Adams a big winner in new Cabinet

National MP Amy Adams. Photo / supplied

Amy Adams was among the big winners of Prime Minister John Key's Cabinet reshuffle today, claiming a long-predicted promotion to the top table.

Mrs Adams received the final spot in the 20-strong Cabinet, picking up the communications and information technology, and the internal affairs portfolios, as well as an associate role for Canterbury earthquake recovery.

The MP was one of several floated as a possible Cabinet replacement when Pansy Wong resigned last year, and, although the spot went to Hekia Parata, Mrs Adams remained on the up-and-comers list, and had been widely tipped for promotion today.

Despite the speculation, Mrs Adams said she had been hopeful but not convinced Mr Key would elevate her.

"You just wait and see if he's going to give you the call, so obviously I'm thrilled, but I wouldn't say it was expected,'' she told APNZ from her home in Selwyn.

Since being elected in 2008, Mrs Adams has been a solid performer in select committees, gaining most recognition for chairing the finance and expenditure committee, and the electoral legislation committee.

Her work in Canterbury since the September earthquake, which was centred in the Selwyn District's Darfield nearby Mrs Adams' Aylesbury home, has also drawn praise, and makes her associate role particularly significant.

In a speech to Parliament last year, Mrs Adams spoke about the terror when the 7.1 quake hit, causing a fish tank to be thrown across her daughter's bedroom and shatter. She said the trauma people in the region was ongoing.

"For anyone living down here, it's one of the most important issues we face, and if I can play a part in that I'm very happy to be involved in it,'' she said today.

Ms Adams said until she got her feet under the desk, and had briefings about the portfolios, she could not say where the greatest challenges lay.

However, with regard to the ITC portfolio, she said it had great potential to contribute to the growth of the country.

"In the three years as an electorate MP, it's become rapidly apparent to me, for those of us in rural areas, how vitally important the telecommunications sector and the ITC sector, the broadband roll-out is,'' she said.

"It's more and more important in the way business is done around the country, so it's an area, as someone whose been involved in commerce all my life, I'm absolutely committed to seeing working well.''

The excitement of the promotion had rubbed off on her husband, and their two children, aged 11 and 13.

"The one thing that is very apparent in stepping up is the reading of the paper work that goes with ministerial roles. I've seen from my colleagues that there's a tremendous load,'' she said.

"We'll have to figure out how that all works and how we can still spend time together as a family, but you go into this job hoping to make a difference and when you get an opportunity like this where you can really contribute you grab it with both hands.''