The new Executive
The new ministerial list is here.
The change in rankings is shown below.
So Adams and Bridges are the big movers up. Bennett and Coleman also move to the front bench, meaning four new front benchers. This is great – National needs to rejuvenate to maintain support, and Key has shown significant caucus and cabinet rejuvenation, at a time where Labour has stagnated. Kaye, Woodhouse, McClay and Lotu-Iiga also move up the ranks, with the former two moving into Cabinet.
Maggie Barry is a brand new Cabinet Minister, and Louise Upston and Paul Goldsmith become Ministers outside Cabinet.
Craig Foss remains a Minister, but outside Cabinet. And Chester Borrows leave the ministry, but is likely to become Deputy Speaker.
Some of the significant portfolio changes:
- PM becomes overall Minister for National Security and Intelligence but Chris Finlayson will be Minister responsible for the SIS and GCSB
- Paula Bennett made Minister for Social Housing and gains Associate Finance plus State Services
- Jonathan Coleman becomes Health Minister
- Amy Adams is Justice Minister
- Simon Bridges gets Transport and gives up Labour to Michael Woodhouse
- Gerry Brownlee gets Defence
- Anne Tolley is Welfare, or Social Development Minister
- Nick Smith swaps Conservation for Environment, and Maggie Barry gets Conservation
- Nikki Kaye picks up the ACC portfolio
- Michael Woodhouse also picks up Police and Sam Lotu-Iiga gets Corrections
- Louise Upston gets Land Information and is Minister for Women
- Paul Goldsmith gets Commerce and Consumer Affairs
It is an elegant reshuffle with some ministers keeping their main portfolios, but a lot of change. Helen Clark in her third term left rejuvenation far too late. It is good to see the PM determined not to make the same mistake.