Chris Hipkins’ Cabinet reshuffle: Who are the winners and losers?

Chris Hipkins' new Cabinet announced today. Photo / Mark Mitchell

New Health Minister Ayesha Verrall is the biggest winner from Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ first reshuffle today.

Leaving aside new MPs who have been promoted into the executive for the first time, Verrall is the minister who has moved the most between former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s last reshuffle last year, and Hipkins’ reshuffle this year.

Verrall has moved up 11 spots to number 8 on the list. Others moving upwards include Jan Tinetti and Michael Wood, who move up eleven spots.

These are followed by Kiri Allan who moves up seven spots and Willie Jackson who moves up five spots.

Other big winners include the new ministers. Ginny Andersen was ranked 45 on the party list at the last election, she is now number 19 in Cabinet. Barbara Edmonds was 49 at the election and has climbed to number 20.

Excluding Ardern, who is obviously no longer in Cabinet, former local government minister Nanaia Mahuta has fallen the most, tumbling seven spots to 16.

Andrew Little and David Parker have fallen six spots each.

Others who have fallen include departing ministers Poto Williams, David Clark, Aupito William Sio and Jacinda Ardern, all of whom have announced their retirement.

Phil Twyford, who is not retiring, has lost his place in the executive. He announced his intention to remain in Parliament, however.

“It has been a privilege to serve the country in this way, and I’ll miss the work, but I strongly support the PM’s renewal of the team - and it is fantastic to see such capable and talented colleagues moving up into leadership roles,” Twyford said.

In terms of portfolios, the big winner is again Verrall, who picks up Health. This comes at the expense of Little, who loses Health.

Jan Tinetti is a big winner, picking up the whole Education portfolio, as is Stuart Nash, who has his coveted Police portfolio returned to him. He held the job in the Government’s first term, but lost it to Poto Williams after the election.

Hipkins himself has not taken any portfolios beyond those usually held by a Prime Minister: National Security and Intelligence, and Ministerial Services.

Other prime ministers like Ardern, John Key, and Helen Clark have picked up a lighter portfolio. Bill English, who got the job of prime minister in similar circumstances to Hipkins, opted not to take other portfolios.

Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni has kept Social Development, one of the portfolios with the heaviest workloads.

Grant Robertson has lost his infrastructure portfolio to Megan Woods.