New Zealand Cabinet Announced

New Zealand's Prime Minister-elect John Key has announced a 20-strong Cabinet along with other ministerial positions.

With arrangements with minor parties (Act, the Maori Party and United Future) having now secured a strong majority for Keyâs National government, the Prime Minister-elect has included the portfolio of Minister of Tourism as one of his own responsibilities.

Ministers in other key leisure portfolios are:

Murray McCully - Minister for Sport and Recreation and Minister for the Rugby World Cup;
Gerry Brownlee - Minister for Economic Development, and Associate Minister for the Rugby World Cup;
Christopher Finlayson - Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage;
Tony Ryall - Minister of Health, Minister of State Services;
Anne Tolley - Minister of Education, Minister for Tertiary Education;
Tim Groser - Minister of Conservation;
Dr Nick Smith - Minister for the Environment; and
Dr Jonathan Coleman - Minister Associate Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Health.

Support Party Ministers include Rodney Hide as Minister of Local Government, Heather Roy as Minister of Consumer Affairs and Tariana Turia as Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.

The Cabinet and ministers outside it are due to be sworn in on Wednesday and while Parliament is expected to be recalled on 8th December to sit for two weeks.

Fitness New Zealand (FitnessNZ) has already announced that it is looking forward to working with the new National Government.

As FitnessNZ Chief Executive Richard Beddie told Australasian Leisure Management, âissues of childcare regulations, and working more closely with the Government on helping to address health and social issues related to obesity and in activity are at the top of our list," adding "as the National Party is traditionally a more business friendly party, and more open to ideas of public/private partnership, we are hopeful that we will be able to explore areas that mutually benefit the people of New Zealand, as well as our industry."