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The demise of the portfolio of Minister for Auckland Issues was welcomed last night by some city leaders, but Judith Tizard said she did not need the title to continue her work on Auckland issues.
The portfolio, held by Ms Tizard since Prime Minister Helen Clark established it in 1999, was axed in the Cabinet reshuffle.
Last night, Ms Tizard said she wasn't upset at losing the portfolio and did not believe the move was a show of no confidence from Helen Clark.
"I don't have that view at all. I don't need the title. It had become the target of attacks [in Parliament] and trivialised. I have been called the Empress of Auckland before.
"It got a bit silly in the House with Bill English and Rodney Hide trying to trip me up."
Ms Tizard said the portfolio had been a "useful tool" and she would continue to work on Auckland issues with several other ministers.
"We talked about getting rid of it at the last election. The Government has clearly signalled Auckland is a major priority."
Auckland City Mayor John Banks was yesterday not spilling any tears over the end of the portfolio, nor the end of strained relations with Ms Tizard.
The role was established to ensure Auckland had a strong advocate in the Government and to nurture a strong relationship with the city's local body leaders.
But in 2001, when Mr Banks was first elected mayor, Ms Tizard said the jury was out on whether he was "mad", earning her a public rebuke from Helen Clark.
Mr Banks said yesterday: "I think she still thinks I'm probably mad, but I don't hold that against her.
"I hope my long-term relationship with the Prime Minister means if I need to see her and talk to her about Auckland issues I can do that.
"The Auckland Issues portfolio became bigger than Everest and it was always going to be a let-down from there."
Mr Hide, the Act leader and Epsom MP, said there were only two possible reasons for dumping the portfolio.
"Either Ms Tizard had solved all of Auckland's problems or she never did anything in the first place and wasn't needed."
The Prime Minister said yesterday that she had decided "not to have that particular label any more".
"Judith will continue to convene the Auckland members and continue her work, particularly in transport, which was one of the reasons for putting her into that area in the first place," Helen Clark said when asked why the portfolio had disappeared.
She said it was no longer necessary to have such a portfolio, because there was a lot going on involving Auckland and several different ministers.
Asked if the decision was a reflection of Ms Tizard's performance in the role, the Prime Minister said it was not, and described the MP as a "tireless minister".
Auckland business lobbyist Cameron Brewer welcomed the move.
"It has long been viewed in the Auckland business community as tokenism at best or, worse, a cynical ploy to harvest Labour list votes in Auckland.
"It has only ever been an advisory role as the posting has never come with a ministerial mandate, budget, office or staff. It has always been other ministers that have made decisions around Auckland in recent years."
Asked for her reaction to critics who claim she achieved nothing, Ms Tizard said they should look at the infrastructure, housing and roading programmes she'd been involved with.
Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee said she was not only an excellent interface between local and central government but played a big role in projects such as the completion of Spaghetti Junction.
"Having a specific minister for a geographical area is unique in the New Zealand context and experimental and I believe it actually worked.
"Judith ensured Auckland was put at the top of the agenda for the whole of Government."
