Muller unveils National reshuffle
National leader Todd Muller has unveiled a new shadow cabinet lineup with Amy Adams near the top and Simon Bridges without a job.
Muller’s caucus reshuffle mostly keeps MPs in similar jobs to those they held under Bridges, with some minor ranking adjustment.
But his key backers have been rewarded with vaults up the list, while former leader Bridges and his deputy Paula Bennett have dropped significantly.
The rankings are not the party’s official list for the election, but are likely to be very close to them.
‘‘Amy is tough and tested and will play a key role in getting you, your family and your community through this,’’ Muller said.
Meanwhile former leader Simon Bridges does not have a portfolio and is not ranked, with the press release describing him as ‘‘reflecting on his future’’.
Stuff understands Muller offered Bridges the Justice portfolio, but Bridges turned it down and asked for Foreign Affairs instead – which Muller declined.
Bridges has since told Stuff that he will be standing in the Tauranga electorate.
Deputy leader Nikki Kaye keeps her portfolios of education and sport while rocketing up five places to two in the rankings. Judith Collins picks up several portfolios but stays ranked at four, including economic development from Todd McClay and the role of Shadow Attorney General from Tim Macindoe.
Paul Goldsmith keeps finance but hands over infrastructure to Muller ally Chris Bishop, who keeps transport and moves up three places.
But the biggest rise is for backbencher Nicola Willis, another key backer for Muller in last week’s coup, who moves up 31 places to number 14, and picks up the portfolio of housing and urban development from Collins. If this change was replicated on the list it would likely see Willis retain her spot in Parliament, despite running in the unwinnable Wellington Central electorate.
Paula Bennett moves down 11 places to 13, retaining her portfolios of drug reform and women but losing social development to Louise Upston.
Michael Woodhouse retains health while Gerry Brownlee keeps his foreign affairs and shadow leader of the house roles, and moves two places up the list.