Few surprises in PM's cabinet reshuffle

Prime Minister Bill English has revealed Nikki Kaye will take over the education portfolio from Hekia Parata and Gerry Brownlee will take over foreign affairs from Murray McCully.

Mr English made the announcement in his weekly post-cabinet press conference this afternoon.

The prime minister says Ms Kaye is “well placed” to take over from Ms Parata having done an "extended apprenticeship" as associate minister of education and having the " particular interest, energy and motivation" for the role.

Mr Brownlee will relinquish his defence, civil defence, greater Christchurch regeneration portfolios as well as his role as leader of the House. He will retain the Earthquake Commission role.

The Prime Minister says Mr Brownlee will take on the time-consuming responsibility of advocating on New Zealand's behalf at a time of "global instability". When asked whether the plain-speaking Mr Brownlee was sufficiently diplomatic for the role, Mr English said he was "blunt when he needs to be, diplomatic when he needs to be."

Nathan Guy will be given civil defence and Simon Bridges will step down from his current role as deputy leader of the House to replace Brownlee, supported by Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse.

Mark Mitchell has been promoted to the cabinet and will hold the defence portfolio. Nicky Wagner will take over the Christchurch regeneration task which Brownlee has held since the first earthquakes in 2010.

Tim Macindoe, a former chairman of the justice and electoral select committee and National’s senior whip since the 2014 election, and Scott Simpson, the chairman of the local government and environment select committee have been appointed ministers outside cabinet.

Building and Construction Minister Nick Smith will remain in place, but with a lighter load, despite widespread concern in the National Party caucus over his handling of the politically charged issues of housing and freshwater.  He will continue to oversee the various aspects of building regulation, including planning, minimum codes and building sector productivity issues.

Social Housing Minister Amy Adams will remain responsible for Housing NZ and all aspects of the government’s supply of social and emergency housing. She will also pick up responsibility for the Crown land programme and have a closer involvement in the Government’s overall house building programme, as well as the Tamaki Redevelopment Project.

The changes effectively split execution of housing programmes and building regulation between Ms Adams and Mr Smith respectively.

The ministers will be sworn in next Tuesday.

Nikki Kaye was elected as the MP for Auckland Central in 2008 – the first time National had ever won the seat.

She won Auckland Central again in 2011 and 2014. She was promoted to cabinet in 2013 and has held the youth portfolio and was the associate minister for education.

Ms Kaye takes over from Ms Parata who revealed in October last year she would not be standing in this year’s election after eight years in government, including five as Minister of Education.

A few weeks later, Mr McCully revealed he had decided he would not be standing in this year’s election either.

He had previously ruled out standing in the East Coast Bays electorate but said he would stay on as long as then Prime Minister John Key wanted him in the foreign affairs portfolio.

Mr Brownlee has been the Ilam MP since 1996 and has held a number of different portfolios during his time in government, including most recently defence and civil defence.

(Additional reporting BusinessDesk)