Labour’s Māori caucus asserts mana to bring in a record number of Māori Cabinet ministers

Eight of the original 13 strong Labour Māori Caucus are now Ministers in Prime Minister Chris Hipkins reshuffle. Photo / NZME

Opinion

The big winner from Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ Cabinet reshuffle was the Labour Māori caucus which has 8 Māori ministers who hold ministerial warrant cards - a record for any Labour Government.

While the Māori caucus may have been slow out of the blocks over the Prime Minister and Deputy leadership roles, it more than made up for it with new Māori MPs coming in to strengthen Labour’s executive decision-makers.

Three Māori MPs - a record - will be on Labour’s front bench. Kelvin Davis, No 3, Willie Jackson, No 9, and Kiritapu Allan, No 10. Add to that Peeni Henare No 15 and Nanaia Mahuta No 16, and you have a quarter of those 20 executive decision-makers Māori.

Speaker of the House Adrian Rurawhe can also be added to make 9 of the 13 voted in in 2020 now with high government positions.

Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP Meka Whaitiri is already a Minister outside of Cabinet.

In yesterday’s reshuffle, Northland MP Willow Jean Prime was named Minister for Youth and takes on Conservation from retiring MP Poto Williams and will sit outside Cabinet.

Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene was also promoted to new Minister for Courts and Minister of State for Trade and Exports. He will also sit outside Cabinet.

Henare lost Defence, but takes over Tourism and also picks up ACC, which Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni previously held. He retains Whānau Ora.

Mahuta lost the Local Government portfolio and the contentious Three Waters reforms but takes on Disarmament and Arms Control to sit alongside Foreign Affairs.

Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson has been promoted in the Cabinet reshuffle. Photo / Supplied

The Three Waters reforms will now sit with Kieran McAnulty, who also jumped 6 places in Cabinet.

Jackson - Māori Development and Broadcasting Minister - retains both his portfolios, and takes over new roles as Associate Housing and Associate Social Development and Employment and continues as Associate ACC.

Allan keeps Justice and also takes over the Regional Development role.

Labour Deputy Leader Kelvin Davis holds on to his portfolios for Te Arawhiti, Children and Corrections.

In 2017, just two Labour Māori MPs - Kelvin Davis (3) and Nanaia Mahuta (9) were on the Labour front bench. In 2020 Davis and Mahuta were again the only two Māori on the front bench.

To now have three on the front bench, five in the top 20, along with the Speaker, and three Ministers outside of Cabinet is a benchmark that may never be met again.

So all in all, not a bad day for Labour’s Māori caucus.