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National Party leader Christopher Luxon announces new caucus

Former leader Judith Collins has taken a tumble in the National Party rankings announced by new leader Christopher Luxon today.

The party reshuffle comes after a fraught dispute between Collins and the third former leader in the party, Simon Bridges, saw Collins ousted and replaced by Luxon, who has been in Parliament for just a year.

Bridges, who stepped out of the running for the leadership and backed Luxon with just over an hour before the caucus vote, was handed the Finance and Infrastructure roles and the number three ranking by Luxon on Friday last week, the only roles to be confirmed before today.

Collins drops from number one as leader to number 19, with just the Research and Innovation, and Technology portfolios. Muller was unranked - below the top 20 - and given Oceans and Fisheries and Internal Affairs.

Luxon said the line-up was based on merit, and matched MPs' strengths and skillsets.

"I have deliberately selected a Shadow Cabinet of 20 members to match the Government's Cabinet. I'm confident that when you put any of National's Shadow Ministers against their Labour counterparts, you'll see that National's MPs have the deep experience, the political skills, the work ethic and the intellectual grunt to come out on top every time," Luxon said.

"We will be a government-in-waiting that will relentlessly hold this spin-heavy and PR-driven government to account, and focus on proposing detailed, constructive and intellectually rigorous solutions."

1. Christopher Luxon: Leader, National Security and Intelligence 2. Nicola Willis: Deputy leader, Housing, Social Investment 3. Simon Bridges: Finance, Infrastructure 4. Chris Bishop: Covid-19 Response, Shadow leader of the House 5. Shane Reti: Health, Māori-Crown Relations, Pacific Peoples 6. Louise Upston: Social Development, Child Poverty Reduction 7. Erica Stanford: Education, Immigration, Associate Ethnic Affairs 8. Matt Doocey: Mental Health, Youth, Associate Health, Associate Transport 9. Simeon Brown: Transport, Public Service 10. Barbara Kuriger: Agriculture, Biosecurity, Food Safety 11. Scott Simpson: Climate Change, Environment, Associate Transport 12. Paul Goldsmith: Justice, Workplace Relations and Safety 13. Melissa Lee: Broadcasting and Media, Digital Economy and Communications, Ethnic Communities 14. Mark Mitchell: Police, Serious Fraud Office, Counter-terrorism 15. Andrew Bayly: Small Business, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Manufacturing, Building and Construction, Revenue 16. Gerry Brownlee: Foreign Affairs, GCSB and NZSIS, Emergency Management 17. Stuart Smith: Energy and Resources, EQC, Viticulture 18. Michael Woodhouse: State-owned Enterprises, ACC, Statistics, Sport and Recreation, Deputy Shadow Leader of the House 19. Judith Collins: Research, Science and Innovation, Technology 20. David Bennett: Economic and Regional Development Jacqui Dean: Assistant Speaker, Conservation Todd McClay: Trade and Export Growth, Tourism Simon O'Connor: Corrections, Customs, Arts, Culture and Heritage, Associate Foreign Affairs Ian McKelvie: Seniors, Forestry, Racing Todd Muller: Oceans and Fisheries, Internal Affairs Maureen Pugh: Community and Voluntary Sector Harete Hipango: Māori Development, Whānau Ora, Children/Oranga Tamariki Chris Penk: Shadow Attorney-General, Courts, Associate Justice Tim van de Molen: Defence, Veterans, Horticulture, Associate Agriculture Nicola Grigg: Rural Communities, Land Information, Animal Welfare, Women, Associate Agriculture Joseph Mooney: Treaty negotiations, Water, Space, Associate Tourism, Associate Agriculture Penny Simmonds: Tertiary Education, Early Childhood Education, Disability Issues, Associate Education, Associate Social Development and Employment Simon Watts: Local Govenment, Associate Finance, Associate Infrastructure

More to come...

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