Wellington - New Zealand will have its first openly gay cabinet minister after Chris Carter was elected by the Labour Party's parliamentary caucus in Wellington on Monday.
Carter, who says he has campaigned for the advancement of gay, lesbian and trans-gender rights since the early 1970s, was one of three new ministers elected by the caucus following last month's general election.
Under Labour's rules, the caucus votes for the 20 cabinet ministers but Prime Minister Helen Clark will choose their portfolios later this week.
Carter, whose party biography says he has lived with his male partner for 29 years, is tipped to be minister of conservation or defence, having been deputy chairperson of the foreign affairs, defence and trade committee in the last parliament.
A founder member of Rainbow Labour, the Labour Party's gay, lesbian and trans-gender branch, Carter told reporters he would prefer to be defined by his political skills as a minister rather than his sexuality. - Sapa-DPA