Jacinda Ardern's new Cabinet: The full line-up and portfolios.
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Grant Robertson has been named as deputy Prime Minister and Andrew Little as Health Minister.
And after last term's KiwiBuild fiasco, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern demoted Phil Twyford - who will be a minister outside Cabinet, with the disarmament portfolio. Jenny Salesa has also been dropped from Cabinet and the executive.
Other new roles of note include Nanaia Mahuta in Foreign Affairs, the first woman to hold the role in New Zealand's history, Chris Hipkins in a new role as Minister for Covid-19 Response, and newcomer Ayesha Verrall being elevated straight into Cabinet.
Ardern revealed that Robertson will also keep the Finance portfolio and to be given Infrastructure so he can oversee the roll out of the $12 billion NZ upgrade programme and the $3 billion shovel-ready fund.
Davis said he supported the Ardern-Robertson combo.
"I think Jacinda and Grant are the dream team. They will work fantastically together and they have my full support."
Ardern said the Covid economic recovery was a top priority in choosing Cabinet roles.
Joining Robertson in the recovery team are Stuart Nash with Economic and Regional Development, Forestry, Small Business and Tourism, Megan Woods with Housing, Energy and Resources (ensuring renewable energy plays a central role in the recovery), and Research, Science and Innovation, David Parker with Environment (including RMA reform), Revenue and new portfolio of Oceans and Fisheries, and Damien O'Connor with Trade and Export Growth and Agriculture.
The other top priority, Ardern said, was the Covid-19 health response.
Chris Hipkins will be Minister for Covid-19 Response, which will include many facets including testing, managed isolation, and border management. He will keep Education, Public Service and his role as Leader of the House.
Hipkins will work with public agencies including MBIE, Health and Transport to combat Covid-19, and Ardern said Sir Brian Roche had recommended a single minister to deal with the issues.
Little will be in charge of the health sector reforms, and be assisted by Associate Health Ministers including Peeni Henare, who will also be Defence Minister.
Henare moves into Cabinet as does newcomer Ayesha Verrall, who will be Associate Health Minister, Minister for Seniors and Minister for Food Safety.
Aupito William Sio, with Associate Health, will be responsible for Pasifika health.
"She is someone who builds fantastic relationships."
Mahuta will bring different strengths to Foreign Affairs than Winston Peters did, and Ardern added that she will work closely with Mahuta in that space, as will O'Connor as Trade Minister and Rino Tirikatene as Trade Under-secretary.
Mahuta said she was privileged to have Foreign Affairs. "As a small country, we need to develop our relationships, [and] remain committed to a multilateral rules-based system."
She said Winston Peters had made a "huge contribution" with a sharp focus on the importance of building relationships.
She wouldn't be drawn on China's influence in the Pacific, adding that she was "still getting my feet under the table".
New Zealand's interests will be first and foremost, she said.
On Kiwis being deported from Australia, which Ardern has pushed back strongly on, Mahuta said she would discuss the next steps with Ardern.
Ardern said Twyford still had something to offer, but he had not met expectations in housing.
Ardern said Clark was now "better matched" to his skill set, including growing the digital economy.
Jenny Salesa has been dropped from the executive, and she will be nominated as Assistant Speaker. Adrian Rurawhe will be nominated as Deputy Speaker.
The majority of those in Cabinet have ministerial experience, such as Willie Jackson and Peeni Henare.
Including Allan and Verrall in Cabinet was a sign of the talent available that it would be wrong to exclude them, Ardern said. It was not without precedent - Margaret Wilson and Steven Joyce were also brought straight into Cabinet.
She said Meka Whaitiri had made an enormous effort to make amends following the alleged assault incident in 2018.
Whaitiri said she was "absolutely honoured to get a call-back but I'm under no illusions about the enormous scrutiny".
New Police Minister Poto Williams had experience particularly in the family and sexual violence space.
Ardern said she will later outline the Government's priorities before Christmas, but she has already said the flexi-wage and small business loan scheme will be prioritised.
She said Kieran McAnulty would be chief whip and will have a huge job given the size of the caucus, adding that he was a "fantastic" team player who will likely be a minister at a later date.
She said every MP generally wants to be part of the executive, but McAnulty was happy to play whatever role that was asked of him in the best interests of the party.
Kiri Allan said it had been a "whirlwind" few weeks and said she didn't know why she had been elevated into Cabinet ahead of others.
She acknowledged her predecessor in Conservation Eugenie Sage, adding that she had been a strong environmental advocate. The portfolio also included building relationships between Maori and conservationists.
Ardern has previously said she expected the deputy leader to be the Deputy PM, but this morning she said there was no reason why different people couldn't hold each role.
Davis said he got into politics to be the MP for Te Tai Tokerau and to improve outcomes for Māori.
He added he wanted to continue as deputy leader and mentor the large Labour caucus.
He appeared to say that he has been given hefty ministerial portfolios, but didn't say what they were.
• Associate Minister for Children • Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing)
11) Hon Damien O'Connor
• Minister of Agriculture • Minister for Biosecurity • Minister for Land Information • Minister for Rural Communities • Minister for Trade and Export Growth
12) Hon Stuart Nash
• Minister for Economic and Regional Development • Minister of Forestry • Minister for Small Business • Minister of Tourism
• Minister of Conservation • Minister for Emergency Management
• Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage • Associate Minister for the Environment
19) Hon Dr David Clark
• Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs • Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications • Minister for State-Owned Enterprises • Minister of Statistics
• Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs • Associate Minister of Education (Pacific Peoples) • Associate Minister of Justice • Associate Minister of Health (Pacific Peoples)
Hon Meka Whaitiri
• Minister of Customs • Minister for Veterans
• Associate Minister of Agriculture (Animal Welfare) • Associate Minister of Statistics
Hon Phil Twyford
• Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control • Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth
