Shadow Cabinet of Simon Bridges

The Shadow Cabinet of Simon Bridges was the official Opposition in the 52nd New Zealand Parliament between 11 March 2018 and 22 May 2020. It comprised all members of the New Zealand National Party, which was the largest party not a member of the Government.

Shadow Cabinet of Simon Bridges

Shadow Cabinet of New Zealand
27 February 201822 May 2020
Date formed27 February 2018
Date dissolved22 May 2020
People and organisations
MonarchElizabeth II
Leader of the OppositionSimon Bridges
Deputy Leader of the New Zealand National Party and Deputy Leader of the OppositionPaula Bennett
Member party
  •   New Zealand National Party
Status in legislatureOfficial Opposition
History
Legislature term52nd New Zealand Parliament
PredecessorSecond Shadow Cabinet of Bill English
SuccessorShadow Cabinet of Todd Muller

Simon Bridges was elected Leader of the National Party and Leader of the Opposition on 27 February 2020 and announced his first shadow cabinet two weeks later.[1] The portfolio allocations were amended six times during the term as a number of National members of Parliament either resigned or announced their intention not to contest the 2020 general election.

Following Bridges' defeat by Todd Muller in the May 2020 National Party leadership election and the formation of Muller's shadow Cabinet,[2] the Bridges shadow Cabinet ceased to exist.

Formation

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Bridges followed his predecessor Bill English's lead by naming each of National's 56 members of Parliament to at least one spokesperson or associate spokesperson role. Like English, Bridges took no portfolios other than national security and intelligence, which is traditionally held by the Leader of the Opposition. His deputy, Paula Bennett, was given responsibility for social investment and social services; tertiary education, skills and employment; and women.

Commentators noticed that the initial portfolio allocations and caucus rankings rewarded Bridges' rivals for the leadership.[3] Former justice minister Amy Adams, who had placed second in the leadership election, was named finance spokesperson and was ranked third. Judith Collins, who finished third, was placed at fourth rank, and received the housing portfolio, which she had asked for.[3] Previous aspirants to the leadership, Jonathan Coleman and Mark Mitchell were also ranked highly, in sixth and seventh position respectively. Bridges' allies Todd McClay and Jami-Lee Ross were placed fifth and eighth respectively. Ross was the highest-ranked National MP who did not serve as a minister in the previous National-led government. The front bench was completed economic and regional development spokesperson Paul Goldsmith and education spokesperson Nikki Kaye. Melissa Lee and Sarah Dowie were the other two non-ministers to gain promotion to the top twenty.

Bridges had promised "generational change" on his ascension to the leadership.[4] The front bench line up in particular was praised for including a high proportion of women MPs.[3][5] Bridges and Bennett were, notably, the first National leadership team both to be of Māori descent.[6] Bridges also placed several former ministers in lower positions than they had held in the English shadow Cabinet. Former senior minister Gerry Brownlee lost the foreign affairs portfolio to McClay,[3] while former finance minister Steven Joyce resigned from Parliament when he was not offered the finance portfolio.[7] Former conservation minister Maggie Barry (who had openly supported Amy Adams' leadership bid) and customs minister Nicky Wagner were also demoted. The twelve new MPs elected in the 2017 general election were listed last, alphabetically by surname. Whānau Ora spokesperson Jo Hayes was the lowest ranked returning MP.

Amendments

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Portfolio allocations were amended six times throughout Bridges' tenure as leader to accommodate the departures or planned retirements of members. The first change was made two weeks after the formation of the shadow Cabinet, on 26 March, with the resignation of Jonathan Coleman. Coleman had been the spokesperson for health and sport and recreation, portfolios he had held ministerial warrants for in the previous government. Michael Woodhouse, a former hospital chief executive, gained health. Education spokesperson Nikki Kaye picked up sport and recreation. Woodhouse's portfolio of workplace relations and safety was added to the responsibilities of environment spokesperson Scott Simpson.[8]

In October 2018, a series of events that involved the leaking of Bridges' travel expenses saw transport and infrastructure spokesperson Jami-Lee Ross stand down from his portfolios while undertaking personal leave before resigning from the National Party. Judith Collins and Paul Goldsmith picked up Ross's portfolios.[9] The third resignation, in January 2019, was of former Attorney-General Chris Finlayson.[10][11] His shadow Attorney-General portfolio went to Amy Adams and a new drug reform portfolio, responding to the Government's decision to hold a referendum on legalising the sale, use, possession and production of cannabis in 2020, was assigned to Paula Bennett.

In June 2019, finance spokesperson Amy Adams and Wairarapa MP Alastair Scott announced they would not seek re-election to Parliament at the 2020 general election. Along with the retirement of list MP and Māori development spokesperson Nuk Korako in mid-May, this triggered a broad reshuffle.[12] Paul Goldsmith was promoted to be the third-ranked MP, holding the finance portfolio. Goldsmith's economic and regional development portfolios were split between Todd McClay and Chris Bishop, who was promoted to the second bench and also gained the transport portfolio. Jo Hayes was promoted to be spokesperson for Māori development and Treaty of Waitangi negotiations, but retained a low ranking. Tim Macindoe became Shadow Attorney-General and Gerry Brownlee returned as foreign affairs spokesperson.

Agriculture spokesperson Nathan Guy announced his intention to retire at the next election in July 2019. He was replaced by Bridges' eventual successor to the leadership, Todd Muller, whose climate change portfolio was passed to Simpson.[13] The sixth and final reshuffle, in February 2020, featured minor redistributions of portfolios following announcements that Maggie Barry (on 5 November 2019), Nicky Wagner, Sarah Dowie and David Carter (all on 11 February 2020, although Carter had previously indicated his intentions on 17 October 2018[14]) would retire at the next election.[15]

List of spokespersons

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Original membership

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Rank MP Portfolio
1 Hon Simon Bridges
2 Hon Paula Bennett
  • Deputy Leader of the Opposition
  • Spokesperson for Social Investment and Social Services
  • Spokesperson for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
  • Spokesperson for Women
3 Hon Amy Adams
  • Spokesperson for Finance
4 Hon Judith Collins
  • Spokesperson for Housing and Urban Development
  • Spokesperson for Planning (RMA Reform)
5 Hon Todd McClay
  • Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • Spokesperson for Tourism
6 Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman
  • Spokesperson for Health
  • Spokesperson for Sport and Recreation
7 Hon Mark Mitchell
  • Spokesperson for Justice
  • Spokesperson for Defence
  • Spokesperson for Disarmament
8 Jami-Lee Ross
  • Spokesperson for Infrastructure
  • Spokesperson for Transport
9 Hon Paul Goldsmith
  • Spokesperson for Economic and Regional Development
  • Spokesperson for Revenue
  • Associate Spokesperson for Arts, Culture and Heritage
10 Hon Nikki Kaye
  • Spokesperson for Education
11 Hon Gerry Brownlee
  • Shadow Leader of the House
  • Spokesperson for the GCSB
  • Spokesperson for the NZSIS
  • Spokesperson for the America's Cup
12 Hon Nathan Guy
  • Spokesperson for Agriculture
  • Spokesperson for Biosecurity
  • Spokesperson for Food Safety
13 Hon Michael Woodhouse
  • Deputy Shadow Leader of the House
  • Spokesperson for Immigration
  • Spokesperson for Workplace Relations and Safety
14 Hon Louise Upston
  • Spokesperson for Social Development
15 Hon Alfred Ngaro
  • Spokesperson for Children
  • Spokesperson for the Community and Voluntary Sector
  • Spokesperson for Pacific Peoples
16 Hon Christopher Finlayson
  • Shadow Attorney-General
  • Spokesperson for Crown-Māori Relations
  • Spokesperson for Pike River Re-entry
17 Hon Scott Simpson
  • Spokesperson for the Environment
18 Hon Jacqui Dean
  • Spokesperson for Local Government
  • Spokesperson for Small Business
19 Melissa Lee
  • Spokesperson for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media
  • Spokesperson for Ethnic Communities
20 Sarah Dowie
  • Spokesperson for Conservation
21 Hon Anne Tolley
  • Deputy Speaker
22 Rt Hon David Carter
  • Spokesperson for State Owned Enterprises
23 Hon David Bennett
  • Spokesperson for Corrections
  • Spokesperson for Land Information
  • Associate Spokesperson for Infrastructure
24 Jonathan Young
  • Spokesperson for Energy and Resources
  • Spokesperson for Regional Development (North Island)
25 Hon Maggie Barry
  • Spokesperson for Seniors
  • Spokesperson for Veterans
  • Associate Spokesperson for Health
26 Hon Dr Nick Smith
  • Spokesperson for State Services (including Open Government)
  • Spokesperson for Electoral Reform
27 Barbara Kuriger
  • Senior Whip
28 Matt Doocey
  • Spokesperson for Mental Health
  • Junior Whip
29 Simon O'Connor
  • Spokesperson for Customs
  • Associate Spokesperson for Housing (Social)
  • Associate Spokesperson for Social Development
30 Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi
  • Spokesperson for Internal Affairs
  • Associate Spokesperson for Justice
31 Hon. Tim Macindoe
  • Spokesperson for ACC
  • Associate Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Trade
32 Brett Hudson
  • Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs
  • Spokesperson for Government Digital Services
  • Associate Spokesperson for Transport
33 Stuart Smith
  • Spokesperson for the Earthquake Commission
  • Spokesperson for Civil Defence
  • Spokesperson for Viticulture
34 Todd Muller
  • Spokesperson for Climate Change
35 Dr. Jian Yang
  • Spokesperson for Statistics
  • Associate Spokesperson for Ethnic Communities
36 Dr. Parmjeet Parmar
  • Spokesperson for Research, Science and Innovation
  • Associate Spokesperson for Economic Development
37 Nuk Korako
  • Spokesperson for Māori Development
  • Spokesperson for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
38 Chris Bishop
  • Spokesperson for Police
  • Spokesperson for Youth
39 Ian McKelvie
  • Spokesperson for Fisheries
  • Spokesperson for Racing
40 Hon. Nicky Wagner
  • Spokesperson for Arts, Culture and Heritage
  • Spokesperson for Greater Christchurch Regeneration
41 Andrew Bayly
  • Spokesperson for Building and Construction
  • Associate Spokesperson for Finance
42 Dr. Shane Reti
  • Spokesperson for Data and Cybersecurity
  • Spokesperson for Disability Issues
  • Associate Spokesperson for Health
43 Alastair Scott
  • Spokesperson for Forestry
  • Associate Spokesperson for Finance
44 Jo Hayes
  • Spokesperson for Whānau Ora
  • Spokesperson for Māori Education
45 Simeon Brown
  • Associate Spokesperson for Education
46 Andrew Falloon
  • Spokesperson for Regional Development (South Island)
47 Harete Hipango
  • Spokesperson for Māori Tourism
48 Matt King
  • Spokesperson for Rural Communities
49 Denise Lee
  • Spokesperson for Local Government (Auckland)
50 Chris Penk
  • Spokesperson for Courts
51 Erica Stanford
  • Associate Spokesperson for the Environment
52 Tim van de Molen
  • Third Whip
53 Hamish Walker
  • Associate Spokesperson for Agriculture
54 Lawrence Yule
  • Spokesperson for Horticulture
55 Maureen Pugh
  • Associate Spokesperson for Children
56 Nicola Willis
  • Spokesperson for Early Childhood Education

Final iteration

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At the point of its disestablishment, the Bridges Shadow Cabinet consisted of the following spokespersons.[15]

Rank MP Portfolio
1 Hon Simon Bridges
2 Hon Paula Bennett
  • Deputy Leader of the Opposition
  • Spokesperson for Social Investment and Social Services
  • Spokesperson for Women
  • Spokesperson for Drug Reform
3 Hon Paul Goldsmith
  • Spokesperson for Finance
  • Spokesperson for Infrastructure
  • Spokesperson for State Owned Enterprises
4 Hon Judith Collins
  • Spokesperson for Housing and Urban Development
  • Spokesperson for Planning (RMA Reform)
5 Hon Todd McClay
  • Spokesperson for Trade
  • Spokesperson for Economic Development
  • Spokesperson for Workplace Relations and Safety
  • Spokesperson for Tourism
  • Spokesperson for Small Business
6 Hon Mark Mitchell
  • Spokesperson for Justice
  • Spokesperson for Defence
  • Spokesperson for Disarmament
  • Spokesperson for Pike River Mine re-entry
7 Hon Nikki Kaye
  • Spokesperson for Education
  • Spokesperson for Sport and Recreation
8 Hon Gerry Brownlee
  • Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs
  • Shadow Leader of the House
  • Spokesperson for the GCSB
  • Spokesperson for the NZSIS
  • Spokesperson for Greater Christchurch Regeneration
9 Hon Michael Woodhouse
  • Deputy Shadow Leader of the House
  • Spokesperson for Health
  • Associate Spokesperson for Finance
10 Hon Louise Upston
  • Spokesperson for Social Development
11 Hon Alfred Ngaro
  • Spokesperson for Children
  • Spokesperson for the Community and Voluntary Sector
  • Spokesperson for Pacific Peoples
  • Spokesperson for Disability Issues
12 Hon Scott Simpson
  • Spokesperson for the Environment
  • Spokesperson for Climate Change
13 Hon Jacqui Dean
  • Spokesperson for Local Government
  • Spokesperson for Conservation
14 Melissa Lee
  • Spokesperson for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media
  • Spokesperson for Ethnic Communities
15 Chris Bishop
  • Spokesperson for Regional Development
  • Spokesperson for Transport
16 Todd Muller
  • Spokesperson for Agriculture
  • Spokesperson for Biosecurity
  • Spokesperson for Food Safety
  • Spokesperson for Forestry
17 Hon Anne Tolley
  • Deputy Speaker
  • Spokesperson for Veterans
18 Hon David Bennett
  • Spokesperson for Corrections
  • Spokesperson for Land Information
  • Associate Spokesperson for Infrastructure
19 Jonathan Young
  • Spokesperson for Energy and Resources
  • Spokesperson for Arts, Culture and Heritage
  • Spokesperson for Regional Development (North Island)
20 Hon Dr Nick Smith
  • Spokesperson for State Services (including Open Government)
  • Spokesperson for Electoral Law Reform
  • Spokesperson for Crown-Māori relations
21 Barbara Kuriger
22 Matt Doocey
  • Spokesperson for Mental Health
  • Junior Whip
23 Simon O'Connor
  • Spokesperson for Customs
  • Associate Spokesperson for Housing (Social)
  • Associate Spokesperson for Social Development
24 Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi
  • Spokesperson for Internal Affairs
  • Associate Spokesperson for Justice
25 Hon Tim Macindoe
  • Shadow Attorney-General
  • Spokesperson for Seniors
  • Spokesperson for ACC
26 Brett Hudson
  • Spokesperson for Police
  • Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs
  • Spokesperson for Government Digital Services
  • Associate Spokesperson for Transport
27 Stuart Smith
  • Spokesperson for Immigration
  • Spokesperson for the Earthquake Commission
  • Spokesperson for Civil Defence
  • Spokesperson for Viticulture
28 Dr Shane Reti
  • Spokesperson for Data and Cybersecurity
  • Associate Spokesperson for Health
  • Spokesperson for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
29 Dr Jian Yang
  • Spokesperson for Statistics
  • Associate Spokesperson for Ethnic Communities
30 Dr Parmjeet Parmar
  • Spokesperson for Research, Science and Innovation
  • Associate Spokesperson for Economic Development
31 Ian McKelvie
  • Spokesperson for Fisheries
  • Spokesperson for Racing
32 Andrew Bayly
  • Spokesperson for Building and Construction
  • Spokesperson for Revenue
  • Associate Spokesperson for Finance
33 Jo Hayes
  • Spokesperson for Māori Development
  • Spokesperson for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
  • Spokesperson for Whānau Ora
34 Simeon Brown
  • Associate Spokesperson for Education
  • Associate Spokesperson for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
35 Andrew Falloon
  • Spokesperson for Regional Development (South Island)
36 Harete Hipango
  • Spokesperson for Māori Tourism
37 Matt King
  • Spokesperson for Rural Communities
38 Denise Lee
  • Spokesperson for Local Government (Auckland)
39 Chris Penk
  • Spokesperson for Courts
40 Erica Stanford
  • Associate Spokesperson for the Environment
41 Tim van de Molen
  • Third Whip
42 Hamish Walker
  • Associate Spokesperson for Agriculture
43 Lawrence Yule
  • Spokesperson for Horticulture
44 Maureen Pugh
  • Spokesperson for West Coast Issues
  • Associate Spokesperson for Children
45 Nicola Willis
  • Spokesperson for Early Childhood Education
  • Spokesperson for Youth
46 Dan Bidois
  • Associate Spokesperson for Workplace Relations & Safety
47 Agnes Loheni
  • Associate Spokesperson for Small Businesses
  • Associate Spokesperson for Pacific Peoples
48 Paulo Garcia
  • Associate Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs
49 Hon Amy Adams
50 Hon Nathan Guy
51 Rt Hon David Carter
52 Sarah Dowie
53 Hon Nicky Wagner
54 Hon Maggie Barry
55 Alastair Scott

References

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  1. ^ "New National leader Simon Bridges sets out first priorities". The New Zealand Herald. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  2. ^ New Zealand National Party (25 May 2020). "Todd Muller announces shape of next Government". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Cooke, Henry (11 March 2018). "National Party reshuffle sees former ministers demoted, Judith Collins up". Stuff. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  4. ^ "National leader vote: Bridges touts 'generational change'". RNZ. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  5. ^ Trevett, Claire (8 March 2018). "Women expected to be front and centre of National party". ZB. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  6. ^ Roy, Eleanor Ainge (27 February 2018). "New Zealand: National party elects Maori leader and deputy to take on Jacindamania". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  7. ^ Smellie, Patrick (6 March 2018). "Joyce quits; deadline passes for NBR apology". Newsroom. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  8. ^ Bennett, Lucy (26 March 2018). "Woodhouse named National's health spokesman following Coleman's departure". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  9. ^ Watkins, Tracy (2 October 2018). "National MP Jami-Lee Ross taking leave for 'personal health issues'". Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  10. ^ "Bennett named drug reform spokesperson in shadow cabinet reshuffle". Radio New Zealand. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  11. ^ Coughlan, Thomas (22 January 2019). "Bridges begins year with a reshuffle". Newsroom. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  12. ^ New Zealand National Party (25 June 2019). "National Party Caucus reshuffle announced". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  13. ^ "National party reshuffle after Nathan Guy announces retirement from politics". Newshub. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  14. ^ "Chris Finlayson and David Carter to leave Parliament by next election". Stuff.co.nz. 17 October 2018. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  15. ^ a b New Zealand National Party (11 February 2020). "Bridges Thanks Outgoing MPs, Announces Reshuffle". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 27 May 2020.