Prime Minister Jacinda Arden has announced a Cabinet reshuffle, which sees Justice and Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi set to leave Parliament and under-fire Poto Williams replaced as Police Minister by the Government's go-to problem solver Chris Hipkins.
The also-under fire speaker Trevor Mallard will leave in August.
The reshuffle was bigger than had been suggested ahead of time. And Ardern said there would be another reshuffle next year ahead of the election.
These are the main moves:
- Kris Faafoi resigns from Parliament. Kiri Allan promoted to Justice Minister, Michael Wood picks up Immigration.
- Speaker Trevor Mallard to end 35 year parliamentary career in mid-August as he prepares to take up a diplomatic post in Europe. Adrian Rurawhe to be nominated as Speaker.
- Priyanca Radhakrishnan moves into Cabinet and gains Associate Workplace Relations and Safety.
- Kieran McAnulty becomes a Minister outside of Cabinet with a focus on regional issues - picking up Emergency Management and Racing. Duncan Webb to take over as Chief Whip.
- Chris Hipkins takes over Police and passes Covid-19 Response to Ayesha Verrall.
As Police Minister, Williams has been coming under attack from the opposition parties, and last week National Party leader Christopher Luxon called for her removal.
“Poto Williams may have skills better suited to other portfolios, but it is clear she is not equipped to be Police Minister, especially at a time when gang activity and violent crime are increasing.
“Police officers across the country tell me there is a serious lack of leadership from Poto Williams, and they simply do not have confidence in her. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern should replace her immediately.
“Many Kiwis will feel less safe in their homes and communities after the recent spate of gang-related shootings and the rise in violent crime," Luxon said last week.
This was the announcement from Arden at the post-Cabinet press conference on Monday:
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has made changes to her Cabinet line-up following the decision of senior Minister Kris Faafoi to resign from Parliament and Speaker Trevor Mallard’s nomination to a European diplomatic posting. The changes will take effect following a ceremony at Government House on the afternoon of Tuesday 14 June.
“These changes are triggered by two departures. It’s also an opportunity to give newer Ministers greater responsibility and to bring new members onto the team,” Jacinda Ardern said.
“Minister Kris Faafoi has decided to leave Parliament to spend more time with his family as his son starts school.
“Kris made the move onto the list at the last election and I’m grateful for the significant work he undertook this term in resetting our immigration and public broadcasting settings. He goes with the love and thanks of his colleagues for his contribution over many years.
“Trevor Mallard has been an MP for 35 years and has held thirteen different Ministerial portfolios across his career including Education, Labour and Rugby World Cup. He has been Speaker for five years and is currently the Father of the House.
“After the 2020 election Trevor told me he wanted to transition out of the role of Speaker over the course of this term to allow someone else the opportunity and to take on new challenges himself. He has worked closely with Adrian for that purpose. He will leave the chair in mid-August and take up a post in Europe from early 2023.
“Trevor will be the third of our five most recent Speakers to represent New Zealand abroad in a diplomatic posting.
“Dan Rosewarne and Soraya Peke-Mason will replace Kris and Trevor from the Labour List.
“Priyanca Radhakrishnan moves into Cabinet, retaining all her current portfolios and adds Associate Workplace Relations and Safety with a focus on migrant exploitation. Since becoming a Minister outside of Cabinet in 2020 she has overseen the establishment of a new Ministry for Ethnic Communities, and worked on complex issues like foreign interference and social cohesion.
Kieran McAnulty becomes a Minister outside of Cabinet with a specific focus on regional issues. He will be Minister for Emergency Management, and will have an Associate Transport delegation on regional transport, and an Associate Local Government delegation. He will also take on the Racing portfolio and use his past whip skills as Deputy Leader of the House. Duncan Webb replaces Kieran as Chief Whip.
“I have also made the decision to change Poto Williams out of the Police portfolio. We both share the view that at this time it’s critical that our focus is on supporting the Police, implementing our record investment in the frontline, passing our further gun law reforms and developing additional measures to deal with the current escalation in gang tensions and violence.
“She picks up Conservation, and Disability Issues, where there is a significant work programme following the establishment of a new Ministry. Poto has a background in the community sector and was also was a member of the Parliamentary Disability Alliance and will be well suited to this new role.
“I want to thank Carmel Sepuloni for her work to establish the Ministry for Disabled People. Having done a huge amount of mahi she will now take a lead role alongside Minister Robertson on developing the social insurance scheme – a significant piece of work.
“Chris Hipkins takes over as Minister of Police. He has a degree in criminology and a long interest in working in the youth justice space, which dovetails with his education work. Along with the Minister for Social Development and Employment he will co-lead a youth justice ministerial team to focus on the drivers of the spike we have seen in some parts of youth offending recently.
“To free him up for this area of Government focus a significant part of his Education portfolio will move to Jan Tinetti who has played an excellent role as Associate Education where she brings decades of experience as a teacher and school principal.
“Dr Ayesha Verrall has played a critical role in our ongoing COVID-19 management this term. Having moved from the emergency to the ongoing response now is the right time for her to pick up the COVID-19 Response portfolio. She also picks up Research, Science and Innovation.
“I’m promoting Kiri Allan into the Justice portfolio and she also picks up an Associate Finance role. Kiri is a very capable Minister with a big future and this portfolio allocation is a sign of my confidence in her.
“Michael Wood takes on Immigration which fits with his workplace relations portfolio and our focus on skills.
“Meka Whaitiri has been doing an excellent job in Customs. Her primary sector work means the food safety portfolio is a good fit, so she picks up this role. And Willie Jackson picks up broadcasting which he comes to with extensive sector knowledge,” Jacinda Ardern said.
This is a statement from Kris Faafoi:
Kris Faafoi has today announced that he will be leaving Politics in the coming weeks.
Kris Faafoi has thanked the Prime Minister for the privilege of serving as a Minister in her government.
“It’s been an honour to serve New Zealander’s as a Minister and as a Member of Parliament, but it is right for me to give more time to my family and for opportunities that allow that.
“I am the father of George, Fred and Theo who say they want to see more of their Dad, which is something I think is a reasonable ask.
“I spoke with the Prime Minister about my wishes at the last election, and we had a more recent conversation the end of the last school holidays. I thank her for being supportive and allowing me to call time on my political career. I remain in awe of her strength and leadership.
“While I leave as a List MP, I did serve 10 years as the Labour Member of Parliament for Mana, I wish to thank and acknowledge the people of Mana for backing me for a decade. It was rewarding, challenging and a privilege that I never took for granted.
“As a Minister I responded to states of emergency, introduced Market Studies, cracked down on loan sharks, managed border settings during COVID-19 and set up Public media to succeed in the future.
“I first arrived at Parliament as a Press Gallery reporter, I’ve been a staffer, MP, whip, and a Minister. It is fair to say I’ve seen many aspects of Parliament first hand and I will truly miss the energy and the people.
“It is with a heavy heart that I leave, but it is the right time. I look back at the last 12 years with pride and I look forward to the years ahead with new challenges, and most importantly more time with my family” Kris Faafoi said.
96 Comments
Mahuta and entourage appear to have an unbreakable grip on whatever they can get ahold of. Don’t expect under Adern & co that this will not continue to burgeon, it has control of both the engine room and wheelhouse, as the good ship under the red flag, wallows along with ballast aplenty.
Exactly, it’s changes to the team clearly in preparation for the big final next year.
But to use another football/sporting analogy, they have got rid of some dross but still retain plenty of dross. And unlike a football team, can’t bring in an elite transfer from another ‘club’.
Unless the Nats somehow implode, I can’t see Labour getting within 7 seats of victory next year.
Difficult to shuffle from a not full pack of cards, all the knaves but no aces, and come up with a winning hand. Up until now there has been sleight of hand, dealing from the bottom and from under the table. That’s conjuring not governing. Now the house of cards is looking well and truly shaky, with neither sound foundation nor bracing. Bit like some of those EQ wrecks down here in Canterbury in fact.
labour are like the warriors the faithful will always support them saying next year is their year meanwhile they lose supporters each year as they stumble their way through and the supporters only come back every few years when they finally look like they have a good enough team only to be disappointed again down the track
I’m sure she’s a great person but it really bothers me that someone with zero financial experience/training is our associate minister of finance. Says it all really- generally liked, good on camera so put her in there in spite of the fact she is totally unqualified.
Rats leaving a sinking ship?
Two experienced MPs leaving mid-term is interesting, more so given both supposedly signaled before the the last election. To knowing put forward candidates who won't see out the term raises all sorts of questions about the competency and selection criteria in the Labour Party.
Plus another reshuffle signaled for 2023. Wonder who is planning on leaving then? Jacinda? Grant? Chris?
Me thinks there is more to this story than any NZ Journo will understand.
Ah well to suggest a role reversal, it would be even more surprising if Adern was there if Mahuta was PM. Nobody outside of the clan, so to speak. Nothing more than idle speculation of course but nevertheless, arising from on unconfirmed reports of nascent empire building published by various media outlets
i would love to see them grow some and bring in a tax free threshold for the first 15-20 k, like most oecd countries, it is stupid we tax people on low incomes and then give it back through WFF of tax refund anyway, it just increases compliance costs for so many small business
Faafoi has been ineffective for a long time
I was amazed he made it being a paid journalist. Having known people that knew him when he was younger I considered him far too dumb.
Suddenly he joined the Labour Party and was given a patsy electorate and easy entry to parliament and the rest is history.
He was worse at being an MP than he was at being a journo and now he is effectively running away and admitting he is not up to it. Snout in the trough for five years though, and leaves chaos behind.
Nice job.
He's been quite effective from the perspective of the mainstream media organisations in this country, who have received tens of millions in handouts during his tenure, while the thin end of the wedge has been firmly inserted between our public service broadcasters and any veneer of independence.
Job done, exit stage left.
Trevor Mallard in a diplomatic role..wow!!! ..... the mandarins in Foreign Affairs must be in a tizz. The obvious posting is Moscow, but perhaps facing off against Bojo would be more suitable? Just make sure the NZ-UK trade agreement is in the bag first. Or perhaps the Vatican? Can't do too much damage there.
When these individuals are so untenable in their posts, suddenly it is revealed that some were always going to be leaving Parliament about now anyway. How believable is that explanation Jacinda?
On another slightly related matter. Although few of the current Cabinet seem qualified for their portfolios anyway (and it shows) but after reading a news item on his current trip overseas I tried to find out exactly what the Minister for Defence, Peeni Henare, did before entering Parliament and how that might qualify him for the Defence portfolio. There is a lot of talk (mainly from him) about being born to leadership but I cannot find any answers to what his pre-parliamentary background was. Can anyone enlighten me?
Wasn't he on TV?
BTW, I somewhat tire of this discussion about whether people are 'qualified for their portfolios'. Both Cullen and English did not have finance backgrounds, yet I think they were both good Ministers of Finance.
I think it's the calibre of the person rather than specific experience and qualifications that is the most important thing.
No. He was into history. His PhD was about statisticians in Britain, you can read it here: https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/16371/CullenMJ_1971_redux.pd…
I agree that both Cullen and English were good. But English did have a finance background: he had a commerce degree, worked the farm, and spent a few years at Treasury. Cullen, meanwhile, was a history buff and deeply understood how statistics could be used and abused for political aims. Recent political entrants are lightweights compared to these two.
Chris Hipkins
Whenever they have a mess Hipkins is sent in to clean up. Someone should call him a physio because he is really carrying Labour.
Surprised that Megan Woods survived the cut. Basically housing has went nowhere in years and Kiwibuild was going to be governments flagship policy.
Chris Hipkins seems to be about the only competent politician of the bunch. I very much disagree with Labour's COVID response, but it's hard to argue he didn't execute it well. Can't blame the guy for doing his job, I suppose.
Completely agree with you regarding Woods, however.
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