RETI TO RETIRE - PRIME DEMOTED

Shane Reti is retiring from politics. Reti has held the Whangarei electorate for all but one threeyear term since 2014. A medical doctor by profession, he was Minister of Health between November 2023 and January 2025. Reti has been a strong advocate for health services in Whangarei and the need for better roading between Whangarei and Auckland. LETTERBOX wishes him well for the future. We understand his likely replacement in the Whangarei electorate has already done enough behind-the-scenes spadework to secure the nomination.

Labour list MP Willow-Jean Prime has lost the highly regarded Education portfolio in a recent shadow portfolio reshuffle. The effect is that she is unlikely to retain her place at number nine on the Labour Party list for the 7 November general election.

 Prime’s competence came under the spotlight last year when Labour claimed they had not been consulted on an important education reform, only to find that Prime had ignored and then declined multiple personal invitations from the Minister of Education for input. That left Labour with a prime serving of egg on its face, which clearly was not to the taste of Labour’s hierarchy.

Prime will stand in the Te Tai Tokerau Maori seat but will be hoping Labour polls well enough to get back in on the list, despite her demotion.