Fri, 16 Aug 2002
Beehive Bulletin For Week Ending - Friday 16 August 2002
Also Available On-Line at www.labour.org.nz
PM announces new ministerial line-up
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Prime Minister Helen Clark this week announced the allocation of portfolios to ministers and the appointment of
ministers and under-secretaries outside Cabinet. Apart from the re-allocation of portfolios previously held by the three
retiring Alliance ministers, changes were relatively minor. Michael Cullen was appointed Deputy Prime Minister while Jim
Anderton is the third ranked minister. Ruth Dyson, Chris Carter and John Tamihere become Cabinet ministers, while Rick
Barker, Dover Samuels, Damien O'Connor and Harry Duynhoven were made ministers outside Cabinet. Taito Phillip Field and
Mita Ririnui were made parliamentary undersecretaries.
Ministerial portfolio reallocations
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* Conservation, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs to Chris Carter.
* ACC and Women's Affairs to Ruth Dyson, who also keeps her existing disability-related responsibilities.
* Statistics, Land Information, and Youth Affairs to John Tamihere.
* Responsibility for driving the government's drug and youth suicide strategies will be with Jim Anderton as Associate
Minister of Health.
* Broadcasting is added to Steve Maharey's responsibilities.
* Forestry is added to Jim's Sutton's responsibilities.
* Courts is added to Margaret Wilson's responsibilities.
* Commerce, Associate Justice, and responsibility for the Law Commission are added to Lianne Dalziel's responsibilities.
* Veterans' Affairs is added to George Hawkins' responsibilities.
* Transport replaces Commerce in Paul Swain's responsibilities.
* Disarmament and Arms Control and Associate Foreign Affairs (Official Development Assistance) are added to Marian
Hobbs' responsibilities, along with a responsibility for Urban Affairs which builds on work being undertaken in the
Environment portfolio.
* Corrections replaces Transport in Mark Gosche's responsibilities. He also becomes Minister for Racing.
* Consumer Affairs and Associate Commerce (intellectual property and copyright-related issues) are added to Judith
Tizard's responsibilities.
* Tariana Turia becomes Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, and retains a range of associate ministerial
portfolios.
* Rick Barker becomes Minister of Customs and an associate to the Minister of Social Services and Employment and the
Minister of Justice.
* Dover Samuels will be an associate to the Minister for Economic, Industry and Regional Development and the Minister of
Tourism.
* Harry Duynhoven will be an associate to the Minister of Transport with particular responsibility for Civil Aviation
and maritime safety, and will be Associate Minister of Energy.
* Damien O'Connor will be an associate in Agriculture, Rural Affairs, Health and Immigration. Two new parliamentary
under-secretaries have been appointed
* Taito Phillip Field will work with the Ministers of Pacific Island Affairs, Social Services and Employment, and
Justice.
* Mita Ririnui will work with the Ministers for Treaty Negotiations, Corrections, and Conservation.
Parliamentary Private Secretaries
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The Prime Minister also designated three Members of Parliament as Parliamentary Private Secretaries to Ministers. These
are non-executive positions and carry no extra remuneration. The PPSs will assist their Ministers on portfolio,
administrative, and representational issues.
* Tim Barnett will be PPS to the Minister of Justice on human rights issues, and the Minister for the Community and
Voluntary Sector.
* David Cunliffe will be PPS to the Minister of Finance and of Revenue, and the Minister of Commerce.
* Nanaia Mahuta will be PPS to the Minister of Education and the Minister of Local Government.
Size of the executive
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The new executive totals 28 in size, representing 23.33 per cent of the Parliament. This compares favourably with the 27
appointed to the last pre-MMP Parliament, representing 27.27 per cent of that Parliament.