Audrey Young: Not enough stimulation for Amy Adams in Opposition

Amy Adams has been extremely loyal to Simon Bridges and stood behind him figuratively - and literally, at many press conferences. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Amy Adams' story that she no longer has the energy for politics is entirely believable.

She is not the first person to fail to muster the same enthusiasm for the job after a personal disappointment.

Sue Bradford felt the same after losing the Greens' leadership contest to Metiria Turei, as did Kevin Hague when he lost it to James Shaw.

Jonathan Coleman was the first surprise retirement from Simon Bridges' caucus this term after Bridges gave the finance spokesperson's role to Adams.

Adams got the finance job because she came a clear second in the leadership contest with Bridges – from an original field of five.

But after a stellar ministerial career, Opposition can be a tough and unfulfilling place.

MPs create their own incentives and dreams.

The prospect of being a minister for the first time, or again, might be incentive enough to sustain someone through Opposition.

The prospect of getting one up on your opposite number in the Government might be enough.

The prospect of being leader one day might be enough for a handful of people.

None of that was enough for Adams in the end.

She has shown nothing but loyalty to Simon Bridges and shown no prospect of going after the leadership again. She has stood behind figuratively - and literally, at many press conferences.

Her bid last year satisfied two needs: the first to say she had had a go, and would never die wondering; and the second to show that the liberal wing of the National Party was alive and well and was not going to simply lay out the welcome mat to the conservative Bridges without challenge.

She is a high-energy person and just didn't seem to thrive in finance or in Opposition.

At the age of 48 and with a successful legal career behind her, she has plenty of prospects ahead.

Adams' loyalty was important to Bridges and her decision will be a blow to him. But while it was an ambush for the media, Bridges has known for some time and planned his reshuffle well.

Paul Goldsmith was the logical choice to replace Adams in finance. He has been one of the stars of the National caucus with his methodical challenges to Shane Jones' $3 billion provincial growth fund.

And high-performing second-termer Chris Bishop was also the logical choice to replace Goldsmith opposite Jones. Bishop leaps up the rankings from number 35 to 16.

Caucus respect for Gerry Brownlee's has been properly recognised by giving him back Foreign Affairs, which he should have got in Bridges' original allocation, having been the former minister.

Some eyebrows will be raised about Todd Muller being kept so low at number 31 when he is considered future leadership material. It would be easy to conclude that he has been kept low because he is future leadership material.

But he has not made much of a public splash with climate change. That could change because the Zero Carbon Bill is set to come alive and he has also been given Shane Jones to shadow in Forestry.

Goldsmith has shown that success there can help to cement a political reputation.