By VERNON SMALL
National leader Jenny Shipley has refreshed her Opposition team, promoting loyal supporters and targeting what she sees as pressure points in the Government.
She said the reshuffle was the first step in a three-year strategy to regain the confidence of New Zealand and win back the Treasury benches.
"It is a time for us to reflect on, and restate, our policy in a way that is attractive to the constituency," she said.
In a modest reshuffle, particularly in the top echelon, the biggest winner was Bob Simcock, a key organiser of Mrs Shipley's coup against Jim Bolger. He leaps to number 13 and takes responsibility for social services and employment.
David Carter leapfrogged from 20 to 14 ahead of more senior MPs and is now spokesman for tourism, biosecurity and border control.
Belinda Vernon moves into the shadow cabinet at 17 and takes responsibility for work and income.
Gerry Brownlee comes in at 16 and will front National's attacks on Labour's ACC plans. Gavan Herlihy, at number 20, takes the agriculture role.
Bill English retains finance and the third spot in the line-up.
Max Bradford loses defence to 19th-ranked Wayne Mapp but takes economic development, labour and industrial relations, marking Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton.
Lockwood Smith sheds his trade duties but takes on commerce, associate finance and communications. He rises seven places to number eight.
Former Police Minister Clem Simich suffers for the Incis debacle, slipping from 18 in the last cabinet to 25th spot in the line-up. He takes on the jobs of shadow Attorney-General and state-owned enterprises.
Other former ministers to stall or go backwards are Maori affairs spokeswoman Georgina te Heuheu and Marie Hasler, who takes on immigration.
National's front bench is little changed, with Mrs Shipley followed by Wyatt Creech (health), Mr English, Roger Sowry (shadow leader of the house, state services), Mr Bradford, John Luxton (international trade negotiations), Nick Smith (education), Lockwood Smith and Tony Ryall (justice). Simon Upton (foreign affairs) rounds out the top 10.
The former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Don McKinnon, will retire next year to become Commonwealth Secretary-General. He has been ranked at 29 in the meantime.
Mrs Shipley confirmed the new line-up would be divided into five teams. The large economic team would be led by Mr English, with three subgroups headed by Dr Lockwood Smith (macro economic and regulation), Mr Bradford (capacity building) and Mr Luxton (productive sector).
Mr Creech would lead the social policy team, Mr Ryall would head justice and security, Mr Upton would chair external relations and Dr Nick Smith would lead the sustainable development team.
Mrs Shipley said the teams would review policy, and the party would in time "brand ourselves in a fresh and perhaps in some instances quite different way." The line-up would be reviewed in 12 to 15 months.
She said National would attack strongly where business competitiveness and jobs were threatened, where personal responsibility was undermined and if there was a growth in bureaucracy.
The party would use the time in Opposition to rebuild its networks.
Mrs Shipley said only eight or nine of the 39 MPs had experience in Opposition.
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