Friday, March 29, 2024

Nats move ag to front bench

Neal Wallace
New National Party leader Christopher Luxon has made clear his intention to win back disillusioned rural voters by promoting Shadow Agriculture Minister Barbara Kuriger to the party’s front bench.
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Shadow Agriculture Minister Barbara Kuriger is now 10th in National’s shadow cabinet, having moved up from 14.

New National Party leader Christopher Luxon has made clear his intention to win back disillusioned rural voters by promoting Shadow Agriculture Minister Barbara Kuriger to the party’s front bench.

Luxon has in media interviews since taking over leadership of the party last week, spoken of the economic importance of the primary sector and his intention to rewin the support of rural voters who deserted the party at the last election.

He appears to have put that into action this week by announcing that Kuriger will retain the portfolio she was given by previous leader Judith Collins and promoted from number 14 in the shadow cabinet to number 10.

She is also responsible for biosecurity and food safety.

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor is ranked number 14 in Labour’s cabinet and has the heavyweight portfolios of trade and export growth and biosecurity.

National’s David Bennett has progressively slipped down the National Party’s hierarchy since appointed shadow agriculture spokesperson in 2020, with a ranking of 11.

He lost agriculture to Kuriger in February, but kept horticulture and biosecurity and in Luxon’s reshuffle has slipped to number 20 with oversight of economic and regional development.

Scott Simpson is ranked 11 by Luxon and picks up the shadow climate change portfolio from Stuart Smith, while retaining environment.

Smith, ranked 17, retains viticulture, and Judith Collins (19) gets research, science, innovation and technology.

Of those unranked, Ian McKelvie keeps forestry, Jacqui Dean conservation and Todd McLay trade and export growth.

Luxon has appointed three associate agriculture spokespeople, Tim van der Molen, Nicola Grigg and Joseph Mooney.

In addition to those roles, Van der Molen is also responsible for horticulture, Grigg for rural communities, land information and animal welfare and Mooney water.

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