Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed the portfolio changes for his ministers as a result of Meka Whaitiri's exit from the Labour Party.
Hipkins revealed the decisions after the week's Cabinet meeting - which he attended immediately after returning from his trip to the United Kingdom for the Coronation of King Charles III.
He said Kieran McAnulty would become cyclone recovery minister for Hawke's Bay. McAnulty is already the cyclone recovery minister for Wairarapa.
Rachel Brooking will become Food Safety Minister.
Peeni Henare will be Minister for Veterans.
MP for Rangitata Jo Luxton will become a minister outside Cabinet, with the portfolios of Customs, Associate Minister of Agriculture, and Associate Minister of Education.
Nanaia Mahuta would also be handing her Waikato cyclone recovery resposibilities to Michael Wood, at her request. Hipkins said there was a combination of factors behind Mahuta's request.
"The region that we're talking about is one of the less affected regions, there is a bit of work to be done there but also her travel programme means that she's missing the opportunity to participate in those discussions and there was just an opportunity to rationalise the number of regional leads that we had.
"It was ultimately her request - happy to take that up."
The changes mostly came as a result of Meka Whaitiri's decision to quit the Labour Party and instead join Te Pāti Māori.
The Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP confirmed the move on Wednesday last week, after media reports surfaced the night before.
Hipkins first learnt the news upon arriving in the UK, telling reporters he had heard nothing from Whaitiri herself.
He said he had left several messages but had still not heard back from her. He said she would be welcome to call him any time.
McAnulty was a safe pair of hands who Hipkins thought would do a very good job, he said.
"Ultimately I'm disappointed for the people of Hawke's Bay-Tai Rāwhiti region that Meka chose to walk away from that role because she did have an ability to effect change and to lead change in that area, but that's ultimately her decision, and it's done, really.
"She's made that call and now we have to move on."
