Need a Cabinet minister urgently? Come back next week.
The Cabinet will be bare this week, with seven Cabinet ministers and three ministers from outside Cabinet on overseas trips.
Its full complement is 20 ministers, plus six outside Cabinet.
Prime Minister Helen Clark left for Italy and Malta on Monday to meet the
Pope and attend the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino.
Minister of State Dover Samuels is also at the Monte Cassino commemorations.
Progressive leader Jim Anderton travels to Sydney today for a meeting of the Australian ministerial council on drug strategy.
Health Minister Annette King is in Europe at health meetings and forums, and Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton is in Russia with a trade delegation.
Education Minister Trevor Mallard is on a mission in the Far East, scouring China, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia for overseas students.
Attorney-General Margaret Wilson is visiting Lords in London. No, not the Lords who preside over the Privy Council judicial committee, nor the House of Lords.
She is attending a reception for the touring Black Caps, who this week take on England in the first test at the famous Lord's cricket ground.
She also will represent the Government at the Chelsea Flower Show
On a more mundane note, Ms Wilson also has commerce and justice meetings in Britain.
Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter will attend the immigration and multicultural affairs ministerial council meeting in Canberra from tomorrow.
And Mr Carter will be in Canberra on Saturday for probably the most exciting meeting of the week - the Brumbies v the Crusaders in the Super 12 rugby final.
The weekly ministerial diary does not record whether he will attend - rugby is not covered by any of his portfolios.
Associate Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor left yesterday for a Food and Agriculture Organisation conference in Beijing.
Associate Energy Minister Harry Duynhoven leaves for Amsterdam tomorrow to attend the International Energy Forum.
Amid all this jet-setting, spare a thought for Defence Minister Mark Burton, who yesterday represented New Zealand at a wreath-laying ceremony marking the 63rd anniversary of the Battle of Crete.
Was he on the beautiful Greek island? No way, the ceremony Mr Burton attended was in chilly, drizzly Wellington.
- NZPA
