Labour has called the Government’s Cabinet reshuffle a desperate attempt to mask its failures, with leader Chris Hipkins describing it as “just rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic.”
Shanw Reti was demoted along with the removal of Melissa Lee from the executive, and the ascension of James Meager to a minister outside cabinet with a new South Island role.
“The Government is failing miserably at managing health, the economy, race relations, climate – you name it. A reshuffle isn’t going to change that,” Hipkins said.
Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall criticised the decision to appoint Simeon Brown as Health Minister, describing it as a further blow to public confidence in the health system.
“Replacing Dr Shane Reti as Health Minister after only one year shows what a mess they’ve made of the health system,” Verrall said.
“Dr Reti is a decent man who never stood a chance because of the budget he was given. Recruitment freezes, cuts to frontline services, and other budget cuts have left New Zealanders with little trust that they will get the care they need.
“It’s only going to get worse under Simeon Brown, who will have to demonstrate he cares about people and not just roads. He’ll need to show New Zealanders his purpose is to improve equitable access to health services for everyone, not to cut the health service back to bare bones,” Verrall said.
Hipkins also questioned the decision to assign a new portfolio of ‘economic growth’ to Finance Minister Nicola Willis.
“Giving Nicola Willis a new portfolio of ‘economic growth’ begs the question of why she hasn’t been focused on that all along. What Minister of Finance doesn’t focus on economic growth?”
He criticised the appointment of the most junior minister in the Government as Minister for the South Island, noting that the appointee does not sit at the Cabinet table.
“Once again, this shows the utter contempt this Government has for the mainland,” Hipkins said.
Labour concluded that the reshuffle demonstrates what New Zealanders already know. “Christopher Luxon’s inexperience and inept leadership are taking New Zealand backwards,” Hipkins said.
