Chris Hipkins has announced his cabinet reshuffle and there have been some dramatic changes.
Here is the list showing changes in ranking.
| Hipkins | 4 |
| Sepuloni | 4 |
| Davis | 0 |
| Robertson | -2 |
| Woods | -1 |
| Tinetti | 9 |
| Wood | 9 |
| Verrall | 11 |
| Jackson | 5 |
| Allan | 6 |
| Nash | 1 |
| O’Connor | -1 |
| Little | -6 |
| Parker | -6 |
| Henare | -2 |
| Mahuta | -7 |
| Radhakrishnan | 3 |
| McAnulty | New |
| Andersen | New |
| Edmonds | New |
Biggest losers are Andrew Little and Nanaia Mahuta and David Parker.
Little has had a huge workload in Health not only overseeing what is probably the most complex portfolio but also dealing with a large reorganisation, possibly the most radical ever seen.
He does not suffer fools and it could be argued that a more nuanced response to issues is politically best.
And there have been lots of stupid attacks. Like Dunedin City Council getting up in arms because a cost explosion has forced the Government to trim design plans for the new Dunedin Hospital.
From RNZ:
Dunedin City Council will consider paying up to $130,400 to fight changes to the city’s new hospital that would see fewer beds, operating theatres and MRI units available when it opens.
Last month, the government announced an additional $110 million after project costs ballooned by $200m, with the remaining $90m shortfall being met through design changes.
When it opens there will be 398 beds, not 410 as first planned, 26 operating theatres instead of 28 and two MRI units instead of three.
But there is space for all these facilities to meet the original plan in the future.
The capacity will still be there but will be staged. Delivering not quite the same because of extreme cost pressures is the sort of thing you would expect a fiscally responsible Government to do.
Nanaia Mahuta has also suffered from a demotion. Media has noted that she has been “stripped” of her Local Government portfolio but it is a huge portfolio, as is Foreign Affairs, and to expect someone to handle both was always a huge ask. I am pleased that she continues to be our Foreign Minister and I believe she has displayed a very deft handling of issues.
David Parker has also been moved down the rankings. Once the RMA reforms are finished I wonder what his intentions are? Policy wise he has been on of the heavy lifters in Cabinet.
The side movements allow for the Health Reforms and Three Waters to have a significant review and this may have been the intention.
Chris Hipkins has certainly shown that he intends to exert control over the Government’s future.
Following on from two good polls I suspect that these changes will also be electorally beneficial.
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