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The man taking over the Government's sensitive health portfolio admits he has little background in the sector and will take time to learn about it - but New Lynn MP David Cunliffe appears confident about the task ahead.
Mr Cunliffe lived up to expectations yesterday when he was
promoted to Labour's front bench, with Prime Minister Helen Clark handing him the weighty health portfolio in something of a surprise appointment.
Health sucks $12 billion a year out of the Government's coffers and Mr Cunliffe has no work experience within the sector.
He said that was potentially good, as well as bad.
"I come into this with a very clean sheet of paper - I think that's an advantage as well as a disadvantage, and I'm definitely in listening mode," he told the Herald.
"My early moves in health will be characterised by a whole lot of listening and reading, and meeting people and establishing relationships."
Mr Cunliffe, 44, has a background which includes work as a business economist and strategy consultant, a period as a diplomat for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and a stint at Harvard University.
Mr Cunliffe held the immigration and communications portfolios before taking on health.
He has been a highly-rated up-and-coming minister.
Asked if he had sought the health portfolio, Mr Cunliffe said the Prime Minister made the decision of who did what.
"I was approached, I indicated I was willing to serve."
Mr Cunliffe, however, was not willing to outline where he saw the challenges in health yet.
"The way I like to work is to make sure the brain is fully engaged before putting the mouth in gear," he said.
Outgoing health minister Pete Hodgson was among the early callers on Mr Cunliffe yesterday and his staff will be preparing to move from the fourth floor of the Beehive to a higher level in coming days.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said she had a "lot of confidence" in Mr Cunliffe and "every reason" to think he would do well in the health job.
There has been doubt about how popular Mr Cunliffe is within the Labour caucus, and he yesterday made a point of noting that his new position on the front bench carried extra responsibilities.
"I'm going to concentrate hard on maintaining and developing relationships with colleagues and being a good team player," he said.