The Blogosphere has made much of the "popular Westie" Paula Bennett's new job in its initial analysis of John Key's cabinet announced yesterday.
Ms Bennett is named as the big winner in John Key's cabinet announcement, says.
The Herald's political editor Audrey Young, writing in her blog on
nzherald.co.nz says Bennett will oversee the "biggest ministry with the biggest budget".
"It has gone to someone with just three years as an MP who has drawn on the DPB herself in the past as a solo mother. Key said it was not it risk. It is but it one worth taking."
Meanwhile over at Stuff, Colin Espiner has also labelled Paula Bennett as "the major winner".
He says the cabinet as a whole is "not a bad one" but expresses some concern that Gerry Brownlee could be acting PM if Mr Key and Mr English are out of the country. "A slightly alarming thought" is how he describes that scenario.
At Kiwiblog, David Farrar also calls Ms Bennett the "mover".
"She may only be No 16, but she has the Welfare portfolios under their new names. This is a huge portfolio for an MP who has been in just three years. Having been a Maori solo mother herself, Paula will make it very hard for Labour to characterise National as heartless," writes Mr Farrar.
He has also looked at the number of Cabinet ministers entering at each election and found that 11 of them have entered Parliament since the last National Government.
Whale Oil takes a different tack and opens with a few lines on newcomer Stephen Joyce.
"The big winner is Stephen Joyce who ran National's lacklustre campaign. He has nicked Maurice Williamson's portfolios of Transport and Communications lock, stock and barrel."
- NZ HERALD STAFF
