Mt Roskill MP Michael Wood, who was the Labour Party spokesperson for Ethnic Communities, Transport and Revenue, in the lead up to the election, has been made Parliamentary Undersecretary to the Minister for Ethnic Communities in the much-awaited cabinet announcement by the Prime Minister-designate Jacinda Ardern this morning.
Another local MP from South Auckland, Jenny Salesa, would be the new Minister for Ethnic Communities.
Making the announcement earlier today, Prime Minister-designate Jacinda Ardern said,”Portfolio responsibilities for the incoming Labour-led Government underline our commitment to charting a new course for New Zealand.
“I am excited by how my executive will tackle the challenges this country faces. The allocation of portfolios shows how the government I lead will be focused on making a difference for all New Zealanders, no matter where they live.
Michael Wood can easily be termed as belonging to Phil Goff school of politics in the Labour Party, getting the Roskill seat from Phill Goff and continuing Goff's style of people-friendly politics in his constituency and beyond.
Michael Wood has won the Mt Roskill seat for the first time in the by-elections last year in 2016 after the seat was vacated by Phil Goff, who resigned from the seat after being elected as Mayor of Auckland.
Speaking to The Indian Weekender exclusively, immediately after his elevation to this new role in the government, Mr Wood said "First thing I would say is that we all are really honoured and humbled by the opportunity of serving in the government.
"People have delivered a lot of confidence in us and now it's up to us to deliver the kind of programmes that we campaigned.
"I will be speaking with new Minister of Ethnic Communities Jenny Salesa very soon.
"As the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, I will be given new responsibilities and I look forward to those responsibilities to serve our ethnic communities," Mr Wood told The Indian Weekender.