Judith Collins is back in Cabinet and she’s pretty pleased about it.
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Mr Key announced a reshuffle of his Cabinet yesterday, appointing Ms Collins as Police and Corrections Minister – both roles she has previously held.
However, an official inquiry later cleared her of involvement in the allegations. This came amidst controversy around Collins helping The Oravida firm in China who is associated with her husband.
“If you keep working, I’ve always believed that if you’re telling the truth you will get there”.
Key said Bennett, who will relinquish the local government portfolio, was chosen for the climate change portfolio because the 2016 emissions trading scheme review required a politician with “good political nous” and “dexterity”.
“The reality is that the Oravida situation was an absolute scandal, we all know it, and then of course you have the Dirty Politics engagement – and take out the SFO circumstance, nevertheless the remainder is there – so what exonerates someone like that from those circumstances?”
However the Prime Minister downplayed suggestions Collins’ had been welcomed back to the front bench for reasons of political expediency.
Hope was dangled before her in her time on the backbench after Prime Minister John Key told her several times he would reinstate her if the timing was right and there was a job available.
Little told Radio NZ a reshuffle is an opportunity to bring in “new talent” and he thought National MPs Alfred Ngaro and Mark Mitchell, both select committee chairs, had performed strongly in the previous year.
New Zealand First party leader Winston Peters said in a statement that Groser had a “dismal record” on negotiating the TPP “where he promised so much and delivered so little”.
She will be sworn in as a minister on December 14.
The Act party’s sole MP, David Seymour, turned down offers of the regulatory reform and associate minister of education, a move that Key described as “quite clever”.
The new Trade Minister would be Todd McClay, who would also retain his current responsibility for state-owned enterprises, while handing over the revenue portfolio to current Police Minister Michael Woodhouse.
Trade Minister Tim Groser is set to become Ambassador to the United States.
Former Westland mayor Maureen Pugh will replace Mr Groser as a list MP.
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“It is very apt”, she said through a large smile.
