Genuine Hipkins
OPINION: At the recent NZ Dairy Industry Awards, opposition leader Chris Hipkins made a surprise appearance.
The Wairarapa MP picked up the Regional Development portfolio after Kiri Allan dropped all her portfolios after she was arrested Sunday following a car accident on Evans Bay Parade in Wellington.
The addition of the Regional Development portfolio brings McAnulty’s roster up to six portfolios, including Minister for Racing and Deputy Leader of the House.
He’d previously picked up the Minister for Emergency Management role from Allan in the June 2022 cabinet reshuffle and following former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s resignation in January this year, he also picked up the Local Government portfolio from Nanaia Mahuta.
At a press conference yesterday announcing the reallocation of Allan’s portfolios, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the move to make McAnulty Regional Development Minister fit with his current Rural Communities portfolio.
It was also announced that Finance Minister Grant Robertson would take over the lead coordination role for Tairawhiti.
“Grant Robertson is already leading the Government’s rolling maul of initiatives supporting communities impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle,” says Hipkins.
Also picking up a portfolio is Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor who will support Transport Minister David Parker in an Associate Minister’s role.
Hipkins says that with five weeks until Parliament rests ahead of the election in October, he didn’t want to make any additional MPs a Minister, believing the roles to be evenly spread.
Currently, there are 25 Ministers in the Executive, with 18 of them Cabinet Ministers.
“Between now and the election our singular focus must be on making life better for everyday Kiwis. That is what I have sought to do, and I need everyone to do the same,” he says.
