The yawn Cabinet reshuffle
The changes announced by PM Jacinda Ardern are:
- Kris Faafoi promoted to Cabinet (well deserved) and picks up Government Digital Services and gets a role in Housing
- Poto Williams goes from Assistant Speaker to Minister outside Cabinet for community sector
- Phil Twyford has housing portfolio split between him and Woods (Housing/Kiwibuild) and Faafoi (public housing). Twyford has urban development and gets Economic Development off Parker
- Ruth Dyson goes from Chief Whip to Assistant Speaker
Hard luck for Michael Wood who has been an effective Under-Secretary and on merit should have been made a Minister, but he was the wrong demographics.
UPDATE: Wood gets Chief Government Whip which is a reasonable consolation prize.
Small credit to the PM for not reappointing Whaitiri, considering she still denies she assaulted her press secretary.
Also Priyanca Radhakrishnan becomes the Parliamentary Private Secretary for Ethnic Affairs and Willow Jean Prime becomes Parliamentary Private Secretary for Local Government. These are not Executive roles.
Deborah Russell gives up Chair of the Environment Select Committee and becomes the Chair of the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee and Duncan Webb becomes the Chair of the Environment Select Committee. This suggests Russell is in line to become a Minister next.