Junior whip elevated to organise and discipline National's 48 MPs

Lindsay Tisch

National's Piako MP, Lindsay Tisch, has won the job of organising and controlling the party's 48-member caucus.

National MPs elected Mr Tisch to the key position of chief whip yesterday, replacing Rangitikei MP Simon Power, who has stood down from the role to concentrate on portfolios in the shadow Cabinet.

East Coast MP Anne Tolley was elected junior whip - a position held by Mr Tisch before yesterday's vote.

Whips muster MPs for votes in the House, guide them through Parliament's processes, and enforce party discipline.

National leader Don Brash said the large size of National's new caucus - 21 of whom were first-term MPs - meant Mr Tisch would play a crucial role over the next term.

"This is the largest opposition caucus certainly the National Party has had for a very long time, so it's a major role."

Mr Tisch, who has represented Piako since 1999 and is a former National Party president, was rebuffed for the chief whip job three years ago, but several MPs said they felt he had since developed a strong knowledge of Parliament's rules and conventions.

Mr Tisch said that after three years as junior whip he was ready for the step up.

"It's about building rapport and trust and those will be the challenges ahead of us and I'm looking forward to that challenge."

He said having 48 MPs in caucus would offer National greater flexibility than it had in its previous term. The caucus strategy committee was already looking at increasing the number of policy committees.

Speaking outside the caucus meeting, Dr Brash gave away few details of National's shadow Cabinet line-up, which will be announced once Labour leader Helen Clark forms a government and announces her ministers.

He said deputy leader Gerry Brownlee would remain National's shadow leader of the House, while Mr Power would get a "key spokesmanship".

Several National Party sources have said they are not expecting Dr Brash to embark on a serious shake-up of responsibilities and most MPs are expecting to retain their existing portfolios.

But there will be some minor tweaking and some new MPs, such as former diplomat and trade negotiator Tim Grosser and Wellington lawyer Chris Finlayson, could receive associate roles.

National's caucus elected Nelson MP Nick Smith as its representative on the party board.

Mr Tisch is a former management consultant and farm valuer and has held National's racing, small business and internal affairs portfolios since 2002.

Mrs Tolley was a National list MP between 1999 and 2002.

National's chief whip

* Lindsay Tisch, Piako MP

* Former party president

* Rural valuer, management consultant

* Married with two adult children

- NZPA