The Green Party will have ministerial responsibilities relating to climate change, restoring forests and rivers and eradicating poverty, leader James Shaw says.
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Late last night the party's delegates ratified the agreement to support Labour on confidence and supply and will have three ministers outside cabinet and an undersecretary.
The party will have its first ministerial portfolios in its party's history in the new Labour-led coalition.
"One of the advantages of confidence and supply is that it does give us the ability to be a bit more independent."
The Greens were "closer to the coalition end than the cross benches end" of the governing arrangement, but had the ability to retain a bit of its distinctiveness, he said.
Its suite of portfolios would relate to its campaign policies of fighting against global climate change, restoring and replenishing forests, rivers and birds and ending poverty.
Mr Shaw was confident the goverment would last its full term.
The New Zealand First leader Winston Peters wanted to secure a legacy for his party, he said.
"One of the things I know is important to him is that we have a stable and responsible government that can go the whole distance."
