New Zealand Prime Minister's bold move

NOW IS DIFFERENT FROM THE PAST

According to the Newsroom page, after announcing the new cabinet and "outer" executive positions,Prime Minister Jacinda Ardernwas asked to use one word to describe her team. She chose “exciting” – but to many that was quite modest, considering this was a surprising, jaw-dropping overhaul that far exceeded their expectations.

Looking back, in her previous term, Ms. Ardern had a hard time putting her personal stamp on the country’s governing apparatus. At that time, nearly a quarter of ministerial positions were basically out of her control, due to coalition agreements with the New Zealand party. First, the Green Party, along with the unexpected victory of the Labor Party, left her in a situation where she did not have many talented people to proactively bring into the cabinet.

New Zealand Prime Minister has just announced a new cabinet. Photo: Getty

These limitations were a thing of the past in her second term, when there were now only two ministers who were not from the Labour Party, and the party had spent three more years understanding that a second term was within reach and that they could recruit as they pleased. As a result, Ardern's cabinet reshuffle was not without its bold choices, such as the inclusion of five people in ministerial positions for the first time. In fact, one of the five, infectious disease expert Ayesha Verrall, showed a remarkable rearrangement and distribution of ministerial positions among individuals who had served in the previous term.

In Ms Ardern's new cabinet, 40% are women, 25% are Māori (2 out of 5 are women), 15% are Pasifika (2 out of 3 are women) and 15% are from the LGBTQI community - one of whom is Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson.

MAORI VICTORY

Many commentators have suggested that the axe has also been laid on weak positions, those who were judged to have lasted too long during Ms Ardern’s last term. These include names such as Phil Twyford, who was removed from the cabinet, losing his roles in charge of transport, urban development and economic development, but was still given the position of minister in charge of disarmament and arms control; or Jenny Salesa, who lost her ministerial position altogether, and instead received the “consolation prize” of running for the position of deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and new Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. Photo: AFP

One of the more difficult dilemmas facing Ardern is who to nominate as Deputy Prime Minister. Fortunately, Labour Deputy Leader Kelvin Davis has publicly withdrawn from the race, leaving Finance Minister Grant Robertson in the clear to take up the job. For her part, David has insisted it was his choice, but if there is still some lingering unease among many New Zealanders, it has been eased by the resounding victories of the Labour Party’s Maori group.

The community has five representatives at the cabinet round table, up from two in the previous term. But perhaps the biggest surprise was the appointment of Nanaia Mahuta as foreign affairs minister. Mahuta served as deputy trade minister in Ardern’s previous term, and this time Ms Ardern cited Mahuta’s ability to quickly build relationships as one of the reasons her appointment was a “natural decision”. And so this is the first woman to hold the position of foreign affairs minister in New Zealand, a significant and notable “first” in the country.

OLD - NEW BALANCE

And if Mahuta's promotion to the position ofMinister of Foreign AffairsWhile Ayesha Verrall’s move straight into the cabinet was a shock to many, the fact that she has been promoted straight into the cabinet has been no less shocking. In explaining her choice, the current New Zealand Prime Minister cited the precedent of her predecessors, who brought new MPs straight into the cabinet, such as Margaret Wilson of the Labor Party under Prime Minister Helen Clark and Steven Joyce under John Key.

Ms Ardern affirmed that the members of the cabinet are "worthy and talented" and "represent the New Zealanders who elected them". Photo: Getty

Of course, New Zealand public opinion does not deny Ms. Verrall’s depth of knowledge in the field of infectious diseases, which is invaluable to the government in the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic. But perhaps there are also concerns that the transition from a doctor to a politician will cause Ms. Verrall to encounter difficulties, when it comes with the “mess” of a minister’s work, quite different from her previous expertise.

Although in general, Ms. Ardern's cabinet reshuffle is considered by many to be a revolution, a real "blood change", but in the end, the core of the "team" is still the old faces, the trustworthy ministers who have stood shoulder to shoulder with the female Prime Minister to overcome countless difficulties in the previous term. Some prominent names among them are Finance Minister Robertson, or Megan Woods in the housing sector, Chris Hipkins in education... These will still be the pillars, besides the new features that have just been released, working together to decide the success or failure of Ms. Ardern's second term.