November 20, 2008 5:49pm by David Farrar

Labour’s full line up

Here is the full list:

Phil Goff Leader, SIS
Annette King Deputy Leader, Social Development
David Cunliffe Finance
Ruth Dyson Health
Parekura Horomia Maori Affairs, Fisheries
Clayton Cosgrove Law & Order (incl Police & Corrections), SOEs, Assoc. Finance
Chris Carter Education (overall – compulsory), Ethnic Affairs
Nanaia Mahuta Environment, Tourism, Assoc. Maori Affairs
Maryan Street Trade, Tertiary Education
Darren Hughes Senior Whip, Transport
David Parker A-G, Electoral Reform, ACC, Assoc. Finance
Shane Jones Local Government, Building & Construction, Infrastructure
Trevor Mallard Labour, Economic Development, Sports & Recreation
Lianne Dalziel Justice, Commerce
Charles Chauvel Climate Change, Energy, Assoc. Commerce
Pete Hodgson Immigration, Defence
Helen Clark Foreign Affairs, Arts, Culture & Heritage
Michael Cullen Shadow Leader of the House, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
Winnie Laban Pacific Island Affairs, Assoc. Health (Aged Care), Assoc. Economic Development
Moana Mackey Rural Affairs, Research & Development, Science & Technology
Steve Chadwick Junior Whip, Conservation
Sue Moroney Women’s Affairs, Education – ECE
Rick Barker Courts, Veterans Affairs
Ross Robertson Small Business, Senior Citizens, Racing, Assoc. Disarmament & Arms Control
George Hawkins Housing
Mita Ririnui Forestry, Assoc. Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Assoc. Agriculture
Lynne Pillay Disability Issues, Assoc. Justice – Victims Rights
Ashraf Choudhary Food Safety, Agricultural Science, Assoc. Ethnic Affairs
Darien Fenton Transport Safety, Assoc. Labour
Su’a William Sio Customs, Assoc. Pacific Island Affairs, Assoc. Local Government
New members, alphabetical order
Jacinda Ardern Youth Affairs, Assoc. Justice – Youth Justice
Carol Beaumont Consumer Affairs, Assoc. Labour
Brendon Burns Broadcasting, Assoc. Environment – Water Quality
Clare Curran Communications & IT
Kelvin Davis Biosecurity, Assoc. Education
Chris Hipkins Internal Affairs, Assoc. Energy
Raymond Huo Law Commission, Statistics, Assoc. Ethnic Affairs
Iain Lees-Galloway Land Information, Assoc. Defence, Assoc. Health – Drugs & Alcohol
Stuart Nash Revenue, Assoc. Trade, Assoc. Forestry
Rajen Prasad Voluntary & Community Sector, Assoc. Ethnic Affairs, Assoc. Social Development – Family & CYF
Grant Robertson State Services, Assoc. Arts, Culture & Heritage, Assoc. Foreign Affairs
Carmel Sepuloni Civil Defence, Assoc. Tertiary Education, Assoc. Social Development
Phil Twyford Disarmament & Arms Control, Auckland Issues, Assoc. Foreign Affairs – Development Assistance
Progressive Leader Jim Anderton – Agriculture

Some comments:

Already commented on most of the front bench. But have to say Maryan Street seems an odd choice for trade as she has no background there and is from the left which can be anti free trade. However maybe Goff gave it to her on purpose as an area she can’t do much in.
Shane Jones in Local Government looks good. He will enjoy taking on Rodney but also may agree with Rodney on some issues around keeping rates down. If Jones and Rodney can agree on future for Auckland once Commission reports that will be a good thing.
Mallard in Labour keeps the unions happy and he will fight against anything that weakens them. Also good choice to go against Brownlee in Economic Development
Dalziel is safe in Justice and Commerce but won’t find much to do.
Chauvel is politically astute (except when announcing his own promotions) and giving him climate change gives him a real opportunity to shine as National’s suspension of the ETS is one of the few areas Labour can score runs about early on
Hodgson in Immigration & Defence suggests this is his last term.
All the existing MPs who did not make shadow cabinet – nos 21 to 28 are expendable and will be pressured to retire this term.
Giving Jacinda Ardern Youth Justice as well as Youth Affairs is a good move. Ardern will be front bench one day and is alreadt a capable politician. Youth Affairs by itself would not have been challenging.
Former CTU boss Carol Beaumont gets Associate Labour. No surprise.
Burns media background makes broadcasting a good fit.
A bit disappointing that Comms/IT has gone from one of the most important portfolios to so far down the list, but Clare Curran should prove a quick learner in the area, and I expect she will be in Cabinet when Labour make it back.
Stuart Nash gets one of the bigger portfolios for newbies – Revenue. An opportunity for him.
Grant Robertson also gets a very big portfolio – State Services. Sensible choice for the Wellington Central MP. Expect to see him in the Shadow Cabinet soon. He also looks to take Arts, Culture and Heritage when H1 goes. Again will help him keep his seat.