English puts 'brat pack' out to grass

By JOHN ARMSTRONG political editor

National leader Bill English has cleaned out his frontbench in a post-election reshuffle that demotes close allies and throws parliamentary novice Don Brash into the crucial shadow finance portfolio.

In response to National's savaging at the ballot box last month, Mr English has dumped three MPs off the nine-strong frontbench: Nick Smith, Lockwood Smith and Georgina te Heuheu.

And Pakuranga MP Maurice Williamson has been severely punished for publicly criticising party president Michelle Boag.

He is now ranked in bottom place in the 27-member caucus and has lost responsibility for National's tertiary education policy.

In contrast, new list MP Dr Brash gets a rapid promotion to No 3 and secures the party's finance spokesmanship.

He replaces low-profile David Carter, who drops from seventh in caucus rankings to ninth and picks up the agriculture spokesmanship.

The switch will pit the former Reserve Bank Governor head-to-head with Finance Minister Michael Cullen when Parliament re-opens the week after next.

Also coming on to the frontbench are high-flying second-term MPs Simon Power and Lynda Scott, who has been entrusted with the vital health portfolio.

Surprisingly, the equally important shadow education portfolio has been relegated to National's second bench along with its spokesman, Nick Smith. He has been the casualty of pressure on Mr English to reduce the dominance of the so-called "brat pack" - comprising himself, deputy Roger Sowry, Dr Smith and Tony Ryall. Previously, they occupied four of the top five spots in the caucus.

Mr English has now demoted Dr Smith to No 10 in the rankings, while Mr Ryall slips to No 8.

The caucus revamp is designed to provide a swift counter to the Prime Minister's Cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday.

Mr English described his reshuffle as giving National a "new face" post-election. But he warned it was not the sole answer to the party's woes.

"When you had the result we had, moving a few people around in their places is part of the change. But the whole party needs to lift its performance, its connections with the public and its political appeal."

Georgina te Heuheu, National's only Maori MP, played a pivotal role in marshalling caucus support for Mr English's leadership coup last October.

Yesterday she said she would work away at whatever responsibilities she was given.

But asked what message her demotion sent to Maori, she would not comment.

The reshuffle also sees caucus veteran Lockwood Smith drop from No 6 to No 14 and lose his highly regarded foreign affairs role to frontbencher Wayne Mapp.

Another winner is Dunedin list MP Katherine Rich, who jumps to No 11 and has been handed the plum responsibility of social services and employment.

National rankings

Bill English 1

Roger Sowry 2

Don Brash 3

Gerry Brownlee 4

Simon Power 5

Lynda Scott 6

Wayne Mapp 7

Tony Ryall 8

David Carter 9

Nick Smith 10

Katherine Rich 11

Murray McCully 12

Georgina Te Heuheu 13

Lockwood Smith 14

John Carter 15

Lindsay Tisch 16

Clem Simich 17

Pansy Wong 18

Shane Ardern 19

Phil Heatley 20

Paul Hutchison 21

Richard Worth 22

Judith Collins 23

Brian Connell 24

Sandra Goudie 25

John Key 26

Maurice Williamson 27

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