Judith Collins Line-up Revealed
New National leader Judith Collins has revealed her reshuffled caucus, promoting former leaders Simon Bridges and Todd Muller to the party’s front bench.
The reshuffle was sparked by this week’s leadership change and the resignations of senior MPs Nikki Kaye and Amy Adams.
Both Ms Kaye and Ms Adams were loyal Muller supporters, but Judith Collins said their resignations were not linked to her leadership.
“I’m really pleased that both Amy and Nikki are making decisions that they are happy with. I’m not so happy that they’re leaving, but I understand it,” she said.
The deputy leadership role had taken a big toll on Kaye,
Ms Collins said.
“They have my eternal gratitude and respect for the way they have behaved, particularly over the past week, or even the past few days.” Ms Adams was offered a “very senior position,” she added.
Mr Muller, who resigned as leader on Tuesday, has been handed the trade portfolio and will be ranked number 8. He is going to have a few weeks away from Parliament, Ms Collins said. Ranked at number four, Simon Bridges has picked up the justice portfolio and remains National’s foreign affairs spokesperson. “I have long been of the view that Simon should be justice and he has clearly always wanted foreign affairs, so he has got both. He’s a very hard working
MP and he’s highly intelligent, and I’m absolutely certain he will play a powerful role in the incoming National-led government,” Ms Collins said.
He has taken the justice portfolio from Mark Mitchell, the only MP to challenge Ms Collins for the leadership, who has tumbled down the rankings. The party’s transport and infrastructure spokesperson Chris Bishop has also been promoted to the front bench and is now the Shadow Leader of the House.
Nicola Willis has picked up Nikki Kaye’s education portfolio and has been bumped up one spot in the rankings to 13.
The party’s deputy leader Gerry Brownlee will take on the COVID-19 border response portfolio.