Mallard demoted, Burton out

WINNERS: (top row) Steve Chadwick has been appointed Conservation and Women's Affairs Minister. David Cunliffe takes over Health. Shane Jones gains Building and Construction. Junior whip Darren Hughes has been made a minister outside Cabinet, with responsibility for Statistics. LOSERS: (bottom row) Trevor Mallard loses the Sports portfolio and is demoted from number 6 in the Cabinet to number 10. Mark Burton drops out of Cabinet and returns to the backbenches. Pete Hodgson loses Health. Damien O'Connor loses Corrections.

Relevant offers

Backbench MPs Steve Chadwick, Shane Jones and Maryan Street have been promoted to the Cabinet and senior minister Trevor Mallard demoted from the front bench in a major reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Helen Clark.
Winner and losers in Cabinet reshuffle ... Full Cabinet list
Inside the Beltway blog: Is the reshuffle enough?
Reader feedback ... View video

In other major changes, David Cunliffe will take over the health portfolio from Pete Hodgson and Justice Minister Mark Burton has stepped down from Cabinet to return to the backbenches.

Ms Chadwick has been appointed Conservation and Women's Affairs Minister, Ms Street is Minister for ACC and Housing and Mr Jones is Minister for Building and Construction.

Ms Chadwick is MP for Rotorua and Mr Jones and Ms Street are first term list MPs.

Mr Mallard has lost his prized sports portfolio and also the Economic Development job - which goes to Mr Hodgson - and been demoted from number 7 in the Cabinet to number 10 as punishment for punching National MP Tau Henare during a scuffle outside Parliament's lobby last week.

Junior whip Darren Hughes has been made a minister outside cabinet, with responsibility for statistics. He is also Associate Minister of Social Development and Deputy Leader of the House.

The reshuffle, announced by Miss Clark after a caucus meeting this morning, was bigger than originally planned due to three Cabinet vacancies after Education Minister Steve Maharey announced he was standing down to take the job as vice-chancellor of Massey University.

The other vacancies were created by former Environment Minister David Benson-Pope standing down in July over his role in the sacking of ministry communications manager Madeleine Setchell and Mr Burton's decision to also stand down.

Promoted the the front bench are Mr Cunliffe and Chris Carter, who takes over as Education Minister.

Annette King takes the justice portfolio left vacant by Mr Burton.

Ruth Dyson also takes on the important Social Development portfolio left vacant by Mr Benson-Pope, but remains as number 11 in the Cabinet.

Mr Burton said he wanted to concentrate more on his electorate work, and winning his Taupo seat, which is under threat from boundary changes.

"This is a decision I took after considerable reflection over many months before advising the Prime Minister. It is I believe timely in this period of transition for me to make such a decision, as the Labour Party refreshes its programme and portfolio line-up.

Other big changes include the health portfolio shifting to Mr Cunliffe, who goes from number 15 to nine in the Cabinet ranks.

Despite losing health, Mr Hodgson moves up two ranking spots to No 6 and picks up economic development, tertiary education and research science and technology.

Ruth Dyson picks up the important social development portfolio, while Trade Minister Phil Goff adds corrections to his existing portfolios.

Flanked by her new ministers, Miss Clark told a packed media conference the changes injected fresh blood into Cabinet ranks.

More than half the ministers named today were not in Cabinet in 1999.

She thanked departing Ministers Mark Burton – who she said had chosen to concentrate on re-election in his marginal Taupo seat – Dover Samuels, who had stood down ahead of retiring at the next election, and Steve Maharey, who will leave next year to become Massey University's new vice chancellor.

Shortly after the announcement, Christchurch Central MP Tim Barnett announced he would not be seeking re-selection for the seat.

But he stopped short of announcing his retirement from politics, saying he was keeping his options open for now, including standing for the Labour list.

Mr Barnett said he would be 50 in 2008 and would have been in Parliament for 12 years.

Generally considered one of Labour's most competent back benchers, party insiders had tipped beforehand that he may reconsider his political future if he was passed over in the Cabinet reshuffle.

- with NZPA

- © Fairfax NZ News