“Anyone who says, he is not interested in politics is like a drowning man who insists he is not interested in water”- Mahatma Gandhi
Whether you are from India or New Zealand or any other part of the world, a basic knowledge about the politics and politicians of the country you are living in, is a must. After all they are the ones who are taking important decisions for the whole country.
If you have interest in politics, great; if not, it’s never too late!
National government after winning the third term and New Zealanders’ heartsis back to work now after all ministers have been assigned their respective ministries. We have already covered about how three Kiwi-Indian MPs-Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Mahesh Bindra and Dr.ParmjeetParmar, are providing more representation to the community in NZ Parliament. To widen your knowledge about the country’s politics we have decided to come up with this week’s special feature on the newly-appointed Cabinet of ministers.
This week we bring you who’s doing what in the current government, who’s handling which ministry, what are the responsibilities of the three Kiwi-Indian MPs, what are expectations of our community from the government this time and more.
(Information Source: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet)
MINISTERIAL LIST
The Ministerial List as at 13 October 2014 is listed below.
NOTES:
• All Ministers are members of the Executive Council.
• The Parliamentary Under-Secretary is part of executive government, but is not a member of the Executive Council.
• Portfolios are listed in the left hand column. Other responsibilities assigned by the Prime Minister are listed in the right hand column.
THE CABINET
| Portfolios |
Other responsibilities |
|
| 1. |
RtHon John Key |
Minister Responsible for Ministerial ServicesPortfolios |
| 2. |
Hon Bill English?Deputy Prime Minister |
Minister Responsible for HNZC |
| 3. |
Hon Gerry Brownlee Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister of Defence Leader of the House |
Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission |
| 4. |
Hon Steven Joyce |
Minister Responsible for Novopay |
| 5. |
Hon Paula Bennett Minister of Local Government Minister for Social Housing Minister of State Services |
Associate Minister of Finance Associate Minister of Tourism |
| 6. |
Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman Minister of Health Minister for Sport and Recreation |
|
| 7. |
Hon Amy Adams Minister of Justice Minister for Courts Minister of Broadcasting Minister for Communications |
|
| 8. |
Hon Christopher Finlayson QC Attorney-General Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister in Charge of the NZ Security Intelligence Service |
Minister Responsible for the GCSB Associate Minister for Maori Development |
| 9. |
Hon Simon Bridges Minister of Energy and Resources Minister of Transport |
Deputy Leader of the House Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues Associate Minister of Justice |
| 10. |
HonHekiaParata Minister of Education |
|
| 11. |
Hon Anne Tolley Minister for Social Development |
|
| 12. |
Hon Dr Nick Smith Minister for the Environment Minister for Building and Housing |
|
| 13. |
Hon Murray mccully Minister of Foreign Affairs |
Associate Minister for Sport and Recreation |
| 14. |
Hon Nathan Guy Minister for Primary Industries Minister for Racing |
|
| 15. |
Hon Nikki Kaye Minister for ACC Minister of Civil Defence Minister for Youth |
Associate Minister of Education |
| 16. |
Hon Tim Groser Minister of Trade Minister for Climate Change Issues |
|
| 17. |
Hon Michael Woodhouse Minister of Immigration Minister of Police Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety |
|
| 18. |
Hon Todd mcclay Minister of Revenue Minister for State Owned Enterprises |
Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs Associate Minister of Trade |
| 19. |
Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga Minister of Corrections Minister for Ethnic Communities Minister for Pacific Peoples |
Associate Minister of Health |
| 20. |
Hon Maggie Barry Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister of Conservation Minister for Senior Citizens |
|
|
MINISTERS OUTSIDE CABINET
|
||
| 21. |
Hon Craig Foss Minister for Small Business Minister of Statistics Minister of Veterans' Affairs |
Associate Minister of Immigration Associate Minister of Transport |
| 22. |
Hon Jo Goodhew Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector Minister for Food Safety |
Associate Minister for Primary Industries Associate Minister for Social Development |
| 23. |
Hon Nicky Wagner Minister of Customs Minister for Disability Issues |
Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Associate Minister of Conservation |
| 24. |
Hon Louise Upston Minister for Land Information Minister for Women |
Associate Minister of Local Government Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment |
| 25. |
Hon Paul Goldsmith Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs |
Associate Minister for ACC |
|
|
SUPPORT PARTY MINISTERS | |
|
Hon Peter Dunne Minister of Internal Affairs |
Associate Minister of Conservation Associate Minister of Health |
|
|
HonTeUruroaFlavell Minister for Maori Development Minister for Whanau Ora |
Associate Minister for Economic Development | |
|
PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY |
||
|
David Seymour MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Education and the Minister for Regulatory Reform |
||
| KIWI-INDIAN MPs IN THE PARLIAMENT | Current Parliamentary Roles | |
|
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi List member, National Party |
• Deputy Chairperson, Law and Order Committee • Member, Commerce Committee |
|
|
Dr Parmjeet Parmar List member, National Party |
• Member, Social Services Committee • Member, Transport and Industrial Relations Committee |
|
|
Mahesh Bindra List member, NZ First |
• Member, Law and Order Committee • Spokesperson, Corrections • Spokesperson, Ethnic Affairs • Spokesperson, Land Information New Zealand • Spokesperson, Customs |