Labour’s cautious cabinet reshuffle

Written By: - Date published: 4:27 pm, June 27th, 2019 - 120 comments
Categories: jacinda ardern, labour, megan woods, phil twyford - Tags: ,

The results of Labour’s long awaited cabinet reshuffle has now been made public.  And the results have some political pundits eating their words.

The Herald has the details:

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that Kris Faafoi has been promoted into Cabinet and will join a “new team of housing Ministers.”

Faafoi – Minister of Civil Defence and a number of other portfolios – was tipped to receive a promotion.

He was what’s called a Minister outside Cabinet – he has Ministerial portfolios but was not a permanent member of the Ministerial Cabinet. 

Ardern today said his promotion will see him join a “new team of housing Ministers.”

Megan Woods will lead this new team of housing Ministers and is now responsible for the KiwiBuild reset.

Faafoi is in charge of public housing and homelessness.

Phil Twyford, who was Housing Minister, will be in charge of urban development.

He will no longer be responsible for housing.

Woods picks up Housing from Twyford, but loses Government Digital Services, Research, Science and Innovation.

She is also no longer the Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission.

David Parker’s Economic Development portfolio was given to Twyford.

It will be presented as a demotion for Twyford but his existing obligations were very onerous.  He will still have Transport and Urban Development and picks up Economic Development so will still be busy.  It is more of a sideways shuffle than a demotion.

Big winners are Kris Faafoi who has been promoted into Cabinet and Poto Williams who in a well deserved promotion will now be a Minister outside of Cabinet and responsible for the very important Community and Voluntary Sector as well as Associate Minister for Social Development, Immigration and Greater Christchurch Regeneration.

120 comments on “Labour’s cautious cabinet reshuffle ”

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  1. ianmac 1
    27 June 2019 at 4:40 pm

    It seemed that Twyford spent a lot of time responding to taunts from the Opposition and the Media. Somehow they should have been able to counter the bad news with the enormous positives. Anyway now having a coordinated team to develop Kiwibuild (is it still called that?) will get better positive results. No doubt Bridges will claim it as scalp but he should keep an eye on his own.

    • Kat 1.1
      27 June 2019 at 4:44 pm

      National's opposition housing spokeswoman Judith Collins said Twyford had "diligently done his best" and it was "a big mistake to split up these portfolios."

      So all those "taunts" were just nonsense and meaningless but here are some more. The problem for national is there is more than one target now. Judith Collins will be busy.

      • Heather Grimwoood 1.1.1
        27 June 2019 at 5:08 pm

        to Kat at 1.1 : " more than one target now"…….and so surely means that the lessening of huge load Twyford's been carrying in the running of two big portfolios ( not helped I'm sure by eternal barrages at QT ) is only a reasonable move. To my mind, sharing of workload and co-operation of three capable people in one of these portfolios can only bode well for all. I wish them every success.

        • Kat 1.1.1.1
          27 June 2019 at 6:18 pm

          Heather, yes the PM is all for co-operation and sharing of workloads, sign of a good administrator and confident leader. National had a game plan to knock individual govt ministers over one by one, they may have got one with Clare Curran but no more will be forthcoming. National will have to change tactics now but for a leaderless party bereft of ideas and any real talent they are unable to stop this version of the 'Natanic" from going to the bottom.

          Oh look over there…..another blue deckchair……

      • Dukeofurl 1.1.2
        27 June 2019 at 5:09 pm

        Did Collins really say it 'was a big mistake to split up [housing ]portfolios'

        Thats exactly what national did around 2015

        " Mr Key said housing would continue to be "a key area of focus for his Government" with a ministerial team of Bill English, Paula Bennett and Nick Smith assembled to lead that work
        "Mr English will have direct responsibility for Housing New Zealand; Ms Bennett will focus on social housing, while Dr Smith will work on housing affordability and construction issues."

        https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11337743

        • Gosman 1.1.2.1
          27 June 2019 at 5:13 pm

          Did it work splitting them up in 2015?

        • Infused 1.1.2.2
          27 June 2019 at 6:18 pm

          Which labour and Phil attacked at the time

          • Dukeofurl 1.1.2.2.1
            28 June 2019 at 10:26 am

            national wasnt building anything at all.

            English was selling off State Houses

            Bennett was lieing about the homeless in their cars

            Nick Smith was pointing out pieces of vacant land , and repeating 'new houses'

        • Chris T 1.1.2.3
          27 June 2019 at 11:41 pm

          I think it was a joke as Labour slagged them off for doing it.

          Subtle reminder more than reality

        • Muttonbird 1.1.2.4
          28 June 2019 at 7:42 am

          And the results from Key's housing restructure was the worst housing crisis this country has seen. That's because as always Key instructed his ministers to do nothing.

          I hope this time will be different.

      • The Chairman 1.1.3
        28 June 2019 at 11:12 am

        The problem for national is there is more than one target now.

        But is that really a problem for National, Kat?

        Ponder this:

        The target is the poor number of houses being built, so instead of pointing the blame at one Minister National can now try to pin it on the whole new team.

        • Drowsy M. Kram 1.1.3.1
          28 June 2019 at 11:41 am

          Two questions for The "more left than most" Chairman:

          1. Was it wise to allocate more ministerial heft to tackling the 10+ year-old housing crisis? Consider the 'achievements' of singleton Ministers of Housing over the last 10 years – does NZ really need more of that?

          2. Does the National party have any significant problems?

          The second question should be fairly easy for one who is "more left than most", i.e. easy to list half a dozen serious problems currently facing the National party – care to give it a go?

          You could start here: https://thestandard.org.nz/nationals-reshuffle/

          Relentlessly soggy, transparent, and (frankly) dishonest. And, honestly, its the dishonesty, the “more left than most” misrepresentation, that really rankles – everything else would be fine if you could just be honest (or at least not dishonest) about your motives.

          #TheChairman"MoreLeftThanMost"

          • The Chairman 1.1.3.1.1
            28 June 2019 at 12:08 pm

            Was it wise to allocate more ministerial heft to tackling the 10+ year-old housing crisis?

            It would be wise for Labour to get on with the task and start to deliver more. Whether they require a team at the top to do that is their call.

            The question voters will be asking is whether or not a team of Ministers taking part will make much difference improving the problems the scheme is having on the ground?

            And by the way, it is more left than most that post on here. Not more left than most full stop.wink

            • Drowsy M. Kram 1.1.3.1.1.1
              28 June 2019 at 12:33 pm

              The Chairman
              "Don't be paranoid, I'm more left than most of you. But here we are again, talking about me. Funny that." https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-29-05-2019/#comment-1622332

              "Funny that" indeed. Who would be more left, Chair? Someone who is more left than most who post on The Standard, or someone who is more left than most full stop?

              Tbh I don't understand why you're still talking up your "lefty" (!) credentials – we've moved on. cheeky

    • Gosman 1.2
      27 June 2019 at 5:02 pm

      What positives were there from Kiwibuild?

      • Dukeofurl 1.2.1
        27 June 2019 at 5:13 pm

        National has thrown everything at Kiwibuild , including the kitchen sink, and yet hasnt made any difference to their polls apart from 1% extra for Collins.

        Its good politics for the opposition to waste their energy on something which most of the public doesnt see as directly affecting them.

        • Gosman 1.2.1.1
          27 June 2019 at 5:14 pm

          LOL! I must remember that next time National is in power with a very popular leader and you criticise some of their policies.

          • Charlie 1.2.1.1.1
            27 June 2019 at 5:48 pm

            LOL! Gee you will have to have a very good memory waiting for next time!

            • Dukeofurl 1.2.1.1.1.1
              27 June 2019 at 5:54 pm

              Its his way of forgetting Nationals disaster policies.

              Super City anyone !

        • Siobhan 1.2.1.2
          28 June 2019 at 11:34 am

          so..KiwiBuild…this transformative Governments Flagship policy was all about distracting the opposition?

          Not actually about giving people the dignity of either owning their own home..or being the lucky recipients of the supposed trickle down housing affordability/availability that this policy was supposed to create.

          The right for every human in this country to live in an affordable place they can call home for more than one year at a time…"something which most of the public doesn't see as directly affecting them."..spoken like a true modern day NZ Labour voter who is desperately hoping that the homeless can be 'looked after' while making sure nothing actually changes in the housing market.

    • alwyn 1.3
      27 June 2019 at 5:14 pm

      "Somehow they should have been able to counter the bad news with the enormous positives".

      Thinks very hard. I am unable to think of a single positive from Twyford's performance in housing. What have they got to after about 20 months in Office? About 150 houses of which only half have been sold. It's something like that anyway. They have managed to buy houses off developers who built them and couldn't find anyone except Twyford who wanted to buy them.

      Still, he's now got the whole economy to wreck. Minister of Economic Development for crying out loud. What do you have to do to be fired in this lot of losers? Helen would have demoted him to position 47 in the Caucus. Yes I know there are only 46 MPs but the invisible man is doing a better job than Twyford.

      • Gosman 1.3.1
        27 June 2019 at 5:16 pm

        To be fair he has probably done some other stuff that may well have been positive but it is all drowned out by his hanging his hat on the success or failut of Kiwibuild and it being a right royal cock up.

        • Observer Tokoroa 1.3.1.1
          27 June 2019 at 6:08 pm

          Hi there Gosman

          Why did your brilliance and that of Paula and Simon so hopelessly loose the Election ?

          You have let everybody down. And yet you act as if you are God's gift to mankind.

        • lprent 1.3.1.2
          27 June 2019 at 10:40 pm

          Well as far as I can tell he is far more successful that any National housing minister.

          Of course that is an extremely negative bar. Nick Smith's success in housing comes to mind.

          Phil is actually building some housing….

          • Gosman 1.3.1.2.1
            28 June 2019 at 9:43 am

            As you rightly point out that isn't a very high standard to measure oneself against.

            By the way how MANY houses did Phil Twyford “build”?

          • Enough is Enough 1.3.1.2.2
            28 June 2019 at 12:14 pm

            Why is it a comparison with National though? This partisan, we are better than you, bullshit, is so tiresome.

            We voted those clowns out. Now lets put some pressure of this current lot to actually deliver.

            The current government made a stupid promise to save a useless leader in David Shearer. Rather than using their time in opposition to plan and refine the policy objective, they doubled down, and repeated the idiotic promise of 100,000 affordable homes.

            Now 2 years down the track they have failed, but the criticism, From those who used to scream "housing crisis" is almost muted. Why was anyone who claimed their was a housing crisis three years ago, not hammering this government in the same way.

            Hey they may have labelled 100 odd houses (that would have been built anyway) as "kiwibuild homes'. However in terms of solving the housing crisis, it has been a total (and predictable) failure.

      • McFlock 1.3.2
        27 June 2019 at 5:17 pm

        Housing? Stopped the sale of state houses. Hundreds more state houses added to stock, where the nats just sold them. More than just kiwibuild's slow start.

        • Formerly Ross 1.3.2.1
          27 June 2019 at 5:38 pm

          Not forgetting that house sales to foreigners have taken a big hit. Tories seem to have poor memories.

          https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/388317/foreign-house-sales-drop-80-percent

          • Ankerrawshark 1.3.2.1.1
            27 June 2019 at 7:21 pm

            Ok. One of the first things twyford did was ask the PMs science advisor to report about method testing. As a result of this that bogus industry was stopped.

            I think he did well, but media went for him. Hacienda handled the reshuffle very well. Very savvt

            • ankerawshark 1.3.2.1.1.1
              28 June 2019 at 10:52 am

              Profuse embarrassment about the typos in the above post. I often have trouble posting from i pad, so used phone and obviously its time to go to spec saves.

              Corrections = methods should be meths,

              Hacienda should be Jacinda

              savvt should be savvy

              • alwyn …
                28 June 2019 at 12:12 pm

                I'll admit that your correction makes a great deal more sense.

                I thought the original was much funnier though. And at least as thought provoking. I did, finally, work out what you meant but it took some imagination.

      • Peter 1.3.3
        27 June 2019 at 5:50 pm

        Credit Twyford with the lunatics, who for years said there wasn't a housing crisis, now thinking there's a crisis to sort out.

      • ianmac 1.3.4
        27 June 2019 at 6:48 pm

        "Somehow they should have been able to counter the bad news with the enormous positives".

        When the big build was started by Labour in the 1930s it was two years before the first house was built. There have been about 2,000 State house and social houses built under Twyford's care.

        Their mistake was setting a target like 1000 houses in a short time. Poor old Judith can not see beyond such simple arithmetic.

      • Psycho Milt 1.3.5
        27 June 2019 at 7:13 pm

        What have they got to after about 20 months in Office? About 150 houses of which only half have been sold.

        You should stop listening to Nat propaganda that pretends Kiwibuild is the entirety of the government's housing policy. This from Newsroom in January:

        HNZ built 1036 new homes in the 2017/18 financial year, up from 466 the year before. As of December 2018 it had 2099 homes under construction, 1704 in procurement, and 2000 in the early stages of planning.

        That compares to the previous government's approach of selling state houses and building fewer new ones, and is all by itself an excellent reason to vote Labour or Green rather than National at the next election. It's also an indication that Twyford isn't getting the credit he deserves.

      • SHG 1.3.6
        27 June 2019 at 8:40 pm

        I blame large numbers of people with Chinese-sounding names

  2. observer 2
    27 June 2019 at 5:54 pm

    IanMac has nailed it. Twyford isn't bad at government. He's bad at media. That's a very different thing.

    He takes questions in good faith, and accepts the premise of the question, even the "gotcha" ones, which don't deserve good faith at all. This makes him look defensive. And the Beehive media scent blood.

    A sharper political operator would have a response like shrugging it off, or making a joke, or counter-attacking viciously. Key did all of those things at various times. So he was good at the political game, but it isn't a game. You can't house your family under a roof made of spin.

    I'd prefer Twyford any day of the week. Key's the one who gave us the f***ing housing crisis in the first place.

    • Infused 2.1
      27 June 2019 at 6:20 pm

      Dude. No thought was put into kiwibuild at all. It was called out at the start. Phil attacked national doing the same thing and has failed him self.

      • observer 2.1.1
        27 June 2019 at 6:34 pm

        All you need to do is imagine the alternative: National's 4th term.

        Everything from the offshore buyer ban to the brightline extension to state housing to tenants' protection and so on … none if it would have happened.

        The homeless wouldn't just be in cars, they'd be rioting in the streets. Along with half of Auckland. We dodged a horrible bullet.

        • higherstandard 2.1.1.1
          27 June 2019 at 6:43 pm

          laughI doubt many outside political tragic would notice much difference between a Nat 4th term and the current mob.

          • observer 2.1.1.1.1
            27 June 2019 at 7:22 pm

            Counter-factuals are never tested, so you can believe whatever you want about non-reality.

            That's why I gave you reality instead: National's policies in government, and their opposition now to the current policies.

            This evidence is verifiable, and the conclusion is clear.

        • SHG 2.1.1.2
          27 June 2019 at 8:42 pm

          imagine the alternative: National's 4th term.

          Don’t have to imagine it, I can just pick up a paper.

      • Dukeofurl 2.1.2
        27 June 2019 at 8:06 pm

        National had no house building strategy.

        Once they came in 2008 , they stopped new state houses completely.

        And even at 2017 election National was promising 'more houses' – but those were to be built by private firms.

  3. Michael who failed Civics 3
    27 June 2019 at 6:09 pm

    Getting rid of Twyford was a sensible move. It will be interesting to see whether Megan Woods can do any better though.

    • Kat 3.1
      27 June 2019 at 6:30 pm

      It is not a question of "doing better" more about sharing the workload and keeping on producing the goods for NZ. Something in housing that hasn't been achieved since the 1970's.

      Megan Woods will shut the Judith Collins taunts down very quickly.

      • In Vino 3.1.1
        27 June 2019 at 7:56 pm

        It sounds to me like Michael is actively hoping for failure..?

        • Kevin 3.1.1.1
          28 June 2019 at 8:55 am

          I struggle to understand the mentality of those who take some sort of perverse delight in NZers not having a suitable home to live in. I am assuming it is some form of mental illness.

        • Michael who failed Civics 3.1.1.2
          28 June 2019 at 4:48 pm

          I'd love to see more social houses built to meet our housing crisis. I just don't believe this government is able to do it. I also question whether it is willing to alleviate problem, in anything more than a cosmetic sense, when it resolutely refuses to raise the necessary funds.

      • Heather Grimwoood 3.1.2
        27 June 2019 at 8:07 pm

        to Kat at 3.1 : Wholeheartedly agree on all points. The fact that so much vitriol has appeared above ( Gosman,Alwyn etc) makes one suspect purveyors of it secretly agree with the sharing of a huge workload as being a good move, thus compelling their necessary denigration.

    • Psycho Milt 3.2
      27 June 2019 at 9:23 pm

      They "got rid of Twyford?" Fuck, what's he going to do now?

  4. Observer Tokoroa 4
    27 June 2019 at 6:22 pm

    Dear Gosman

    Why are you not answering Questions?

    You have let the whole sad national mob down, and you don't care tuppence. You have spent your daily life trying to shake the new Coalition – while you get dragged down into oblivion.

    You are not much value – are you !
    did you knock off the Embargoed Papers? The ones Paula and Simon collared ?

    • Charlie 4.1
      27 June 2019 at 6:40 pm

      Hey OT Gosman is really John Key and he is going to shut your bank account down. So man no more pension. Don't worry only joking! National are fucked and Gosman knows it. Like a crushed cockroach the ants will finish them off.

  5. higherstandard 5
    27 June 2019 at 6:28 pm

    A richly deserved promotion for Chris Faafoi easily the best performer of the Labour caucus, quietly getting things done without much fanfare.

  6. CHCoff 6
    27 June 2019 at 7:29 pm

    While the hostile media environment is a barrier to gender equality in some ways i would guess BUT as that is not really a factor in larger/medium-large corporate decision making trees, with better value signal chains & forms of wealth appreciation in making sustainability to prosperity more culturally widespread; there is surely space to differentiate between public and political relations in advancing gender equality leadership for the corporate world with the Govt. ministries at some point.

  7. Chris T 7
    27 June 2019 at 11:43 pm

    Chuffed for Faafoi.

    Probably their best performing Minister alongside Little (not having the pressure of leader anymore)

    Twyford was untenable, so good move.

    The rest is duct tape, and ignoring a fair amount of miss steps

    • New v 7.1
      28 June 2019 at 7:05 am

      Congratulations. One of the few commenters here that can make a sensible statement about the article. Most here have ignored the possible discussion that could be had about the coalition reshuffle and have reverted back to criticising the opposition. Either the reshuffle was totally boring or it’s easier to mindlessly keep poking at the opposition. Just an observation. My casual opinion of the housing situation is that by splitting the housing portfolio will mean no one minister will have to take the fall if the problems persist but there is certainly plenty of resources being used now. Will the left hand know what the right hand is doing. The whole of NZ will be expecting some good progress.

      • Louis 7.1.1
        28 June 2019 at 8:26 am

        "no one minister will have to take the fall" that's a line Seymour is spinning. Each minister is accountable for the porfolio they hold, are they not?

        • alwyn 7.1.1.1
          28 June 2019 at 10:44 am

          I suspect, when it comes to question time in the House and there is a question about Housing the response will be, to every question.

          "Reply by Minister A.

          That is not the my responsibility. The question should have been addressed to the Minister for B"

          And on the next day.

          "Reply by Minister B.

          That is not the my responsibility. The question should have been addressed to the Minister for C"

          And on and on and on and on.

          • ankerawshark 7.1.1.1.1
            28 June 2019 at 1:24 pm

            Alywin, couldn't give a flying ………….as long as they build more houses and try to solve the housing crisis, even if there are mis steps along the way, I am happy. That is why I voted them in.

            Really aren't you and your colleagues super embarrassed about criticizing Labour over housing, when National allowed the crisis (quoting John Key here in 2008) grow like a rampant weed……..

          • Louis 7.1.1.1.2
            28 June 2019 at 6:44 pm

            The ministers roles are clearly defined Alwyn. Its up to the questioner to direct the question to the appropriate minister. Quite simple really

            • alwyn 7.1.1.1.2.1
              28 June 2019 at 7:08 pm

              Your opinion of Minister's always answering relevant questions when they don't want to, impresses me greatly. Have you ever listened to them when they really try to avoid doing so? Anything goes and saying it isn't your responsibility is just one of their ploys. Even the PM tries it on occasionally and her role is to be responsible for everything that the Government does.

              Trevor allows her to get away with it as well. Can't have the young lady getting flustered of course.

              (And yes, so did John Key so don't bother with the "But National did it too" excuse.)

              • Louis …
                28 June 2019 at 7:28 pm

                I wasnt going to and it looks like you didnt understand what I actually said. The speaker is particularly tough where the government is concerned, he's lifted the bar considerably in question time compared to what it was under Carter.National have enjoyed being allotted extra questions as a consequence.

                • alwyn …
                  28 June 2019 at 8:48 pm

                  I really think you should take note of the Specsavers' ads. You really aren't seeing very clearly if you think Trevor is "particularly tough" on the Government.

                  Carter wasn't very good either, and certainly not a patch on Lockwood Smith. Parker was rather like Jonathon Hunt. Trevor is like that harridan Margaret Wilson. Bloody awful.

    • Muttonbird 7.2
      28 June 2019 at 7:35 am

      There it is again. They've all got a thing for Faafoi. It's not just a thing on this site; across all sites the RW clap like seals for Kris.

      Does he hold some right wing beliefs? Is he one of those they think 'should be a Nat'?

      It is quite peculiar.

      • Chris T 7.2.1
        28 June 2019 at 7:57 am

        No

        He is just a good Minister who has performed well in comparison to a lot of others who speaks his mind and actually has a personality.

        And he is also not afraid to admit when things go wrong, which is more than you can say for the majority of politicians in all the parties

      • New view 7.2.2
        28 June 2019 at 8:38 am

        I don’t give a shit about Faafoi. Just the comment related to the article. And Louis, hard to prove a fail on housing development or what ever they’re calling Twyfords new job description.

      • Anne 7.2.3
        28 June 2019 at 9:52 am

        By making Faafoi out to be such a fantastic minister (bearing in mind he's only just become a minister inside Cabinet which is where all the action occurs), they are effectively saying all the rest of them are crap including of course the PM, Jacinda Ardern.

        Derivations of this theme will continue through to the next election by which time they hope many voters will have turned away from these "crappy" ministers mumbling to themselves… there's only one who is any good and that is Kris Faafoi.

        Kris will be a fine pair of steady hands along with all the other steady hands, but many voters are just too darned stupid to comprehend they are being manipulated.

        • peterh 7.2.3.1
          28 June 2019 at 10:00 am

          Or mybe its you that is stupid

          • Anne 7.2.3.1.1
            28 June 2019 at 10:08 am

            No.

            • New view 7.2.3.1.1.1
              28 June 2019 at 11:26 am

              So there’s tens of thousands of voters that are possibly stupid and we should hold your opinion above theirs

              • Anne …
                28 June 2019 at 11:37 am

                So there’s tens of thousands of voters that are possibly stupid…

                Well it stands to reason doesn't it. At any given time, up to half the population are below the average IQ level. It looks like you are one of them.

  8. michelle 8
    28 June 2019 at 10:08 am

    ju death said on RNZ they ( national & the govt) should be on the same page but ju-death denied for 9 yrs there was a housing crisis now she wants to be on the same page her and her fucken government oversaw the selling of how many of our state homes and land to private developer and they sold SHA land to the wealthy Chinese.

    • Muttonbird 8.1
      28 June 2019 at 10:16 am

      Yep. It is hugely insulting for Collins to seek a seat at the government table when her government created the mess. And why indeed should low income and vulnerable Kiwis trust her on this when all policy before actively ignored them while enriching others?

      As eve, the issue is high immigration coupled with poor infrastructure planning and funding which delays housebuilding.

      Perhaps those who benefitted most, and frankly disproportionately, could fund the infrastructure required to accomodate all the people who are contributing to their windfall!

      • Herodotus 8.1.1
        28 June 2019 at 10:57 am

        the housing issue raised in head when Helen was PM, John campaigned using this crisis. Perhaps many here need a course in history. National did little to resolve this , just like labour’s welfare for those poor who can afford $650k for a 3 bedroom house.

        We now have a PM who after being in opposition for 9 years and PM for 18 months comes out that it is harder than she thought . What were you doing in the time of preparation To be in govt ?

        • Muttonbird 8.1.1.1
          28 June 2019 at 11:28 am

          JA while in opposition was not involved with housing. You know this.

          Interesting you cite Key's campaign. His was an unconscionable lie because after campaigning on it, he deliberately produced policy which made it far, far worse.

          And you won't get an argument from me about the government leaving behind households earning between $60k and $120K. That is quite disgraceful and I've said it many times on this very forum.

          • Herodotus 8.1.1.1.1
            28 June 2019 at 12:07 pm

            The housing policy was in place well before the change in leadership. Was the Labour policy so dependant upon a leader to implement ? IMO no matter who is the PM a strategy should have been in place to be implemented. That was what my 9 years in opposition was aimed at – Labour MP's in general.

            We have a dichotomy of MPs based on political party lines

            Nation – Business experience but limit social appreciation

            Labour – Unv students with no business experience and protected from the real world. There are a few that have real world experience (Māori and PI) BUT they are a minority and appear to have little cabinet power.

            And selling HNZ land for Kiwibuild and to other developers is a shame. In doing so we are diminishing the land area that could be used for those in need that the govt can support, Sell land less land and dwellings for HNZ to build.

            I have said this many times and have not had my opinion changed- Get housing fixed and many other social, health, ed, crime etc issue will as a by produced fade away

            • Muttonbird 8.1.1.1.1.1
              28 June 2019 at 12:18 pm

              Get housing fixed and many other social, health, ed, crime etc issue will as a by produced fade away

              Absolutely. Importantly, stable communities. Higher home ownership rates help but where that is difficult, higher tenure security for renters and healthy homes.

              A sense of belonging and stability help communities thrive and so children thrive, make long term friendships and get the most out of school.

              Where home ownership is low then don't make communities transient by encouraging amateur landlords to flip houses for capital gain and complain about insulation costs. Encourage larger professional investment groups to take these houses who will bring them up to scratch and maintain them as permanent assets.

          • James 8.1.1.1.2
            28 June 2019 at 12:42 pm

            when in opposition she was not involved in anything of note.

    • New view 8.2
      28 June 2019 at 11:41 am

      She said there was a housing crisis for some people. Can’t argue with that. It’s not just the shortage of housing (most notably in Auckland ) but the cost of housing. This Government is struggling with that just like previous Governments. You are also assuming that if National had won the election they wouldn’t have upped the number of houses being built under their stewardship. I’m picking that with the on going CRSIS they would have. Agreed they were desperately slow to get the magnitude of the problem.

      • Muttonbird 8.2.1
        28 June 2019 at 11:59 am

        It's quite simple. Collins need to spell out what National would do to fix housing stress for so many Kiwis.

        If the lower-middle who are currently being screwed sideways on this see no progress on housing then they will vote for someone with more clear ideas.

        So far National have produced nothing but volumes of criticism (and now cynically attempting to cuddle up). Other than entitled, wealthy RWNJs, most people don't want that.

      • Drowsy M. Kram 8.2.2
        28 June 2019 at 12:14 pm

        Fair comment – the National-led government were indeed "desperately slow" to even acknowledge the problem, which is mystifying given that 'honest' (and now Sir) John Key was campaigning on the housing crisis well over a decade ago. In this 2007 address, Key used "crisis" 14 times.

        http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0708/S00336.htm

        Yet, in 2016, Key said there was no housing crisis in Auckland, ruling out a "misplaced building programme".

        https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/80320513/john-key-defends-govt-housing-action-rules-out-misplaced-housebuilding-programme

        Thankfully, NZ will never know what a further three years of National-led 'government' might have 'achieved' on the housing front.

    • ankerawshark 8.3
      28 June 2019 at 1:27 pm

      Ju death, wanting to be one of the cool kids who get things done

  9. tsmithfield 9
    28 June 2019 at 10:13 am

    In my opinion Twyford was thrown a hospital pass from the outset.

    There was never a snowball's chance in hell of 100000 houses being built within a ten year time frame.

    I don't think Labour actually expected to be elected, hence thought they could throw around all sorts of promises they would never have to impliment. But now they have been hoisted by their own petard over this.

    Watch out for the reset now. I anticipate there will be a new target announced considerably less than the original 100000 promise.

    • Anne 9.2
      28 June 2019 at 10:27 am

      Yep tsmithfield, it is obvious that is what happened.

      With the benefit of hindsight, it would have been better if they had owned up to their pre-election hyperbole (let's face it all political parties do it before every election) and reduced their expectations to a more realistic level. It would have caused initial embarrassment but the punters would have forgiven them in time.

      I personally know Phil Twyford and he is the eternal optimist. He takes the "glass half full" meme to another level altogether. 🙂

      Edit: Having said the above, I have huge admiration for Phil. He is highly talented and hopefully will be able to prove as much now he has a more reasonable workload.

      • alwyn 9.2.1
        28 June 2019 at 10:58 am

        I wonder what the cost for each KiwiBuild house, or flat, or studio apartment would turn out to be if they were to simply scrap the useless scheme right now?

        Would it come in at less than $10 million apiece? Given how few they have managed to arrange, and even ignoring the fact that they can't even sell half of them, then when you allow for the enormous organisation they set up in the Department and the tens of thousands of contracts and purchase guarantees they claim to have issued I suspect it would be at least that number.

        I wonder if there is an Accountant with thre time and interest to actually work it out?

        • KJT 9.2.1.1
          28 June 2019 at 8:38 pm

          So. Around about the cost of motel accommodation, needed to replace the State houses National sold.

          This Government is already thousands of net houses up on National's score, after 9 years.

          Give them time. It took two years to even make a start on the postwar State houses.

  10. mosa 10
    28 June 2019 at 12:12 pm

    No time to be cautious as the neo liberal disaster and its victims need urgent help.

    You wimped out on a fairer tax system so show you are serious.

    C'mon Adern you wanted to be like Norm Kirk and he would have said be BOLD and let's do this now !

  11. Jimmy 11
    28 June 2019 at 1:38 pm

    Ian Lees-Galloway should have been demoted after the embarrassing Sourbek debacle.

    Chris Fafoi deserves the promotion, as although the bar is set pretty low, he is one of the best performing ministers.

  12. Philj 12
    28 June 2019 at 3:04 pm

    Kiwibuild will go the same way as Kiwi share, remember that? How long does fairy dust last?

    • mosa 12.1
      28 June 2019 at 5:32 pm

      How long does fairy dust last?

      As long as she does her job of being popular and maintaining the economic staus quo.

      • New view 12.1.1
        28 June 2019 at 8:28 pm

        Now that’s the truth as I see it also. Not as easy to achieve as is quick to say. She better hope that Grant the money man does what is required to maintain the economy because she wouldn’t have a clue. Wanting a socially just society and being able to afford it are two different things.

    • observer 12.2
      28 June 2019 at 5:49 pm

      It lasts as long as her opponents keep telling themselves it's fairy dust.

      They are oblivious to the irony. 'Know your enemy' is Politics 101. If you can't see a very capable politician, you can't hope to defeat her. Or him. See also: John Key.

      "Like" =/= "Understand".

      • mosa 12.2.1
        28 June 2019 at 6:19 pm

        Observer the " enemy is NEO LIBERALISIM that is enforced by Labour – Adern and Bridges – National with help from all the current parties in the New Zealand parliament , media and public service departments.

        There will be no change to the symptoms that all we suffer in this country and all the outrages that The Standard keeps highlighting if you are middle class , working poor or a welfare beneficiary until there is a counter movement against the current economic framework.

        We need a genuine socialist approach that U.K Labour and Bernie Sanders are advocating to remedy decades of capitalist influence that have marginalized so many people and their families.

  13. Dennis Frank 13
    28 June 2019 at 9:07 pm

    I felt it was a good reshuffle. Megan Woods always seems on the ball & gets to the point fast. Worth a try. The splitting of policy responsibilities is sensible delegation, sharing the load.

    Twyford's optimism may have set him up for the fall – unless the unrealistic numbers promised at the start were provided by public service economists. His career shows no prior learning from industry experience of delivering on target goals (production systems). From his beehive bio:

    "After studying politics at Auckland University, Phil worked as a journalist and union organiser before becoming the founding Executive Director of Oxfam New Zealand. Phil’s strong belief in justice led to him becoming Oxfam’s Global Advocacy Director, based in Washington DC. Upon returning to New Zealand, Phil was elected to Parliament for the Labour Party in 2008. In Opposition, he held the portfolios of Housing, Transport, Auckland Issues, and Disarmament and Arms Control."

    Operating as a cheerleader is entirely predictable given his track record. Does Labour even have a senior minister with industry management experience? Does the coalition?? If not, someone with experience in managing organisations that produce material outputs would be the only sensible next choice. Wikipedia: "Woods was a business manager for Crop & Food Research (2005–08) and its successor organisation Plant and Food Research (2008), based at Lincoln." Better than nothing.