Grant Robertson Hardworking Rainbow Labour MP Grant Robertson has muscled into the front bench in a Labour Party pre-election reshuffle, nabbing the Health portfolio. The first-term MP becomes the party's Health spokesperson, with Ruth Dyson dropping a place. Hauraki-Waikato MP Nanaia Mahuta has made space for Robertson, asking for a lighter work load because she is having another baby. Labour Leader Phil Goff says Robertson has made a very strong impact in a very short time: "He is a first term MP but has already proven to be a formidable performer who can quickly grasp the issues. He has a promising future ahead of him." Rainbow Labour colleague Charles Chauvel, a former lawyer, has won the Justice portfolio. Maryan Street remains the highest-ranked GLBT MP on the list at seventh place. She retains Foreign Affairs and Trade, and gains Overseas Development Assistance. The list MP vying to take over from National's Nikki Kaye in Auckland Central, Jacinda Ardern, has been promoted to the second bench and becomes the spokesperson for Employment. Goff says he took a balanced approach to the reshuffle. "We had an exceptionally good intake of MPs in 2008. I had a lot of options in terms of promotion and I've had to make some tough choices. "I'm proud of the hard work all of my MPs have been putting in and look forward to seeing them all perform just as strongly when Labour is elected to Government."
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 3rd February 2011 - 1:12pm