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Little solidifies leadership with reshuffle

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff ,
Publish Date
Mon, 30 Nov 2015, 11:21AM
Labour leader Andrew Little (Stuart Munro)
Labour leader Andrew Little (Stuart Munro)

Little solidifies leadership with reshuffle

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff ,
Publish Date
Mon, 30 Nov 2015, 11:21AM

UPDATED 6.18pm: A predictable reshuffle of Labour's shadow Cabinet.

Strong performer Kelvin Davis has shot up the ranks and takes on Maori Development.

Megan Woods joins the front bench after increasing her profile by tackling Canterbury and climate change issues.

Our political editor Barry Soper said other MPs now on the outside may cause a stir behind the scenes, but the reshuffle shows Andrew Little is now firmly in charge in the leadership position.

"There will be a little bit of discontent over this one, but I think what Andrew Little has done over the past year is solidify his own leadership, and really the Labour Party is not the split and divided party that it once was."

Jenny Salesa and Peeni Henare move into the Shadow Cabinet, along with Meka Whaitiri who takes on local government.

Jacinda Ardern moves up along with Phil Twyford, who adds Auckland Issues to his list.

Stuart Nash moves into the Shadow Cabinet and picks up Police, and Sue Moroney has been promoted.

Barry Soper said losers include, perhaps surprisingly, Louisa Wall and Kris Faafoi.

"Predictably, David Cunliffe is right down, Andrew Little has sent a fairly strong signal to him that in the cabinet headed by him there will be no place for him."

"I don't know whether that is actually a good move. Even though he made an absolute botch of the leadership, he's still got quite a lot to contribute."

Instead Little has named Cunliffe undersecretary to the leader on Superannuation.

"If there is one issue that is going totally unanswered in this country by this government, it's what we need to do on superannuation. I've asked David to pick up that project and work with me on it, with the skills that he's got and he's got a number of other responsibilities as well."

Veteran MPs Ruth Dyson, Clare Curran, David Cunliffe and Trevor Mallard are now all outside the top 22 positions in caucus.

Mr Little said Ruth Dyson is someone they'd put up for Deputy Speaker, and Trevor Mallard would be put up for Speaker.

"So I'm not expecting to see the back of any of them any time soon."

Mr Little wants Clare Curran to focus on her Civil Defence portfolio, an issue that fits within her Dunedin electorate because of the threat of rising sea levels.

"So I have great hopes for Clare and the work she does, and I expect to see her here after 2017."

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