CABINET REPORT CARD
JACINDA ARDERN Prime Minister
Is Ardern a better or worse Prime Minister than when she started 18 months ago? Way better, even without the leadership she showed over the Christchurch attacks. She communicates well, is focused on results and runs a complicated coalition.
CHRIS HIPKINS Education, State Services, Ministerial Services
Has heavy workload. Showed he was no pushover to the teacher unions, refusing to budge on the $1.2b pay offer to teachers over four years.
NANAIA MAHUTA Maori Development, Local Govt
Provides an important link between the Government and iwi leaders. Not her style to set the world on fire but quietly competent and a valued minister.
RON MARK Defence
One-dimensional minister who lives and breathes defence. There may be value in having someone with work experience in their portfolio, but can become so immersed he doesn't see the bigger picture.
WILLIE JACKSON Employment
Untidy start in Employment and was the jester at Question Time. Sharpened up and is now delivering projects across the country to employ or train youth.
WINSTON PETERS Deputy PM, Foreign Affairs
Still doing what he loves best, and that is flexing political power. Got decent funding for Foreign Affairs but exacerbated strains with China. Appears to exercise little discipline over his MPs.
ANDREW LITTLE Justice, Treaty Negotiations, GCSB, SIS
A safe pair of hands and one of the few who could be trusted with responsibility for the spy agencies. Biggest test ahead when he will have to curb his ambition for criminal justice system reforms to suit the realities of compromise.
STUART NASH Revenue, Police
Has progressed work started by National on the Amazon tax, and tax avoidance by global digital giants. Patchy record as Police
Minister but excelled on gun reform.
TRACEY MARTIN Children, Internal Affairs
One of the most respected ministers across the Government and maintains high degree of confidence of
Jacinda Ardern.
No nonsense, says what she thinks, focused on getting things done.
AUPITO WILLIAM SIO Pacific Peoples
Completely invisible. Yet to make an impact in his portfolios but may well be making an impact in the Pacific community.
KELVIN DAVIS Corrections, Maori Crown Relations, Tourism
Wound back Waikeria Prison expansion but not yet certain that the prison muster will be reduced. Has yet to find a strong voice. Overly ambitious in setting up a unit to vet Crown dealing with Treaty partners.
CARMEL SEPULONI
Social Development
Hasn't been bad but has not been great. Treading water while the Welfare Working Group has been deliberating. She has managed to keep welfare out of the headlines but that won't last.
IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY Immigration, Workplace Relations, ACC
A classic case of a minister allowing a single poor decision to tarnish his reputation. Was handling Immigration well until he was derailed by approving residency for convicted drug smuggler Karel Sroubek.
SHANE JONES Regional Economic Development, Infrastructure
The best and the worst bundled into one. Has successfully branded himself as a NZ First champion of the provinces but pays too little attention to the reputation of the Government.
JAMES SHAW Climate Change, Statistics
Sacrificing a high profile in the short term while seeking consensus for lasting legislation on a carbonneutral NZ that promises to please everyone except his own party.
GRANT ROBERTSON Finance
Has shown the discipline required of Labour Finance Ministers. Top performer in public and behind the scenes. Needs to convince the public that a Well-Being Budget is not a PR exercise.
DAVID CLARK Health
Struggling to control a notoriously difficult sector. Clark and Labour may finally be realising that throwing money at a problem does not necessarily get change. Delays to the response on mental health inquiry unforgivable.
JENNY SALESA Building and Construction, Ethnic Communities
Struggled to begin with and has never looked comfortable with the building and construction portfolio but it is a difficult area. Stepped up after the mosque attacks to accompany Winston Peters to Muslim conference in Turkey.
KRIS FAAFOI Commerce, Consumer Affairs, Civil Defence, Broadcasting
Exemplary.
The first in line for promotion to Cabinet in the next reshuffle after having not put a foot wrong. Easy to deal with. Good communicator. Always delivering.
JULIE ANNE GENTER Women, Associate Transport
Synonymous with road safety, though it is hard to see the results. Led unpopular move to switch spending on expressways to safety measures on high-risk roads.
Little impact in Women's Affairs.
PHIL TWYFORD Housing, Transport
Made the classic Opposition mistake of over-simplifying the housing supply problem, then over-promising and under-delivering the solution, KiwiBuild. Troubles in Transport too.
MEGAN WOODS Energy, Christchurch Regeneration
Has shown why she is the highest-ranked Labour woman after Ardern herself. Capable and trusted, despite facing justified heat over banning new oil and gas exploration.
DAVID PARKER Trade, Economic Development, Attorney-General
One of Labour's big thinkers with a capacity to handle complex policies.
Has set up various groups to address water standards and Māori rights in water. Getting workable answers from them will be hard.
DAMIEN O'CONNOR Agriculture, Biosecurity
One of only five members of
Cabinet with prior ministerial experience and it showed. Plays important role in
Labour as provincial pragmatist who farmers can trust.
PEENI HENARE Whānau Ora, Youth, Community and Voluntary Sector
Not tested at all and under-worked. Not much to show for 18 months in his portfolios. Valued for his status as quasi Māori-royalty, his oratory and broad connections.
EUGENIE SAGE Conservation, Land Information
Knows more about conservation than her officials. Kudos for following the law and not Green Party policy in approving an expansion of a Chinese water-bottling plant.