National Party Reshuffle

Judith Collins has announced her her line up:

1. Judith Collins – Pacific Peoples, Technology, Manufacturing & Artificial Intelligence
2. Shane Reti – Health, Children
3. Andrew Bayly – Shadow Treasurer (Revenue), Infrastructure, Statistics
4. Michael Woodhouse – Finance, Transport, Deputy Shadow Leader of the House
5. Louise Upston – Social Development & Employment, Social Investment, Whanau Ora, Land Information
6. Todd McClay – Economic Development, Small Business, Commerce & Consumer Affairs, Tourism, Associate Pacific Peoples
7. Simon Bridges – Justice, Water, Pike River Re-entry, Maori-Crown Relations
8. Chris Bishop – Covid-19 Response, Shadow Leader of the House
9. Melissa Lee – Broadcasting & Media, Digital Economy & Communications, Ethnic Communities
10. Scott Simpson – Environment, Workplace Relations, RMA (Environment)
11. David Bennett – Agriculture, Horticulture, Biosecurity
12. Paul Goldsmith – Education
13. Mark Mitchell – Public Service, SOEs, Sports & Recreation
14. Barbara Kuriger – Energy & Resources, Rural Communities, Food Safety, Associate Transport
15. Gerry Brownlee – Foreign Affairs, GCSB & NZSIS, Associate Finance
16. Nicola Willis – RMA (Housing), Housing & Urban Development
    (including Social), Associate Economic Development
17. Stuart Smith – Climate Change, Viticulture
18. Jacqui Dean – Conservation, Assistant Speaker
19. Todd Muller – Trade & Export Growth, Internal Affairs
20. Simeon Brown – Police, Corrections, SFO, Youth
21. Matt Doocey – Chief Whip, Mental Health, Associate Social Development & Employment, Associate Health
22. Maureen Pugh – Junior Whip, Community & Voluntary Sector, Emergency Management
23. Nick Smith – Research & Science, Electoral Reform
24. Chris Penk – Shadow Attorney-General, Defence, Courts, Veterans
25. Simon O’Connor – Customs, Arts, Culture & Heritage, Associate Foreign Affairs
26. Erica Stanford – Immigration, Early Childhood Education
27. Ian McKelvie – Seniors, Forestry, Racing, Disability Issues
28. Tim van de Molen – Oceans & Fisheries, Animal Welfare, Building & Construction
29. Nicola Grigg – Women, Associate Trade, Associate Arts, Culture & Heritage
30. Christopher Luxon – Local Government, Iwi Development, Associate Transport
31. Joseph Mooney – Treaty Negotiations, Associate Defence, Associate Tourism
32. Penny Simmonds – Tertiary Education, Associate Agriculture, Associate Disability Issues
33. Simon Watts – ACC, Associate Health

Clearly Judith Collins has rewarded her loyalists, and punished the leakers and those full of themselves.

Simon Bridges has been reported as turning down Finance because of the split roles there so as a consequence he has ended up with Justice. Personally, I think he is rated far too highly.

Todd Muller has slid down the ranking, and as the person most responsible for National’s poor showing he is lucky to have his position start with a one.

Another person who has slid a little bit, but perhaps not far enough, is Mark Mitchell. His roles should serve as a lesson to him that leaking and playing silly games doesn’t endear you to your caucus pals. He will need to up his workload in order to counter the prevailing narrative that he is lazy and only ever did what Paula Bennett wanted.

Simeon Brown will be pleased that he’s scored Police AND Corrections, and will be up against the hapless Kelvin Davis and the untried Poto Williams. He has a chance to make a big mark with those portfolios.

National still has a lot of work to rebuild, but there is a good mix in the portfolios. Now reform of the party needs to commence, starting with a rinsing for Peter Goodfellow at the conference in a couple of weeks.

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