confidence and supply deals with the Maori Party, United Future and Act have assumed more importance given Mr Key's Government lost an MP and its outright majority following the count of special votes and the final election result announced yesterday.

Mr Key said there was no effective difference between the new Maori Development portfolio and the old Maori Affairs one.

''But it gives you a sense of where the minister will want to shape the portfolio.''

Tomorrow's announcement of the new Cabinet would see a series of general portfolios renamed to reflect ''where we want the process to go''.

Mr Flavell said he wanted the Associated Economic Development portfolio because ''we can see clearly the link between economic development and lifting people out of poverty''.