Labour candidate for Dunedin Rachel Brooking has been made a Minister outside Cabinet in a small reshuffle announced today.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced the reshuffle at his post-Cabinet press conference this afternoon.
He said Willow-Jean Prime would join Cabinet, meaning that for the first time in history half of people in Cabinet would be women.
He said Brooking, the party's Finance and Expenditure Committee committee chairwoman, would be a Minister outside Cabinet, moving into the position left vacant by Prime.
Brooking has picked up the Oceans and Fisheries portfolio, and also associate roles in environment and immigration.
There was an empty place around the 19-person Cabinet table thanks to Hipkins’ decision to fire Stuart Nash after he leaked confidential Cabinet information to two donors.
Nash's portfolios are being permanently reallocated.
The Economic Development portfolio will be picked up by Barbara Edmonds, Forestry will be picked up by Peeni Henare, and Meka Whaitiri will continue to coordinate Cyclone Recovery efforts in Hawke's Bay.
Hipkins last week gave Nash’s Economic Development and Forestry portfolios to Megan Woods on an acting basis. David Parker was given Oceans and Fisheries, also on an acting basis.
- NZ Herald/ODT Online
