Editorial: Mixed view on raised status

Todd McClay. Photo / Stephen Parker

I have mixed feelings about Rotorua's two elected MPs being given big promotions.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay has been boosted in the National ranks with two ministerial roles in John Key's new Government.

Mr McClay has gone from being a minister outside Cabinet to a full Cabinet minister - moving from 23 on the party's ranking to 18.

He retains his role as Minister of Revenue and picks up the position of Minister of State-Owned Enterprises.

He will also become Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Associate Minister of Trade, but he loses his role as Associate Minister of Tourism.

It's a massive pat on the back for Mr McClay and he's clearly being groomed by Mr Key for even bigger things.

Then there's Maori Party co-leader and Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell, who will be appointed Minister for Maori Development (formerly the Minister of Maori Affairs), Minister for Whanau Ora and Associate Minister for Economic Development.

The National Party and the Maori Party co-leaders have signed a Relationship Accord and confidence and supply agreement.

The new role is fantastic for Mr Flavell, who can continue to prove more can be done for the Maori people by working with the Government than against it.

As Mr Flavell has pointed out several times, the Maori Party's relationship with National doesn't mean they can't disagree or vote against them.

It's fantastic news Rotorua's two elected MPs will hold powerful positions in Cabinet, and locally there will be benefits (although the local tourism industry can rightly feel a little glum Mr McClay is no longer Associate Tourism Minister).

For Mr McClay in particular, he is known as a hard-working local MP. You name it, he's there - and not just during the campaign period.

The challenge for both of them is to ensure their local presence isn't lost under the burden of the extra workload being Cabinet ministers brings.