"Now we can use her talents elsewhere in revenue and commerce," he said.
But Labour's deputy leader Annette King said her loss of the portfolios was a "vindictive" move and that Collins had paid the price for saying the Government needed to fund more police officers during the leadership campaign.
Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett has been given Collins' police portfolio. She has also become the Minister for Women, elevating women's issues to the top of the Cabinet. Louise Upston, who was previously Minister for Women, has moved into the Cabinet and taken on Collins' Corrections role - a significant promotion.
Speaking about the new ministers, English said Ngaro had jumped straight into Cabinet because he had experience across a broad range of social issues "and we are keen to advance those issues in the political debate".
"Alfred has got a unique type of experience for a National MP, and a very persuasive ability to articulate what this Government's trying to choose."
Bridges has risen into the top five in Cabinet and takes Steven Joyce's Economic Development portfolio. He has also taken on the Associate Finance and Communications roles, while keeping the Transport portfolio. Bridges was now "a key part of our economic team", English said.
Adams held onto the Justice portfolio and has taken on two housing roles - English's Housing New Zealand portfolio and Bennett's Social Housing portfolio. She will take on the newly-created Social Investment role and the Associate Finance portfolio, which English said would be linked.
"There's changes going on in the public service about how to deliver social investment more effectively," he said
"Amy's a thorough and energetic minister and we're at a stage where more precision will help us to deliver in communities more effectively."
Nick Smith held onto his housing and environment responsibilities, despite speculation he could pay the price for rising house values and the bungling of the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary. His ministerial title has changed from Building and Housing Minister to Building and Construction Minister - a change which English said better reflected his role.
As already confirmed, Steven Joyce will become the new Finance Minister. But he has also been given a new portfolio, Infrastructure.
Murray McCully, who is leaving Parliament next year, held onto the Foreign Affairs role but only until May. That meant McCully could leave Parliament without sparking a by-election, but English said this was not the "driving reason" for keeping him on in the role. He would not say who his pick for a replacement was, though Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has been tipped to take over.
Hekia Parata, who is leaving Parliament at the general election, would also stay on as Education Minister until May. Nikki Kaye is expected to take over once she has recovered from treatment for breast cancer.
Kaye is on leave from Parliament and her ministerial duties, but English said today her "progress and prognosis is good".
"But we don't want to put pressure on a minister who's had some health issues," he said.
King said the reshuffle was "underwhelming" and had "very little new thinking". Just one minister had been brought into Cabinet and two of the three ministers outside Cabinet had been in Parliament for 11 years, she said.
Labour's deputy leader also criticised English's decision to keep on Smith despite his performance in the housing role, saying it smacked of "mateship".
WATCH BEEHIVE ANNOUNCEMENT:
Prime Minister Bill English announces new Cabinet
Posted by nzherald.co.nz on Saturday, December 17, 2016
The full list
1. Bill English
Prime Minister
Minister for National Security and Intelligence
Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services
2. Paula Bennett
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of State Services
Minister for Women
Minister of Tourism
Minister of Police
Minister for Climate Change Issues
3. Steven Joyce
Minister of Finance
Minister for Infrastructure
4. Gerry Brownlee
Minister supporting Greater Christchurch Regeneration
Minister of Defence
Minister of Civil Defence
Leader of the House
Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission
5. Simon Bridges
Minister for Economic Development
Minister of Transport
Minister for Communications1
Deputy Leader of the House
Associate Minister of Finance
6. Amy Adams
Minister of Justice
Minister for Courts
Minister for Social Housing
Minister Responsible for Social Investment
Minister Responsible for HNZC
Associate Minister of Finance
7. Dr Jonathan Coleman
Minister of Health
Minister for Sport and Recreation
8. Christopher Finlayson
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 Māori Development
9. Michael Woodhouse
Minister of Immigration
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety
Minister for ACC
10. Anne Tolley
Minister for Children
Minister for Social Development
Minister of Local Government
11. Hekia Parata
Minister of Education
12. Nathan Guy
Minister for Primary Industries
Minister for Racing
Associate Minister for Economic Development
13. Murray McCully
Minister of Foreign Affairs
14. Nikki Kaye
Minister for Youth
Associate Minister of Education
15. Dr Nick Smith
Minister for the Environment
Minister for Building and Construction
16. Judith Collins
Minister of Revenue
Minister of Energy and Resources
Minister for Ethnic Communities
17. Todd McClay
Minister of Trade
Minister for State Owned Enterprises
18. Maggie Barry
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
Minister of Conservation
Minister for Seniors
19. Paul Goldsmith
Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
Minister of Science and Innovation
Minister for Regulatory Reform
20. Louise Upston
Minister of Corrections
Associate Minister of Education
Associate Minister for Primary Industries
Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
21. Alfred Ngaro
Minister for Pacific Peoples
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
Associate Minister for Children
Associate Minister for Social Housing
22. Nicky Wagner
Minister of Customs
Minister for Disability Issues
Associate Minister supporting Greater Christchurch Regeneration
Associate Minister of Conservation
Associate Minister of Health
Associate Minister of Tourism
23. Mark Mitchell
Minister for Land Information
Minister of Statistics
Associate Minister of Justice
24. Jacqui Dean
Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Minister for Small Business
Associate Minister for ACC
Associate Minister of Local Government
25. David Bennett
Minister of Veterans' Affairs
Minister for Food Safety
Associate Minister of Immigration
Associate Minister of Transport
Support party ministers
Peter Dunne
Minister of Internal Affairs
Associate Minister of Conservation
Associate Minister of Health
Te Ururoa Flavell
Minister for Māori Development
Minister for Whānau Ora
Associate Minister for Economic Development
Parliamentary under-secretary
David Seymour
Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the:
Minister of Education
Minister for Regulatory Reform
