Clark announces new Cabinet

12.10pm

Prime Minister Helen Clark has increased the size of her executive in a post-election reshuffle.

The number of ministers outside Cabinet has grown from four to six and there will also be two under-secretaries.

With 20 ministers inside Cabinet the entire executive will now number 28, up from 26.

Miss Clark said the reshuffle was a relatively minor one with the major changes being reallocation of the portfolios of ministers who lost their jobs, and a swap in the transport portfolio.

Miss Clark said she would consider a wider reshuffle further down the track in order to give most ministers more time to implement policy.

The transport portfolio moves from Mark Gosche -- whose wife is seriously ill -- to Paul Swain. Mr Swain's commerce portfolio moves to Lianne Dalziel, and carrying on the chain effect her accident compensation responsibilities move to new Cabinet minister Ruth Dyson.

Another new minister, Chris Carter, picks up the roles of conservation and local government. Both of these responsibilities were held by the former Alliance minister Sandra Lee who stood down at the election.

Another newcomer to the Cabinet table, John Tamihere, takes on statistics, land information and youth affairs, which were held by other Alliance ministers.

Broadcasting moves from Marian Hobbs to Steve Maharey.

While a number of other portfolios are swapped around, the main feature of the change is an influx of newcomers to executive positions outside cabinet.

Former whip Rick Barker becomes customs minister and holds associate portfolios in social services, employment and justice.

Dover Samuels, former Maori affairs minister, moves up from being an under-secretary to become an associate minister to the minister of economic development as well as tourism minister.

Progressive Coalition leader Jim Anderton holds on to the economic development portfolio.

Backbencher Harry Duynhoven becomes an associate transport minister with responsibility for civil aviation and maritime safety. He will also be associate energy minister.

West Coast MP Damien O'Connor will be an associate in agriculture, rural affairs, health and immigration.

Two new parliamentary under-secretaries have also been appointed: Phillip Field who will work in the Pacific island affairs, social services and justice portfolios, and Mita Ririnui who will work with the ministers for Treaty of Waitangi negotiations, corrections and conservation.

Full list: the new Labour-PC government's executive

- NZPA

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