Labour’s Cabinet has fewer women than National’s

The Herald reports:

Ardern has released a list of 16 Cabinet ministers and five ministers outside Cabinet, including all 12 MPs on its current front bench.

Just seven of the 21 are women, six of whom are in Cabinet.

That is fewer than National which had nine in total, including seven inside Cabinet – and was often pilloried by Labour for its lack of representation.

In a Newshub debate during the election campaign, Ardern had said she believed Cabinet should be 50/50 female and male and would make it a target.

 

However, even the five ministers outside Cabinet chosen by Ardern herself rather than by caucus included just one woman – Meka Whaitiri.

The 50/50 target will be the first of many that will be meaningless piddle, such as the target to have zero suicides.

In total there will be 28 ministers – including four NZ First ministers inside a 20-strong Cabinet and three Green ministers outside Cabinet. Ardern said it was “unlikely” that would improve the gender balance.

Plus two Under-Secretaries which will make it I believe the largest Executive ever.