Just as the former Labour Government came up with the ill-fated "Closing the Gaps" committee in 2000, John Key has put his own stamp on his Cabinet to reflect his policy goals.
The number of committees has increased from eight to 11 - with new additions including theTreaty committee and a "domestic policy" committee to focus on justice, law and order - items National campaigned on.
Mr Key's desire to trim excess in public spending is reflected in the name change of the "government expenditure" committee to "expenditure control" - a title also favoured by previous National Governments. The "economic development" committee has become the "economic growth and infrastructure committee". There is also a business committee of nine ministers to meet in non-sitting weeks when normal committees do not.
National has also broken away from Labour's practice of excluding its support parties from Cabinet committees other than to present their own papers. National's support parties can fully participate in the committees - the Maori Party ministers are on five committees between them and Act's ministers Rodney Hide and Heather Roy have elected to go on one each.
