The Shadow Cabinet of Bill English formed the official Opposition in the 46th and 47th New Zealand Parliaments while Bill English led the New Zealand National Party, which was the largest party not a member of the Government. English was elected National Party leader unopposed in October 2001. He led the Party to its worst-ever result at the 2002 general election and was replaced as leader by first-term MP Don Brash in October 2003.
Frontbench team
August 2002 English reshuffled his party's portfolio allocations after the 2002 general election. With the party comprising only 27 MPs, every person in the National caucus was assigned a portfolio. Notably, first-term MP and former Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash was appointed to the Finance portfolio and ranked third. Rank Shadow Minister Portfolio 1Hon Bill English Leader of the Opposition Spokesperson for Pacific Island Affairs Spokesperson for the SIS 2Hon Roger Sowry Deputy Leader of the Opposition Spokesperson for Labour and Industrial Relations Spokesperson for Transport 3 Don Brash Spokesperson for Finance 4Gerry Brownlee Shadow Leader of the House Spokesperson for Energy Spokesperson for Local Government Spokesperson for State-Owned Enterprises 5 Simon Power Spokesperson for Tertiary Education Spokesperson for Justice Spokesperson for Workplace Skills Spokesperson for Youth Affairs 6Dr Lynda Scott Spokesperson for Health Spokesperson for Senior Citizens Spokesperson for Food Safety 7Wayne Mapp Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Spokesperson for Housing Spokesperson for Disarmament and Arms Control 8Hon Tony Ryall Spokesperson for Commerce Spokesperson for Sentencing Spokesperson for Police Spokesperson for Corrections Spokesperson for Courts 9Hon David Carter Spokesperson for Agriculture Associate Spokesperson for Finance 10Dr Hon Nick Smith Spokesperson for Education Spokesperson for the Environment 11 Katherine Rich Spokesperson for Social Services and Employment Spokesperson for Broadcasting Spokesperson for Arts, Culture and Heritage 12Hon Murray McCully Spokesperson for Sport, Fitness and Leisure Spokesperson for State Services Spokesperson for Immigration Spokesperson responsible for Auckland 13Hon Georgina te Heuheu Spokesperson for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Spokesperson for Māori Affairs Spokesperson for Women's Affairs 14Hon Dr Lockwood Smith Spokesperson for Trade Spokesperson for Revenue 15John Carter Senior Whip Spokesperson for Regional Development Spokesperson for Civil Defence and Emergency Services 16 Lindsay Tisch Junior Whip Spokesperson for Racing Spokesperson for Small Business 17Hon Clem Simich Assistant Speaker Shadow Attorney-General 18Pansy Wong Spokesperson for Ethnic Affairs Spokesperson for Tourism 19 Shane Ardern Spokesperson for Conservation Spokesperson for Biosecurity Associate Spokesperson for Agriculture 20 Phil Heatley Spokesperson for Fisheries Associate Spokesperson for Education 21 Paul Hutchison Spokesperson for Science Spokesperson for Crown Research Institutes Spokesperson for Biotechnology Spokesperson for ACC 22 Richard Worth Spokesperson for Defence Spokesperson for Veterans' Affairs 23 Judith Collins Spokesperson for Internal Affairs Spokesperson for the National Library Associate Spokesperson for Health 24 Brian Connell Spokesperson for Forestry Associate Spokesperson for Regional Development 25 Sandra Goudie Spokesperson for Consumer Affairs Spokesperson for Disability Issues 26 John Key Associate Spokesperson for Transport Associate Spokesperson for Commerce 27Hon Maurice Williamson Spokesperson for Communications Spokesperson for Information Technology Spokesperson for Statistics
October 2001 English was elected to the National Party leadership in October 2001, succeeding Jenny Shipley. The list below contains a list of English's shadow ministers and their respective roles as announced October 2001. Of note was English's decision to retain the Finance portfolio, which he had held under Shipley and had indicated he would relinquish as leader. Instead, apparently under pressure for a more gradual transition, David Carter was appointed as an associate spokesperson for finance, and it was suggested that Carter would take the primary portfolio in March or April of the following year. Carter was eventually promoted to Finance spokesperson on 29 January 2002. Later changes to the National lineup included Richard Worth succeeding Max Bradford in Defence and Katherine Rich replacing John Luxton in Tourism, both in June 2002; Bradford and Luxton had announced they would not contest the 2002 election.
Rank Shadow Minister Portfolio 1 Hon Bill English Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister of Finance 2 Hon Roger Sowry Deputy Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister of Health 3 Hon Dr Nick Smith Shadow Minister of Education Shadow Minister for the Environment 4 Gerry Brownlee Shadow Leader of the House Shadow Minister of ACC Shadow Minister of Superannuation 5 Hon Tony Ryall Shadow Minister of Commerce Shadow Minister of Police Shadow Minister of Regional Development 6 Hon Dr Lockwood Smith Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs 7 Hon David Carter Associate Shadow Minister of Finance 8 Hon Georgina te Heuheu Shadow Minister of Maori Affairs Shadow Minister of Treaty Negotiations 9 Wayne Mapp Shadow Minister of Justice 10 Hon Murray McCully Shadow Minister of State Owned Enterprises Shadow Minister of Housing 11 Gavan Herlihy Shadow Minister of Agriculture 12 Bob Simcock Shadow Minister of Social Services Shadow Minister of Employment 13 Lynda Scott Shadow Minister of Senior Citizens Shadow Minister of Disabilities Associate Shadow Minister of Health 14 Simon Power Shadow Minister of Labour Shadow Minister for Youth 15 John Carter Senior Whip Deputy Shadow Leader of the House Shadow Minister of Civil Defence and Emergency Services 16 Tony Steel Junior Whip Shadow Minister of Sport, Fitness and Leisure 17 Belinda Vernon Shadow Minister of Transport Shadow Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage 18 Hon Marie Hasler Shadow Minister of Immigration Shadow Minister of Consumer Affairs 19 Alec Neill Shadow Minister of Local Government Shadow Minister of Conservation 20 Annabel Young Shadow Minister of Revenue 21 Rt Hon Wyatt Creech Shadow Minister of State Associate Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs 22 Rt Hon Jenny Shipley Shadow Minister of Trade Shadow Minister of State Services 23 Eric Roy Assistant Speaker Shadow Minister of Biosecurity and Border Control 24 Hon John Luxton Shadow Minister of Communications Shadow Minister of Tourism 25 Pansy Wong Shadow Minister of Ethnic Affairs Shadow Minister of Energy 26 Hon Max Bradford Shadow Minister of Defense 27 Hon Maurice Williamson Shadow Minister of Tertiary Education Shadow Minister of Information Technology Shadow Minister of Science and Technology
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