Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her deputy Grant Robertson have spoken to media about the Commonwealth Games at the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing.
Watch:
They are speaking after National's conference over the weekend saw the party's leader, Christopher Luxon, announce a new welfare policy which Ardern and Labour have been quick to criticise.
National has been prosecuting the government for months over the rising cost of living and - more recently - workforce shortages.
Last week's Cabinet meeting took place while Ardern - along with Luxon, ACT's David Seymour, Te Pāti Māori's Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, and ministers - headed to Samoa to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the treaty of friendship between the two countries.
It was the last of a series of international trips for the prime minister as international travel resumed after border closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Commonwealth Games
Robertson has also been overseas as Minister for Sport and Recreation, attending the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The games wrap up with a closing ceremony tomorrow morning (NZ time).
The pair focused on the games for much of the post-Cabinet briefing.
Ardern said she wanted to acknowledge the 233 New Zealand athletes on the final day of the Commonwealth Games competition.
"What also makes me proud is the diversity of the team. It includesz the highest female participation to date - 53 percent; 20 percent of the team is Māori and we have strong Pacific numbers too. Para-athletes and non-disabled athletes are once again competing side-by-side at the games with the largest ever para programme."
This year's event had been New Zealand's most successful yet, with a record number of golds at a Commonwealth Games, she said.
"We are in a golden era of high-performance sport in New Zealand and it has been truly remarkable to witness."
Sports Minister Grant Robertson was "able to indulge his inner sports reporter" while attending the games and kept her constantly up to date, Ardern said.
Robertson said it was an absolute privilege to see the athletes perform so well, and praised the team, the chef de mission and High Performance Sport New Zealand for their leadership and focus on athlete wellbeing both before and during the event.
"At an individual level ... Aaron Gates' performance in the road race last night was exceptional, taking his fourth gold medal and becoming the first N Zer to win four golds at a games. Ellesse Andrews and Lewis Clareburt each took three gold medals, equaling the previous record in a single games."
The team also had great sportsmanship and values, he said, such as when shotputter Jacko Gill, who thanked and shook the hand of every official who worked at the event.
"I'm told he's done this at every event he has competed in for many years and it was a moment of true humility and sportmanship."
He applauded the change in rules which allowed athletes to advocate for causes, highlighting gold-winning cyclist Sam Gaze who did so for mental health.
Ardern said there had been many memorable moments, and in October athletes from the games would join those from the Tokyo and Beijing Olympic games for a celebration.
Before that, many of the returning Commonwealth athletes will be publicly welcomed home on Thursday, 11 August, at Auckland Airport.
The Olympic Committee has welcomed the public to celebrate returning athletes at the Auckland International Arrivals hall as they arrive at 11.20am and 12.20pm.
"Team New Zealand, you've made us proud and we can't wait to welcome you home."
Asked about the comparative funding for the Australian swim team compared to New Zealand's, Robertson said the government had looked at the criteria for funding for specific sports, and additional funding had gone to some that have not won so many medals in the past but for which there appeared good prospects.
He said New Zealand swimming benefited from that.
