Labour’s long-awaited reshuffle has been triggered today by the departure of senior Cabinet Minister Kris Faafoi and Speaker Trevor Mallard
Today's Cabinet reshuffle has been sparked by the departures of Kris Faafoi and Trevor Mallard.
Poto Williams has also been replaced as police minister.
Ardern confirmed Faafoi had decided to leave Parliament to be with his family as his youngest son started school.
"This was a decision Kris expressed to me at the election. In fact, he had intended to leave 18 months ago but I asked him to give us another year," she said
"I'm grateful for the significant work he's undertaken so far this term in resetting our immigration and public broadcasting settings.
"His contribution as a minister has been hugely valuable. He goes with the love and thanks of his colleagues for his contribution over many years and he will be greatly missed. But I know we can never miss him as much as his family already has."
Trevor Mallard will step down as Speaker of the House in mid-August "as he prepares to take up a diplomatic post in Europe".
"Trevor has been an MP for 35 years and has held 13 different ministerial portfolios across his career including education, labour and the Rugby World Cup. He has been Speaker for five years and is currently the grandfather of the house.
Ardern said after the 2020 election, Mallard mentioned 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's worked closely with Adrian Rurawhe as deputy speaker for that purpose and we will be nominating Adrian to replace him in this role.
"We'll have more to say on the diplomatic posting in the coming months."
Mallard's move would make him the third of five speakers to represent New Zealand abroad, Ardern said.
As widely expected, Poto Williams was stripped of her responsibility for the police portfolio, but will remain in Cabinet, where she will pick up conservation and disability Issues.
Last week National leader Christopher Luxon called for Ardern to remove her from the role.
It was a gamble when Ardern put Williams in the job in the first place and demoting her completely from the Executive would have highlighted poor judgment made in promoting her into such a difficult portfolio following the 2020 election.
Faafoi has been increasingly under the spotlight for his unwillingness to front over issues in his portfolios.
Newsroom broke the news in August that Faafoi had not wanted to stay on at the last election but was asked to by the senior leadership.
In return, the party let him move onto the list and let go of his Mana electorate so he could move with his family to Greytown in the Wairarapa, meaning any decision to retire wouldn't prompt a by-election.
Wider changes
- Kiri Allan promoted to Justice Minister, Michael Wood picks up Immigration
- 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
- Dan Rosewarne and Soraya Peke-Mason to replace Faafoi and Mallard from the Labour List.
Ardern said of Allan's promotion to the justice portfolio and 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 the Government's focus on skills as part of our immigration reset in Covid economic recovery. Michael is also a very talented minister.
"Willie Jackson picks up broadcasting, which he comes to with extensive sector knowledge and experience.
"I've also made the decision to move Priyanca Radhakrishnan into Cabinet, retaining all her current portfolios and picking up associate workplace relations 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."
MPs from around the country dialled into a Labour caucus meeting this morning.
Labour requires a vote be held for new members to join the Executive.
Labour Party president Claire Szabó has already been hitting the phones in recent months getting a gauge of people’s intentions.
There’s also a by-election set to take place in Rongotai, with Labour backbench MP Paul Eagle due to announce in coming weeks he is running for the Wellington mayoralty.
Ardern may have been waiting until closer to the election for a reshuffle, to be able to deal with any departing MPs as part of her decision-making.
But that opportunity has been trumped by Faafoi and Mallard's decision to go sooner, rather than later.
