Promotion likely for Woodhouse

National Party list MP Michael Woodhouse and Prime Minister John Key pause for a photo at...
National Party list MP Michael Woodhouse and Prime Minister John Key pause for a photo at Carrington Hall. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
Dunedin-based National Party list MP Michael Woodhouse is tipped for a promotion early next week when Prime Minister John Key announces his new line-up of cabinet ministers.

While Mr Woodhouse will not be a cabinet minister in at least the early part of the next term of Parliament, he is likely to be assisting senior ministers in their portfolios, perhaps as a parliamentary secretary.

Mr Key told the Otago Daily Times he had ruled out establishing the role of under-secretaries in his executive.

But he might reintroduce the role of a parliamentary secretary.

"I think you will see a promotion, in my view, for Michael. I think Michael is hugely talented but we need to take him through a pathway where he isn't rushed through the process and sees him as a strategically long-term player," Mr Key said.

The special vote results are announced today and it is likely Mr Key will make his cabinet announcements on Monday. The swearing in of the executive is set for Wednesday.

He said there would be one or two surprises in his executive.

"We have a lot of talent to put into a limited number of options. We have a young cabinet and in 2008, 14 of the 20 had not been ministers previously... But I am keen to refresh and give people increased responsibilities where I think they deserve them."

Mr Key expected to sign a support agreement with the Maori Party during the weekend.

"We think we have a good understanding with the Maori Party. We have been working on an agreement for the last two weeks which is outcome focused. They have come off the back of an election campaign and have seen first-hand the conditions some of their people live in. They are desperate for an improvement in those living conditions."

Mr Key also expected to have early discussions with Green Party co-leaders Russel Norman and Metiria Turei before Christmas and he hoped another memorandum of understanding could be agreed upon.

Those options would be explored during the summer break.

There were areas of "clear agreement" in social and environmental policy. The differences came in the extent of application of those policies, he said.

"Long-term, the Greens need to think about their role in Parliament and whether they are the party which can support both the centre right and centre left. It's an internal challenge for them."

Mr Key was in Dunedin to speak at a National Party post-election function.

- dene.mackenzie@odt.co.nz

 

 

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