John Key will establish a Ministry, with teams of Ministers clustered in related portfolios. Example: Bill English as Finance Minister will also be Minister for Infrastructure, round which will be clustered Telecommunications and Transport, (likely to go to newcomer and list MP Steven Joyce and Northcote’s Jonathan Coleman with David Bennett as an Associate). Round the Finance portfolio will be two or three associates, as well as the Revenue Minister (which could be Peter Dunne). Gerry Brownlee who will be Leader of the House will hold the Energy portfolio, again with a couple of associates, one of whom could be Chris Auchinvole.

Simon Power will have Commerce and Justice, leading a team with Chester Borrows as Police Minister, and Maurice Williamson in Corrections. Anne Tolley who performed strongly in Education while National was in Opposition, will have associates including possibly Dr Paul Hutchison, (Tertiary Education), Allan Peachey and maybe a Maori Party nominee,either Dr Pita Sharples or Te Ururoa Flavell. In Health, Tony Ryall could have Heather Roy from ACT (who will also be Minister of Consumer Affairs) as an Associate, and Dr Jackie Blue. David Carter as Minister of Agriculture could have Phil Heatley in Fisheries, and Shane Ardern in Forestry. Round Nick Smith as Environment and Climate Change Minister would be Eric Roy in Conservation and Nicky Wagner. Murray McCully as Minister of Foreign Affairs will be working closely with Tim Groser as Trade Minister, with possibly John Hayes as Under-Secretary for Pacific Affairs.

Others on Key’s Ministerial list include Judith Collins (Social Welfare), Kate Wilkinson (Labour), Chris Finlayson (Attorney-General), Pansy Wong (Ethnic Affairs),Wayne Mapp (Defence), and Lockwood Smith (Immigration). Key will make it clear to long-serving MPs entering the Ministry there could be a reshuffle after two years making way for up and comers like Nathan Guy and Chris Tremain (whose experience as Whips will be important initially in guiding new members in the House), Paula Bennett and Craig Foss who may chair major Select Committees. The list of aspirants for a role as Speaker or Assistant Speaker is said to run to about six headed by Richard Worth along with Lockwood Smith, Eric Roy, Lindsay Tisch and John Carter.

 Copyright © Trans Tasman Media Ltd