The Labour Party is critical of the appointment of long-serving National MP Lockwood Smith as Speaker of the House.
Dr Smith was not given a ministerial role in the cabinet line-up announced on Monday.
Opposition Leader Phil Goff told Morning Report that people of the personality and calibre of Richard Worth and John Carter would have been better suited to the role.
He said that while Dr Smith's long service is creditable, his "degree of partisanship" and the "controversy" that surrounded him during the election campaign when he made controversial comments about Pacific Island workers, raised questions about his suitability.
Mr Goff said his Caucus will make a judgement closer to when Parliament sits as to whether Labour will support Dr Smith's nomination.
However, incoming Prime Minister John Key has defended his choice for Speaker of the House, saying Dr Smith will do a fine job and he will be elected whether Labour supports him or not.
