Prime Minister Helen Clark today announced the allocation of portfolios to ministers and the appointment of ministers and under-secretaries outside Cabinet.

Helen Clark said that apart from the re-allocation of portfolios previously held by the three retiring Alliance ministers, changes were relatively minor.

"It is my intention to take a fresh look at portfolio allocations further into this term of government."

Portfolio reallocations of note include:

• Conservation, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs to Chris Carter.
• ACC and Women's Affairs to Ruth Dyson, who also keeps her existing disability-related responsibilities.
• Statistics, Land Information, and Youth Affairs to John Tamihere.
• Responsibility for driving the government's drug and youth suicide strategies will be with Jim Anderton as Associate Minister of Health.
• Broadcasting is added to Steve Maharey's responsibilities.
• Forestry is added to Jim's Sutton's responsibilities.
• Courts is added to Margaret Wilson's responsibilities.
• Commerce, Associate Justice, and responsibility for the Law Commission are added to Lianne Dalziel's responsibilities.
• Veterans' Affairs is added to George Hawkins' responsibilities.
• Transport replaces Commerce in Paul Swain's responsibilities.
• Disarmament and Arms Control and Associate Foreign Affairs (Official Development Assistance) are added to Marian Hobbs' responsibilities, along with a responsibility for Urban Affairs which builds on work being undertaken in the Environment portfolio.
• Corrections replaces Transport in Mark Gosche's responsibilities. He also becomes Minister for Racing.
• Consumer Affairs and Associate Commerce (intellectual property and copyright-related issues) are added to Judith Tizard's responsibilities.
• Tariana Turia becomes Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, and retains a range of associate ministerial portfolios.
• Rick Barker becomes Minister of Customs and an associate to the Minister of Social Services and Employment and the Minister of Justice.
• Dover Samuels will be an associate to the Minister for Economic, Industry and Regional Development and the Minister of Tourism.
• Harry Duynhoven will be an associate to the Minister of Transport with particular responsibility for Civil Aviation and maritime safety, and will be Associate Minister of Energy.
• Damien O'Connor will be an associate in Agriculture, Rural Affairs, Health and Immigration.

Two new parliamentary under-secretaries have been appointed:

• Phillip Field who will work with the Ministers of Pacific Island Affairs, Social Services and Employment, and Justice.
• Mita Ririnui who will work with the Ministers for Treaty Negotiations, Corrections, and Conservation.

The new executive totals 28 in size, representing 23.33 per cent of the Parliament. This compares favourably with the 27 appointed to the last pre-MMP Parliament, representing 27.27 per cent of that Parliament.

Helen Clark said she was also designating three Members of Parliament as Parliamentary Private Secretaries to Ministers. These are non-executive positions and carry no extra remuneration. The PPSs will assist their Ministers on portfolio, administrative, and representational issues.

• Tim Barnett will be PPS to the Minister of Justice on human rights issues, and the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.
• David Cunliffe will be PPS to the Minister of Finance and of Revenue, and the Minister of Commerce.
• Nanaia Mahuta will be PPS to the Minister of Education and the Minister of Local Government.