Key’s Xmas Reshuffle; UPDATE + bonus Winston Peters zinger!

Written By: - Date published: 7:24 am, December 7th, 2015 - 49 comments
Categories: john key, Judith Collins, national/act government, Politics, same old national - Tags: , , ,

PM John Key has apparently confirmed that there will be a reshuffle of cabinet announced today. Expect a promotion for Arnold Rimmer and the return of Judith Collins on the ‘better in the tent pissing out’ principle. It will also be worth watching to see if Steve Joyce is re-positioned to set him up as Key’s replacement if golf with Obama becomes a better prospect than losing the next General Election.

It’s hard to predict which of Key’s cabinet team will be cut for non-performance as there are so many doing average work.

PS: Note to radio station The Sound: It’s really, really unlikely that DunnoKeyo will be returning Judith Tizard to cabinet. Thanks for the laugh, though.

UPDATE:

Trade Minister Tim Groser will leave Parliament ASAP to become New Zealand ambassador in Washington. National’s pet ACT MP, David Seymour has bitten the hand that feeds, turning down the positions of Minister for Regulatory Reform and Associate Minister of Education.

 

• Paula Bennett takes the Climate Change Issues portfolio from Groser.

• Todd McClay becomes Minister of Trade and hands over the Revenue portfolio to Michael Woodhouse.

• Michael Woodhouse gets Revenue and gives the Police portfolio to Judith Collins.

• Serco Sam Lotu-Iiga is sacked from the Corrections gig.  Collins picks it  up.

 

Winston Peters nails it:

“Judith Collins’ long running stream of denials about everything on Oravida showed John Key never had any standards. Finally, he found some criteria to demote her which begs the question, what’s the criteria now to bring her back?

It just shows how bereft of talent the National Party caucus is and reveals how much John Key is struggling.

This will not deflect from the flag issue.”

49 comments on “Key’s Xmas Reshuffle; UPDATE + bonus Winston Peters zinger! ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. LookingSouth 1
    7 December 2015 at 7:31 am

    Collins should have spent a lot more time being the MP for Papakura. Far too much of her time spent glitzing it on TV, doing her Paper Column and everything but being the MP for Papakura. MP’s in my mind always should be locals and someone who can connect with people of all walks of life, door knocking the affluent area of Karaka Lakes doesn’t count. Here is hoping in 2017 that Labour’s Candidate which is hopefully Jerome Mika again can finally knock Judith out of the park and instal someone who is local and committed to helping everyone in the electorate.

    • Mr Nobody 1.1
      8 December 2015 at 1:29 pm

      Until Labour actually make some effort in the area I doubt that will happen.

      Its been really depressing attending a number of local community events where Collins has been front and centre and Labour have failed (despite invitiations) to be represented.

  2. repateet 2
    7 December 2015 at 7:49 am

    While he’s shuffling the pack people are looking at that. Look at the other stuff that could be happening, should be happening and some that probably is happening that he doesn’t want us to look at.

    Let’s start with the apology to Tania Billingsley shall we? How about that being one of the first questions at his press conference?

    “Mr Prime Minister, things change, circumstances change,and there are new realities.
    Will you be apologising to Tania Billingsley?”

    C’mon political journalists, I dare you. Hurry you’ll miss out because Mike Hosking, Paul Henry, Jamie Mackay or whoever on Radio Sport will get in before you!

    • Jenny Kirk 2.1
      7 December 2015 at 9:20 am

      of course – repateet.
      Distraction politics again ….. takes us away from ShonKey’s failings re apologising to Tania Billingsley, the stuff-up he’s made of the Paris talks on climate change, going to war on Syria …….. and then it’ll be Christmas and summer holidays and ShonKey can swan off to Hawaii knowing he’s kept his polling in place for a couple of months.

  3. Skinny 3
    7 December 2015 at 8:26 am

    That little speech Collin’s gave at the ACT Party get together attacking the Auckland Maori Board looks like an attempt to increase her stocks for both a return to the front bench, and also a possible crack at the Auckland City Mayoralty.

    • Jenny Kirk 3.1
      7 December 2015 at 9:16 am

      I thought definitely she’s interested in having a crack at the Auckland Mayoralty after that speech. So why wouldn’t Key just let her do it ? ….. rather than bringing her under collective Cabinet responsibility and shutting her up as Hooten suggests at 6 below.

      Answered my own question (rhetorical) at 2.1 above.

      • Skinny 3.1.1
        7 December 2015 at 9:44 am

        I would say Key is giving Judy a leg up by giving woefully inadequate Sammy the flick out of the Corrections Ministers portfolio and let her tidy his mess up. This will be trumpeted loudly when she confirms as a late starter in the mayoralty race. The right-wing snake oil merchants have crunched the numbers and her campaign has begun.

    • Naturesong 3.2
      7 December 2015 at 9:55 am

      Please, please, please let it be true that Collins is thinking about running for Mayor.

      She’d be crushed by Goff, and it would be a wondrous sight.

      While I don’t think it would reach the dizzying heights of Ben Rachinger’s recent public service performance art, it would certainly be satisfying to watch.

      • mickysavage 3.2.1
        7 December 2015 at 11:30 am

        I suspect that she floated the idea of running for the mayoralty to spook Key into putting her back into Parliament where she is more able to be controlled.

        Hence the urgent announcement …

  4. ropata 4
    7 December 2015 at 8:33 am

    Key should use the Imperator Fish guide to ranking MP performance
    white +5
    male +5
    conservative +5
    white male and conservative +10
    female -5
    Brown (unless they are Winston) -10
    Progressive -5
    Female, brown and progressive -30
    Winston +5
    Increased alcohol consumption during sporting events +10
    David Cunliffe -600

    http://imperatorfish.com/2015/12/04/my-politician-of-the-year-for-2015/

  5. infused 5
    7 December 2015 at 9:10 am

    Can’t do any worse than the current guy… can’t even remember his name. Sam someone?

    • Lanthanide 5.1
      7 December 2015 at 1:06 pm

      It was Judith Collins who signed Serco up in the first place. Sam’s merely taking the fall.

      Kind of a nice move by her, actually.

  6. Matthew Hooton 6
    7 December 2015 at 9:10 am

    It signals that he wants her brought under Cabinet collective responsibility rather than free to say and do what she wants.

  7. Bill Drees 7
    7 December 2015 at 10:27 am

    Key was able to accommodate English, a previous leader, into his cabinet and it worked for him.
    Key will be able to accommodate Collins and make it work.

    Hint to Andrew Little.
    Shafting Cunliffe was not smart, besides being ugly. Take s leaf out of Key’s book and bring Cunliffe into the fold.
    Look to your own inner decency and do the right thing. It is never too late to fix a mistake.

  8. Clean_power 8
    7 December 2015 at 12:27 pm

    Why doesn’t Cunliffe do a Rudd? Why not?

  9. Tiger Mountain 9
    7 December 2015 at 2:50 pm

    one could say that Key has picked the best man for the job…

    his anti stab vest may have been itching up a bit, so he prefers Collins away from her sponsored puddle jumper, newspaper column, ACT deputy leadership and super Mayoral run and right where he can see her eye him like a Neapolitan Mastiff on a sturdy chain…

  10. Stephen 10
    7 December 2015 at 3:49 pm

    Keep your friends closer and your enemies closer is an old maxim But the same could be said about Collins. She will find it easier to undermine and promote herself inside cabinet than out.

  11. millsy 11
    7 December 2015 at 5:12 pm

    Well, this will keep the rednecks happy.

    Her first act will probably to have Corrections place transgendered inmates into general population.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 11.1
      7 December 2015 at 5:39 pm

      Or that SERCO have been replaced by Oravida who are issuing bleach to all inmates.

  12. Penny Bright 12
    7 December 2015 at 6:10 pm

    For Judith Collins to get back Police and Corrections, in my opinion, is simply obscene.

    As Minister for Police – Judith Collins is the Minister responsible for the SFO – which is supposed to be the ‘lead’ agency to whom you make complaints about ‘bribery and corruption’.

    Having helped to organise THREE separate ‘networking opportunities’ for her friends’ and husband’s private company Oravida, while she was in China as Minister for Justice, in my opinion, proves Judith Collins wouldn’t know a CORRUPT ‘conflict of interest’ – if it leapt up and bit her on the backside.

    In my view, given that PM John Key (re) appointed Judith Collins back to these positions, proves that corruption in NZ goes right to the top.

    Penny Bright

    ‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’

    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate

    (Who would LOVE Judith Collins to stand as an Auckland Mayoral candidate ….. 🙂

  13. emergency mike 13
    7 December 2015 at 6:16 pm

    So Paula Bennett is in charge of ignoring climate change. I guess that makes sense.

    And Collins, having ‘done her time’ or whatever, gets police. Yes that’s what we need to sort out the police’s and Serco’s lack of transparency and accountability: Judith ‘Responsible’ Collins. Makes sense.

    It makes sense for John Key and the National party. But for New Zealand? The joke’s on you.

    What’s up with Rimmer? “He [Key] said Seymour’s choice not to take a ministerial post was “quite clever”, though he was surprised.”

  14. Chooky 14
    7 December 2015 at 6:20 pm

    Peters puts it succinctly

  15. tc 15
    7 December 2015 at 8:43 pm

    Ballsy from the hollow men. Almost like a ‘take your best shot’ approach for the opposition.

    Sooo easy without that pesky media. Bet Weldon gets a nice Xmas bonus.

  16. Gangnam Style 16
    7 December 2015 at 8:46 pm

    http://www.offtherecord.co.nz/tired-of-shit-jobs-bennett-lashes-out-at-key/

    ” “OMG,” she told Off The Record just after the Prime Minister’s surprise reshuffle announcement this afternoon. “I’m totes tired of John giving me all these shit jobs. Like, ‘Hello!’ I’m not even sure where the climate is!” ” HA!

  17. Smilin 17
    8 December 2015 at 10:28 am

    Not unexpected about Groser he looks and sounds like Bolger better to have a has been somewhere out of the way of course at great expense to the taxpayer. Didnt his new digs get a big upgrade not long ago?

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  • Cathrine Dyer's guide to watching COP 28 from the bottom of a warming planet
    Is COP28 largely smoke and mirrors and a plan so cunning, you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel? Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: COP28 kicks off on November 30 and up for negotiation are issues like the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition, contributions to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Monday, Nov 27
    PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the new government’s policies of yesteryear
    This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on Friday Routinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • The New Government’s Agreements
    Last Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • How many smokers will die to fund the tax cuts?
    Maori and Pasifika smoking rates are already over twice the ‘all adult’ rate. Now the revenue that generates will be used to fund National’s tax cuts. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The devil is always in the detail and it emerged over the weekend from the guts of the policy agreements National ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • How the culture will change in the Beehive
    Perhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • No More Winnie Blues.
    So what do you think of the coalition’s decision to cancel Smokefree measures intended to stop young people, including an over representation of Māori, from taking up smoking? Enabling them to use the tax revenue to give other people a tax cut?David Cormack summed it up well:It seems not only ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023.  Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chief  Exclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Some of it is mad, some of it is bad and some of it is clearly the work of people who are dangerous ...
    On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • “Revolution” is the threat as the Māori Party smarts at coalition government’s Treaty directi...
    Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website, Point of Order turned today to Scoop’s Latest Parliament Headlines  for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • The Good, the Bad, and the even Worse.
    Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • When it Comes to Palestine – Free Speech is Under Threat
    Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • Thank you Captain Luxon. Was that a landing, or were we shot down?
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Cans of Worms.
    “And there’ll be no shortage of ‘events’ to test Luxon’s political skills. David Seymour wants a referendum on the Treaty. Winston wants a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Labour’s handling of the Covid crisis. Talk about cans of worms!”LAURIE AND LES were very fond of their local. It was nothing ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Disinformation campaigns are undermining democracy. Here’s how we can fight back
    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Misinformation is debated everywhere and has justifiably sparked concerns. It can polarise the public, reduce health-protective behaviours such as mask wearing and vaccination, and erode trust in science. Much of misinformation is spread not ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Peters as Minister
    A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record.1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is not even an entry in Wikipedia. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago

  • The New Government: 2023 Edition
    So New Zealand has a brand-spanking new right-wing government. Not just any new government either. A formal majority coalition, of the sort last seen in 1996-1998 (our governmental arrangements for the past quarter of a century have been varying flavours of minority coalition or single-party minority, with great emphasis ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    7 days ago

  • The unboxing
    And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the tree with its gold ribbon but can turn out to be nothing more than a big box holding a voucher for socks, so it ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • A cruel, vicious, nasty government
    So, after weeks of negotiations, we finally have a government, with a three-party cabinet and a time-sharing deputy PM arrangement. Newsroom's Marc Daalder has put the various coalition documents online, and I've been reading through them. A few things stand out: Luxon doesn't want to do any work, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Hurrah – we have a new government (National, ACT and New Zealand First commit “to deliver for al...
    Buzz from the Beehive Sorry, there has been  no fresh news on the government’s official website since the caretaker trade minister’s press statement about the European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement. But the capital is abuzz with news – and media comment is quickly flowing – after ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Christopher Luxon – NZ PM #42.
    Nothing says strong and stable like having your government announcement delayed by a day because one of your deputies wants to remind everyone, but mostly you, who wears the trousers. It was all a bit embarrassing yesterday with the parties descending on Wellington before pulling out of proceedings. There are ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • Coalition Government details policies & ministers
    Winston Peters will be Deputy PM for the first half of the Coalition Government’s three-year term, with David Seymour being Deputy PM for the second half. Photo montage by Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: PM-Elect Christopher Luxon has announced the formation of a joint National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government with a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • “Old Coat” by Peter, Paul & Mary.
     THERE ARE SOME SONGS that seem to come from a place that is at once in and out of the world. Written by men and women who, for a brief moment, are granted access to that strange, collective compendium of human experience that comes from, and belongs to, all the ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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