12 Dec 2011

Key brings new faces to front bench

6:53 pm on 12 December 2011

The new Government will have three new faces on its front bench after a Cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister John Key.

Steven Joyce, Paula Bennett and Hekia Parata have all been promoted to the top nine that make up the front bench in Parliament.

Mr Joyce has moved up from 14 to four in the cabinet rankings and will be Minister for Economic Development, Science and Innovation and Tertiary Education.

Paula Bennett is ranked nine, up from 16, and retains her Social Development and Youth Affairs portfolios.

Hekia Parata rises from 20 to number seven and will be the new Minister of Education and Pacific Island Affairs.

Bill English and Gerry Brownlee retain their number two and three slots in Cabinet and Mr Brownlee picks up the Transport portfolio.

Judith Collins replaces Simon Power as Minister of Justice and she will also be Minister for ACC and Ethnic Affairs.

Former Education Minister Anne Tolley, who slips down the rankings from eight to 13, will be the new Minister of Police and Corrections and also Deputy Leader of the House.

There are four new ministers in the lineup.

Selwyn MP and former Finance select committee chairperson, Amy Adams, is ranked 20 and is inside Cabinet.

She will be Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister for Communications and Information Techology.

The former party whips will be ministers outside Cabinet.

Chris Tremain will be Minister of Defence and Consumer Affairs and Jo Goodhew will be Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Senior Citizens and Women's Affairs.

Chester Borrows, who chaired the Justice and Electoral Committee in the last term of Parliament, will be Minister of Courts.

Also ministers outside Cabinet are the leaders of the United Future and Maori parties, Peter Dunne, Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples, and ACT MP John Banks.

Their portfolios had been previously announced as part of their confidence and supply agreements with the National Party.

Full Cabinet list

1. Rt Hon John Key - Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism, Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services, Minister in Charge of the NZ Security Intelligence Service, Minister Responsible for the GCSB

2. Hon Bill English - Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance

3. Hon Gerry Brownlee - Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery, Minister of Transport, Leader of the House, Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission

4. Hon Steven Joyce - Minister for Economic Development, Minister of Science and Innovation, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Associate Minister of Finance

5. Hon Judith Collins - Minister of Justice, Minister for ACC, Minister for Ethnic Affairs

6. Hon Tony Ryall - Minister of Health, Minister for State Owned Enterprises

7. Hon Hekia Parata - Minister of Education, Minister of Pacific Island Affairs

8. Hon Christopher Finlayson - Attorney-General, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Associate Minister of Maori Affairs

9. Hon Paula Bennett - Minister for Social Development, Minister of Youth Affairs

10. Hon Dr Nick Smith - Minister for the Environment, Minister for Climate Change Issues, Minister of Local Government

11. Hon David Carter - Minister for Primary Industries

12. Hon Murray McCully - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister for Sport and Recreation

13. Hon Anne Tolley - Minister of Police, Minister of Corrections, Deputy Leader of the House

14. Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman - Minister of Defence, Minister of State Services, Associate Minister of Finance

15. Hon Tim Groser - Minister of Trade, Minister Responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations, Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs

16. Hon Phil Heatley - Minister of Energy and Resources, Minister of Housing

17. Hon Kate Wilkinson - Minister of Conservation, Minister of Labour, Minister for Food Safety, Associate Minister of Immigration

18. Hon Nathan Guy - Minister of Immigration, Minister for Racing, Minister of Veterans' Affairs, Associate Minister for Primary Industries

19. Hon Craig Foss - Minister of Commerce, Minister of Broadcasting, Associate Minister for ACC, Associate Minister of Education

20. Amy Adams - Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Ministers outside Cabinet

21. Hon Maurice Williamson - Minister for Building and Construction, Minister of Customs, Minister for Land Information, Minister of Statistics

22. Chris Tremain - Minister of Civil Defence, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Associate Minister of Tourism, Associate Minister of Transport

23. Jo Goodhew - Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Minister for Senior Citizens, Minister of Women's Affairs, Associate Minister of Health

24. Chester Borrows - Minister of Courts, Associate Minister of Justice, Associate Minister of Social Development

Support party ministers

Hon Peter Dunne - Minister of Revenue, Associate Minister of Conservation, Associate Minister of Health

Hon John Banks - Minister for Regulatory Reform, Minister for Small Business, Associate Minister of Commerce, Associate Minister of Education

Hon Dr Pita Sharples - Minister of Maori Affairs, Associate Minister of Corrections, Associate Minister of Education

Hon Tariana Turia - Minister for Whanau Ora, Minister for Disability Issues, Associate Minister of Health, Associate Minister of Housing, Associate Minister for Social Development, Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment