Clark rejig spreads ministers' load

By VERNON SMALL deputy political editor

Prime Minister Helen Clark has riffled her ministerial deck, but made no changes to personnel or rankings.

The main aim of the minor portfolio rejig, revealed yesterday only hours before she headed for the Apec leaders' meeting in Brunei, is to improve the handling of parliamentary business by easing the load on two key ministers.

Overworked Leader of the House and Finance Minister Michael Cullen gets more help in finance and revenue from a new associate, Paul Swain.

Deputy Leader of the House Mark Burton sheds the Internal Affairs portfolio - including the long-running industrial dispute between the Fire Service Commission and firefighters - which goes to Police Minister George Hawkins. Mr Burton retains Defence and his other portfolios of State-Owned Enterprises, Tourism and Veterans' Affairs.

Announcing the changes, Helen Clark said Dr Cullen considered his position as Leader of the House as a highlight of his role.

"It's a job he loves. He wouldn't willingly give it up and actually he's very good at it," she said.

Giving some routine work to Mr Swain as an associate minister would allow Dr Cullen to spend more time dealing with the finance and business community, now seen as one of the Government's key tasks.

Dr Cullen said he would delegate his responsibilities for state-owned enterprises, crown research institutes, tax simplification and tax compliance to Mr Swain.

He would retain the ACC portfolio until legislation introducing lump-sum payments passed through the House.

Associate ACC minister Ruth Dyson was expected to take over the full portfolio, but her resignation after failing a drink-drive breath test has left the field open.

Helen Clark said yesterday that Dr Cullen's replacement in ACC would be a "bridge she would cross at that time."

In other changes, Alliance ministers Laila Harre and Matt Robson were given the Statistics and Land Information portfolios formerly held by Mr Swain, who takes an associate role in Land Information.

Helen Clark said that despite losing two ministers, Dover Samuels and Ms Dyson, she had no intention of promoting new blood in the "foreseeable future, which could take us through to the end of this parliamentary term."

She said she was generally happy with the performance of the cabinet and did not think the public would mind there being fewer ministers now than when her Government started.

But National leader Jenny Shipley said the reshuffle was ineffectual.

"No new blood has been injected into the cabinet, while ministers who have failed to perform have been left in their jobs."