Source: Radio New Zealand
Chris Penk and Penny Simmonds have been promoted to Cabinet, as the prime minister reshuffles his ministerial lineup.
The reshuffle also sees first-term MPs Cameron Brewer and Mike Butterick made ministers outside Cabinet.
The changes were necessitated by the upcoming retirement of Judith Collins, as well as Dr Shane Reti’s decision to stand down at the election.
Collins’ defence, space, and GCSB and NZSIS portfolios have been given to Penk, Paul Goldsmith takes on responsibility for the public service and digitising government, and Chris Bishop picks up the attorney-general role.
Bishop’s position as Leader of the House has been given to Louise Upston.
Bishop, who was also National’s campaign chair, was widely tipped to lose some ministerial portfolios to ease his workload to free him up for the campaign. Instead, it is the role of campaign chair that he has had to relinquish, to Simeon Brown.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Bishop had a “massive workload” with housing, transport, infrastructure, RMA reform, and his new attorney-general role, and losing the campaign chair was a consequence of that.
Luxon said the two had a “very positive conversation” and he “absolutely” trusted Bishop.
“He’s key to our team, he’s a critical part of our senior leadership group,” he said.
Luxon denied it was anything to do with rumours Bishop was running the numbers against him last year.
“I think you’re really overthinking this,” Luxon said.
He said Brown was equally capable of chairing the campaign, as part of his “brains trust” which included Bishop, Upston, Goldsmith, and Finance Minister Nicola Willis.
Penny Simmonds. RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Simmonds takes up Reti’s science, innovation, and technology portfolio, and his universities role has been disestablished to make Simmonds the minister for tertiary education.
She had previously been minister for vocational education, as well as environment. The latter has been given to Nicola Grigg, who remains outside Cabinet.
Goldsmith also becomes the new minister for Pacific Peoples, with Luxon admitting National did not have Pacific representation.
“I freely admit we don’t have a Pasifika person in our National Party team and in our Cabinet. That’s something that we’re working very hard on. As I’ve said to you before, we need to make sure we continue to work as we go to 2026 on the campaign on getting great candidates from the Pasifika world.”
Brewer, who has been chairing Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee (a weighty role which often leads to a ministerial promotion) has been made minister of commerce and consumer affairs and minister for small business and manufacturing, while Butterick will become minister for land information.
Luxon said he wanted to make a “super small business minister” role by giving Brewer the two roles, while Butterick was a “natural leader” of National’s rural MPs.
Brewer would also take over supermarket reforms, as the previous Commerce and Consumer Affairs minister Scott Simpson had a conflict which had led to Willis taking responsibility.
Other changes include Brown picking up the energy portfolio from Simon Watts, who in turn takes over Brown’s minister for Auckland role.
Chris Penk becomes the new Minister of Defence. RNZ / Nathan McKinnon
Luxon said the past few weeks had underlined how important energy security was, and so was giving the role to a “senior” minister.
He said he had not lost confidence in Watts.
Luxon acknowledged Collins and Reti’s departures.
“New Zealand is better for Judith and Shane deciding to enter public service and I am grateful to count them both as friends. On behalf of the government and the National Party, I wish them all the best for their futures outside Parliament.”
Matt Doocey remains in Cabinet, and has not picked up any portfolios other than his existing mental health role.
He had been the sole South Island representative in Cabinet, but that has now doubled with Simmonds’ addition.
The changes come into effect on Tuesday, 7 April.
Luxon had not reshuffled his lineup since January 2025, other than to promote Scott Simpson to a role outside Cabinet following Andrew Bayly’s resignation.
The reshuffle applies to National Party ministers only, meaning ACT’s Brooke van Velden will continue in her portfolios despite her decision to retire from Parliament at the election.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
