Luxon's reshuffle spotlights high performers over new talent
A major demotion for one minister saw several others pick up new roles.
Mōrena, and welcome to The Bulletin for Monday, January 20.
In today’s edition: First hostages returned in Gaza ceasefire deal, AT spends big on its own campaigns, and Stats NZ inquiry clears Whānau Ora of 2023 Census data breach. But first, the ins and outs of the PM’s first big reshuffle.
Promotions and demotions
The prime minister has carried out his first substantive reshuffle, demoting Shane Reti down the rankings and stripping him of the high profile health minister role. 1News’ Tom Day broke down all the big moves here, explaining that Simeon Brown – who has undoubtedly been one of the government’s top performing ministers – will swoop in to try and steady the health ship. Chris Bishop picks up transport and Simon Watts takes on local government and energy – these were all roles previously held by Brown who presumably now will have his hands rather full. Nicola Willis, the finance minister, picks up a rebranded economic development role dubbed “minister for economic growth”. Meanwhile, Melissa Lee has lost her final portfolio, ethnic communities, and will no longer be a minister after previously having the broadcasting role taken off her in a minor reshuffle last year. Intriguingly, Mark Mitchell picks up the ethnic communities post. High flying first term MP James Meager has taken Lee’s spot as a minister, outside cabinet, and picks up fishing, youth, associate transport, and a brand new role as minister for the South Island.
Notably, given the three-party coalition system, none of the impacted ministers were from Act or New Zealand First.
A fall from grace
Shane Reti’s demotion is a brutal blow for a minister that was once National’s deputy and, briefly, interim leader. Politik’s Richard Harman argued (paywalled) that Reti was a “classic example of what happens when someone is made a minister in an area they have previously worked outside parliament”. He was highly skilled in his area, though there was a perception he lacked political nous. Reporting suggests that while talk of Reti being cut from the health role had been circling in Wellington for a while, the minister himself was left in the dark until Saturday. Asked to comment last Thusday by The Post, Reti said the suggestion he could be stripped of the health portfolio was “bizarre” and accused Labour of “mischief-making”. ThreeNews’ Jenna Lynch noted last night it was unusual for details of a reshuffle to leak out ahead of time, and yet the Herald, too, had reported ahead of time that Reti was set to be cut.
Reti’s fall from grace comes after a year of turmoil in the health sector, including the appointment of a new commissioner intended to overhaul Health NZ and bring down costs. The problems never went away and health continued to be a thorn in the government’s side, surging near the top of public concerns. A new poll last week also showed National being overtaken by Labour, though this reshuffle appears to have been in the works for longer. Newsroom’s Marc Daalder noted that while the prime minister, speaking yesterday, praised Reti for overseeing work at the health agency, he argued a new pair of hands would help speed up progress and allow the public to see results. “As with the economy, sometimes the perceptions around health are just as important as the concrete achievements,” wrote Daalder. As The Post’s Rachel Thomas analysed, while Reti, a doctor, was the obvious pick for the health role after the 2023 election, the PM now wants a delivery man who can get the job done.
Economic growth spotlighted
While Reti was the biggest loser and sucked up much of the attention yesterday, there are other moves of note in this reshuffle. The Herald’s Claire Trevett pointed out (paywalled) that giving Nicola Willis a new economic role in addition to finance helps demonstrate the PM’s dedication to keeping the economy at the top of the agenda in 2025. And by giving public service to Judith Collins – another reliable “fix-it” minister – it means Willis will no longer be associated with mass redundancies in the capital where she is based. The Post’s Luke Malpass argued Willis’s new role was the most significant in the reshuffle, consolidating her control over economic policy and making her “one of the most powerful finance ministers in recent memory”. Now in charge of the mega MBIE ministry along with Treasury, Willis will be able to “weave a more comprehensive growth narrative away from funding cuts and budget deficits,” wrote Malpass. Expect to hear a lot more about economic growth in the weeks ahead, including during Luxon’s state of the nation address on Thursday.
New minister for the South Island
A small group of ministers now hold many of the most powerful cabinet roles, wrote RNZ’s Jo Moir. Despite the headline promotions and demotions, Luxon’s reshuffle ultimately focused mainly on shuffling existing talent as opposed to spotlighting less experienced MPs. James Meager, the first term MP, has assumed the new role of minister for the South Island and is the only new minister, replacing Melissa Lee outside of cabinet. There is one other interesting decision. Matt Doocey remains in cabinet despite having been stripped of his tourism and ACC roles. He is now just the minister for mental health, along with holding an associate health role. Several commentators questioned why Doocey remained in cabinet, with Trevett suggesting it could be due to the optics of dumping one of the few South Island-based ministers. After performing well in Auckland at the last election, there has been some criticism the government has been ignoring the South since taking office. Labour leader Chris Hipkins claimed that appointing the “most junior minister” responsible for the South Island showed the government’s “utter contempt” for the mainland, reported Adam Pearse for the Herald.
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First hostages returned in Gaza ceasefire deal
In developing news this morning, the first hostages held captive by Hamas have made it back to Israeli soil as a ceasefire deal comes into effect. The Guardian has a live blog, reporting that three hostages have been released so far. “A short while ago, accompanied by IDF and ISA forces, the released hostages crossed the border into Israeli territory,” the IDF said.
“The released hostages are currently on their way to an initial reception point in southern Israel, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment.”
More reading:
Gaza ceasefire has come into effect but will the Israel-Hamas agreement hold? (The Guardian)
Deportations, TikTok, Israel-Gaza: Trump weighs in on his Week 1 priorities (NBC)
Key events that led to Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal in Gaza (BBC)
Auckland Transport spends $3.5m in one year advertising its own campaigns
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has criticised Auckland Transport after revelations it spent more than $3m advertising its own campaigns in 2024, reported Newsroom’s Alice Peacock. Brown, who last year confirmed plans to gut the transport agency, said AT should be less concerned with its brand and more focused on delivery. “Transport is not a marketing exercise; it is a public service,” said the mayor. AT said the ad campaigns provided public information to Aucklanders.
More reading:
Auckland Transport confirms changes to pricing, zones (1News)
Who will miss Auckland Transport the most if it goes? The most anti-AT councillors (The Spinoff)
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Auckland at Q Theatre: Bryn & Ku’s Singles Club Party, February 13 and Gone by Lunchtime Live, April 9.
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What does Mark Zuckerberg’s big pivot mean for the Christchurch Call?
In recent days, Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg announced the dismantling of fact-checking teams across Facebook and other services, part of an apparent pivot towards incoming president Donald Trump. Leading The Spinoff this morning, Toby Manhire speaks with Paul Ash, the chief executive of the Christchurch Call initiative that launched in the wake of the 2019 mosque attacks. Will Zuckerberg’s moves have any impact on the Call and its goals?
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Click and Collect
Stats NZ inquiry clears Whānau Ora of 2023 Census data breach.
An incredible read from Jonathan Killick in the Sunday Star-Times yesterday looking into the Auckland porn star that’s left a trail of outrage across the city (including repeatedly parking his sports car in mobility parking spots).
TikTok says it will restores service in US after Trump pledges to delay ban.
Minister Karen Chhour steps back from abuse redress decisions due to potential payout. (paywalled, NZ Herald Premium)
No decision on replacing ministers’ crown vehicles with EVs despite being “immediate priority”.
For BusinessDesk subscribers, Pattrick Smellie has a good look at the controversy over a proposed merger of Auckland University’s law and business schools. (paywalled)
Liam Rātana explains the life lessons hidden in the tangy, chewy world of rēwana bread. For the Spinoff Essay, Amber O’Sullivan recounts a decade of painful sex. Kura Forrester takes us through her life in television, from early Shortland Street rejection to the enduring power of the Gilmore Girls. Toby Manhire tells you everything you need to know about Severance as the Apple TV series returns for a long-awaited second season. As the world farewells visionary director David Lynch, we return to this 2017 piece by Angela Cuming about escaping into the haunting world of Twin Peaks. And we continue our summer republishes with Dylan Reeve’s soul-destroying attempt to report scam Facebook ads.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading and see you tomorrow morning.
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“1News’ Tom Day broke down all the big moves here, explaining that Simeon Brown – who has undoubtedly been one of the government’s top performing ministers – will swoop in to try and steady the health ship.”
On what basis has Simeon been top performing? His decisions and direction have been ideology driven, go against available evidence and I believe at least have worsened the outlook for NZ’s low productivity. Or does this mean politically, as in number of positive New Zealand Herald headlines and National party conference standing ovations?
"get the job done" - destroying the public health system so it can be privatised? The most anti-community government ever.