Jacinda Ardern’s new cabinet: Who goes up or down, inside or outside?

Keeping communities free from Covid-19 and driving economic recovery has been on Jacinda Ardern’s mind when deciding on high-level cabinet roles.

The Prime Minister will reveal those charges today, and of particular interest will be the roles of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Health, Winston Peters’ successor in Foreign Affairs, the number of Maori ministers and how far Phil Twyford could fall.

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7.05 am: Barry Soper in the new cabinet, 7.35 am: James Shaw

Finance Minister Grant Robertson is expected to receive infrastructure so that he can oversee the implementation of New Zealand’s $ 12 billion upgrade program and the $ 3 billion shovel-ready fund.

Yesterday, Ardern did not reveal anything about whether Chris Hipkins would stay with Health, Education or both, or continue with parts of both.

But he has been aware of Covid-19 when deciding cabinet positions, he said.

“Covid is having another devastating effect on Europe, in particular, right now. That is a sign to us that we cannot be complacent.”

Yesterday the UK entered a strict four-week lockdown, following lockdowns in France, Belgium and, to a lesser extent, Germany.

“It is a complicated virus and it is only swelling once more. That is one more reason for us to continue a very concerted effort here,” Ardern said.

“I have been aware of that when forming this Cabinet.”

The next health period will include not only the Covid response, but also the implementation of the reforms set out in the Heather Simpson review.

Yesterday, Labor Leader MP Kelvin Davis was not attracted to whether he wanted to be deputy prime minister.

Ardern will also reveal the fate of David Clark, who resigned from the health portfolio following his confinement indiscretions, and Meka Whaitiri, who was stripped of her ministerial duties after an alleged assault that she has denied.

Twyford, who presided over KiwiBuild’s failure and lack of progress on Auckland’s light rail, is expected to be demoted, but can keep his seat at the cabinet table.

There are six vacant seats at the cabinet table: those left by New Zealand’s four prime ministers and the vacant seats of former Labor Party ministers Iain Lees-Galloway and Clare Curran.

Ardern said he wanted to balance expertise and experience with the talent of the caucus.

That could include promotions for, among others, head whip Michael Wood, junior whips Kiri Allen and Kieran McAnulty, and former elementary school principal Jan Tinetti.

The cabinet generally has 20 ministers, and Ardern said the size of the executive would remain largely unchanged.

There are currently 25 ministers on the executive council, which includes ministers outside the cabinet, and 27 members of the executive government, which includes two undersecretaries.

Two non-Cabinet ministers will be Green Party co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson, who yesterday joined Ardern and Davis to formally sign the Labor-Green cooperation agreement.

Shaw will serve as Minister of Climate Change and Associate Minister for the Environment (Biodiversity). Davidson will become Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence and Associate Minister for Housing (Homeless).

They will represent the Government in their respective portfolios, but the differences between the Greens and the Government can be noted in the Cabinet minutes.

The standard agree or disagree provision also applies, and they are free to oppose the government on matters outside of their portfolios.

“We both agree that we don’t really need to agree,” Ardern said of the deal.

“The Green Party can make it clear where they disagree as we move on. We have the numbers we need, but still that is not a reason not to work.” [together] in areas where we agree.

“That is what makes this a unique deal.”

Davidson added: “We agreed to agree to disagree.”

He stressed the ability of the Greens to maintain an independent voice, adding that he could oppose the government in Ihumātao because it was an issue outside of the Greens’ ministerial portfolios.

And he said the party could remain a strong voice on its proposed wealth tax, repeatedly dismissed by Ardern, as well as on other ways to tackle inequality.

The Greens cannot oppose the Government on trust and supply, but if they feel that the Government is not doing enough to address, for example, inequality, they can abstain on the relevant budget votes.

Davidson said 85 percent of Greens members supported the deal, well above the necessary 75 percent but much lower than the consensus level for the 2017 trust and supply deal.

In addition to ministerial positions, Labor has promised to work with the Greens in “areas of cooperation,” including achieving the purpose and goals of the Zero Carbon Act, protecting our environment and biodiversity, and enhancing child welfare.

When asked about the loss of Green MPs Julie Anne Genter and Eugenie Sage as ministers, Shaw said: “We could spend much of the next three years dealing with ‘what if’. We are really dealing with what’s next.”