Labour’s Ma¯ori caucus hits record number

The big winner from Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ Cabinet reshuffle was the Labour Ma¯ ori caucus which has seven Ma¯ ori ministers who hold ministerial warrant cards — a record for any Labour Government.

While the Ma¯ ori caucus may have been slow out of the blocks over the Prime Minister and Deputy leadership roles, it more than made up for it with new Ma¯ ori MPS coming in to strengthen Labour’s executive decision-makers.

Three Ma¯ ori MPS — a record — will be on Labour’s front bench. Kelvin Davis, No 3, Willie Jackson, No 9, and Kiritapu Allan, No 10. Add to that Peeni Henare No 15 and Nanaia Mahuta No 16, and you have a quarter of those 20 executive decision-makers

Ma¯ ori.

Speaker of the House Adrian Rurawhe can also be added to that list to make eight of the 13 voted in in 2020 now with high government positions.

In Tuesday’s reshuffle, Northland MP Willow Jean Prime was named Minister for Youth and takes on Conservation from retiring MP Poto Williams and will sit outside Cabinet.

Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene was also promoted to new Minister for Courts and Minister of State for Trade and Exports and will also sit outside Cabinet.

Henare lost Defence, but takes over Tourism and also picks up ACC, which Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni previously held. He retains Wha¯ nau Ora.

Mahuta lost the Local Government portfolio and the contentious Three Waters reforms but takes on Disarmament and Arms Control to sit alongside Foreign Affairs.

The Three Waters reforms will now sit with Kieran Mcanulty, who also jumped six places in Cabinet.

Jackson — Ma¯ ori Development and Broadcasting Minister — retains both his portfolios, and continues his associate roles of Housing, ACC and Social Development and Employment.

Allan keeps Justice and also takes over the Regional Development role.

Labour Deputy Leader Kelvin Davis holds on to his portfolios for Te Arawhiti, Children and Corrections.

In 2017, just two Labour Ma¯ ori MPS — Davis (3) and Mahuta (9) — were on the Labour front bench. In 2020 Davis and Mahuta were again the only two Ma¯ ori on the front bench.

There are now three on the front bench, five in the top 20, along with the Speaker, a benchmark that may never be met again.

So, not a bad day for Labour’s Ma¯ ori caucus.