New National leader Todd Muller has announced his reshuffled line-up of caucus rankings and responsibilities.
Todd Muller announces shape of next Government
National Party Leader Todd Muller has announced the line-up of the next Government.
“New Zealand is facing perhaps the toughest time that almost anyone alive can remember.
“We are borrowing tens of billions of dollars to get us through this crisis. There is only one team that can spend it competently and well, and that is my National Party team.”
Mr Muller said he was particularly pleased senior MP Amy Adams had agreed to be the Minister for Covid-19 Recovery in his Government.
“Amy is tough and tested and will play a key role in getting you, your family and your community through this.”
Notable is that positions two to four are women, his deputy Nikki Kaye, Amy Adams who has changed her mind about quitting politics this year, and the formidable Judith Collins who has challenged for the leadership herself in the past.
So now three of the top four National MPs are women, four of the top eight, and seven of the top sixteen, female MPs have become a significant part of the National caucus.
However with Simon Bridges unranked “reflecting on his future” and Paula Bennett dropped to thirteen it has been noted that Maori representation has slipped away (not that Bridges or Bennett addressed Maori issues much).
There has been a difference of descriptions for Bridges’ current situation.
Former leader Simon Bridges has said he needs time to reflect on his future. Mr Muller said there would be a place for him in his Cabinet should he decide to stay in politics.
But Newshub says Defiant Simon Bridges smacks down Todd Muller’s assertion he’s ‘considering his future’, plans to stay on
After being rolled on Friday by Todd Muller, a defiant Bridges has told Newshub he won’t be pushed from the party.
“Just to be clear, after the reshuffle today, I am not considering my future,” Bridges told Newshub. “Just having a small amount of time out to take stock after the loss on Friday.”
This was a direct smack-down to Muller suggesting Bridges was considering his future.
It doesn’t seem much like a ‘smackdown’ to me, just Bridges putting his situation in his own words. And it is likely to take him a bit of time to take stock of his political future.
The full lineup and allocation of portfolios here:
Click to access National_Party_portfolio_allocations.pdf
Time will tell how Muller and his team perform. They get their first chance in Parliament today in Question Time, it will be interesting to see how Muller handles his first stint there as leader.