Winners, losers in Labour reshuffle

Labour's new leader Andrew Little has chosen Annette King as his deputy, as his lineup was revealed this morning.

The announcement was delayed due to a fire alarm at Parliament.

When the press conference finally got underway, Mr Little revealed his former leadership rival, Grant Robertson, would be the party's Finance spokesperson and number three in the rankings.

Nanaia Mahuta - another leadership contender - will be Maori Development spokesperson.

Kelvin Davis, Carmel Sepuloni, and David Clark have been promoted to the front bench.

Mr Clark has been given the economic development portfolio, Ms Sepuloni will take over responsibility for social development, and Mr Davis has taken over police and corrections from Jacinda Ardern.

Ms Ardern remains on the Labour's extended front bench and has been given the justice portfolio.

Phil Twyford is ranked fifth in the new caucus and retains the housing and transport roles.

As previously reported by the Herald, former leader David Cunliffe has fallen to the mid-benches and is ranked 14. He has missed out on major portfolios and will take responsibility for regional development and tertiary education.

Former deputy David Parker, who said he was no longer keen on the deputy or finance roles, will take on the trade, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations and Shadow Attorney General role.

All MPs below 17 on the Labour list are unranked, including experienced MPs Trevor Mallard, Clayton Cosgrove, Ruth Dyson and Louisa Wall.

Mr Little said it was a "bold" new lineup which brought forward some new talent while drawing on experience.

"Labour has many new and highly capable MPs who will have the opportunity to prove their ability. At the same time our senior hands will be on deck to take the fight to the National-led Government and support our upcoming stars," he said.

Ms King said she was "delighted" to serve as deputy once again.

"What I can bring to Andrew is my experience, not only in portfolio but in management of the caucus. I have a good relationship with the caucus and I'm very happy to provide that help to him this year."

She said Mr Little had done a good job in matching his team to portfolios, "and I think you're going to find a very settled caucus, probably in way we haven't seen for some time".

Ms King said she was happy to relinquish the role in 12 months.

"After a year I think he's going to be looking at who can step forward into the role.

"Obviously I have been here a little while and I want to see talent promoted as well but I'm glad he wants to use the expertise I've got."

Ms King said she had yet to decide whether she would stand again in Rongotai at the next election.

Mr Robertson said it was a change for him to get the finance portfolio but not a surprise.

"I was doing the economic development role immediately before the election. It's an important strategic area for the party and it's something I'm very interested in."

Asked whether he supported Labour's capital gains tax policy, which Mr Little has indicated may be dumped, Mr Robertson noted the policy would be reviewed.

"What I still believe is that in News Zealand's tax system we have inherent unfairness on salary and wage earners and it's vitally important we address that unfairness. The means of doing that is what we will now be discussing."

Mr Robertson said he believed New Zealand needed to review its economic settings.

"We need the economy to work for people, not the other way around. I want to make sure we look at all those issues, from taxation to monetary policy to savings to make sure we've got a system that's allowing New Zealanders to achieve their potential and not be limited by old strictures."

Mr Little said Mr Davis' promotion recognised that he was a "rising star" who had done some hard work on the issues of sexual and domestic violence.

Mr Davis, who defeated Hone Harawira in Te Tai Tokerau, said: "It's great just to be a member of the caucus so anything else is a bonus."

He would continue his focus on speaking out against violence in his new roles, saying that domestic and sexual violence were "a plague on society".

"We really need somebody, men in particular, to stand up and speak out about it."

Mr Davis has only been in Parliament for six months since replacing Shane Jones, though he has previously served as an MP between 2008 and 2011.

Labour's former leader David Cunliffe listens to his successor Andrew Little during the fire alarm, as new deputy leader Annette King looks on. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Labour Party's new caucus announced today:

1. Andrew Little
Leader of the Opposition
Security and Intelligence

2. Annette King
Deputy Leader
Health

3. Grant Robertson
Finance

4. Nanaia Mahuta
Maori Development

5. Phil Twyford
Housing
Transport

6. Chris Hipkins
Shadow Leader of the House
Senior Whip
Education
Early Childhood Education

7. Carmel Sepuloni
Social Development
Junior Whip

8. Kelvin Davis
Police
Corrections
Associate Justice (Sexual and Domestic Violence)
Associate Education (Maori Education)
Associate Regional Development

9. Jacinda Ardern
Justice
Children
Small Business
Arts, Culture, Heritage

10. David Clark
Economic Development
Associate Finance
Associate Health (Mental Health)

11. Su'a William Sio
Pacific Island Affairs
Local Government
Associate Housing (South Auckland)
Interfaith Dialogue

12. Iain Lees-Galloway
Labour

13. Megan Woods
Environment
Climate Change

14. David Cunliffe
Regional Development
Tertiary Education
Research and Development
Science and Innovation
Associate Economic Development

15. David Parker
Trade and Export Growth
Shadow Attorney General
Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations

16. David Shearer
Foreign Affairs
Consumer Affairs

17. Phil Goff
Defence
Veterans' Affairs
Disarmament
Auckland Issues
Ethnic Affairs

UNRANKED MPS
Trevor Mallard:
Assistant Speaker
Internal Affairs (excluding Gambling)
Sport and Recreation
Animal Rights
Parliamentary Reform

Ruth Dyson
Conservation
Senior Citizens
Disability Issues
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Damien O'Connor
Primary Industries
Biosecurity
Food Safety

Clayton Cosgrove
Revenue
SOEs
Building and Construction
Earthquake Commission
Associate Finance

Sue Moroney
ACC
Immigration
Women's Affairs
Associate Labour