National Reshuffle

John Key has announced the reshuffle and it is a wee bit more extensive than expected. Changes are:

John Key – from 4 to 1, drops Finance, gains SIS
Bill English – from 3 to 2, drops Educations, gains Finance
Gerry Brownlee – from 2 to 3, drops Maori Affairs and Treaty Issues, gains SOEs and Energy
Simon Power – from 7 to 4, drops Police, gains Commerce
Nick Smith – stays 5, drops Energy, gains Climate Change
Tony Ryall – stays 6
Judith Collins – from 8 to 7
Katherine Rich – from 9 to 8, drops SOEs, Economic Development, gains Education
Maurice WIlliamson – from 13 to 9

That is the front-bench but Key has announced a full shadow cabinet down to No 16. Major changes are:

Wayne Mapp from 14 to 13 gains Defence and Auckland Issues, loses Political Correctness Eradication
Chris Finlayson from 18 to 14, keeps Attorney-General, gains Treaty Negotiations and Arts
Tim Groser from 17 to 15, gains Trade and Associate Finance
Anne Tolley to 16, from Junior Whip to Chief Whip

I think Chris F wil be very happy – they are the three portfolios he has very significant backgrounds in. Nathan Guy becomes Junior Whip after just a year – also a good move. Chester Borrows gains Police, which should please them and him.

Very pleased to see Katherine Rich get education – will be a nice challenge for her, and more in the spotlight than Economic Development.

Also with Maurice on the front bench, that may be a first to have Comms and IT there.

I suspect Labour will criticise it for Georgina and Tau, who share Maori Affairs, not (yet) being in Shadow Cabinet. However I am sure one of them will be eventually, and Treaty Negotiations will have a real expert with Chris Finlayson.