New Zealand political leader Jim McLay assembled a "shadow cabinet" system amongst the National caucus following his election to the position of Leader of the Opposition in 1984. He composed this of individuals who acted for the party as spokespeople in assigned roles while he was Leader of the Opposition (1984–86). McLay was plagued by interference from previous leader Robert Muldoon, who was denied a place on National's frontbench which he desired, unlike McLay who wished him to retire to the backbenches as an 'elder statesmen'.
As the National Party formed the largest party not in government at the time, the frontbench team was as a result the Official Opposition of the New Zealand House of Representatives.
| Portfolio | Minister | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leader | 26 March 1986 | ||
| Deputy Leader | 26 March 1986 | ||
| Agriculture | 10 February 1986 | ||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Attorney-General | 29 January 1985 | ||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Defence | 26 March 1986 | ||
| Education | 29 January 1985 | ||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Finance | 29 January 1985 | ||
| 10 February 1986 | |||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Foreign Affairs | 29 January 1985 | ||
| 8 August 1985 | |||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Health | 29 January 1985 | ||
| 10 February 1986 | |||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Internal Affairs | 29 January 1985 | ||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Justice | 29 January 1985 | ||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Labour | 29 January 1985 | ||
| 10 February 1986 | |||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Maori Affairs | 26 March 1986 | ||
| Overseas Trade | 29 January 1985 | ||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Trade and Industry | 29 January 1985 | ||
| 10 February 1986 | |||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Transport | 29 January 1985 | ||
| 26 March 1986 | |||
| Works | 26 March 1986 | ||
The list below contains a list of McLays's shadow ministers and their respective roles.[1] McLay initially retained the lineup he inherited from previous leader Sir Robert Muldoon when he became leader in November 1984. The only changes made were Muldoon relinquishing the Finance portfolio which was given to John Falloon.[2]
McLay announced his first shadow cabinet in January 1985.[3]
| Rank | Shadow Minister | Portfolio | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bgcolor= | 1 | Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs | ||
| bgcolor= | 2 | Deputy Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry | ||
| bgcolor= | 3 | Shadow Minister of Finance | ||
| bgcolor= | 4 | Shadow Minister of Labour Shadow Minister of Employment | ||
| bgcolor= | 5 | Shadow Minister of National Development Shadow Minister of Regional Development Shadow Minister of Resource allocation Shadow Minister of Industrial development Shadow Minister of South Island development | ||
| bgcolor= | 6 | Shadow Minister of Social Welfare Shadow Minister of Civilian rehabilitation Shadow Minister of ACC | ||
| bgcolor= | 7 | Shadow Minister of Overseas trade Shadow Minister of Expenditure | ||
| bgcolor= | 8 | Shadow Minister of Agriculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 9 | Shadow Minister of Energy | ||
| bgcolor= | 10 | Shadow Minister of Local Government Shadow Minister of Urban issues | ||
| bgcolor= | 11 | Senior Whip Shadow Minister of Industrial Relations | ||
| bgcolor= | 12 | Junior Whip Shadow Minister of Customs Shadow Minister of Revenue | ||
| bgcolor= | 13 | Shadow Minister of Works and Development | ||
| bgcolor= | 14 | Shadow Minister of Defence Shadow Minister of Fisheries Shadow Minister of Aquaculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 15 | Shadow Attorney-General Shadow Minister of Justice Shadow Minister of Constitutional Issues Shadow Minister of Official Information | ||
| bgcolor= | 16 | Shadow Minister of State Services Shadow Minister of State Corporations Shadow Minister of Immigration | ||
| bgcolor= | 17 | no portfolio | ||
| bgcolor= | 18 | Shadow Minister of Foreign Relations Shadow Minister of Pacific Island Affairs | ||
| bgcolor= | 19 | Shadow Minister of Maori Affairs Shadow Minister of Transport Shadow Minister of Railways Shadow Minister of Civil Aviation and Meteorological services | ||
| bgcolor= | 20 | Shadow Minister of Education | ||
| bgcolor= | 21 | Shadow Minister of Health | ||
| bgcolor= | 22 | Shadow Minister of Tourism Shadow Minister of Publicity Shadow Minister of Sport and Recreation | ||
| bgcolor= | 23 | Shadow Minister of Housing Shadow Minister of the Environment | ||
| bgcolor= | 24 | Shadow Minister of Internal Affairs Shadow Minister on Civil Defence Shadow Minister of EQC Shadow Minister of Wildlife Shadow Minister of Drug Misuse | ||
| bgcolor= | 25 | Shadow Minister of Police Shadow Minister of War Pensions and Rehabilitation | ||
| bgcolor= | 26 | Shadow Minister of Lands Shadow Minister of Valuation | ||
| bgcolor= | 27 | Shadow Minister of Apiculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 28 | Shadow Minister of Horticulture | ||
| bgcolor= | 29 | Shadow Minister of Forests | ||
| bgcolor= | 30 | Shadow Minister of the Arts Shadow Minister of Science and Technology | ||
| bgcolor= | 31 | Shadow Minister of Broadcasting Shadow Minister of Public Trust Shadow Minister of Racing | ||
| bgcolor= | 32 | Shadow Minister of Disarmament | ||
| bgcolor= | 33 | Associate Shadow Minister of Agriculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 34 | Shadow Postmaster General Shadow Minister of State Insurance | ||
| bgcolor= | 35 | Shadow Minister of Consumer Affairs Shadow Minister of Statistics | ||
| bgcolor= | 36 | Shadow Minister of Marketing | ||
| bgcolor= | 37 | Shadow Minister of Diversification Shadow Minister of Rural Banking | ||
McLay reshuffled his shadow cabinet in August 1985 to accommodate Maurice McTigue, after he won the Timaru by-election, and reflect Rob Talbot who had requested not to have a portfolio as he intended to retire at the next election.[4]
| Rank | Shadow Minister | Portfolio | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bgcolor= | 1 | Leader of the Opposition | ||
| bgcolor= | 2 | Deputy Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry | ||
| bgcolor= | 3 | Shadow Minister of Finance | ||
| bgcolor= | 4 | Shadow Minister of Labour Shadow Minister of Employment | ||
| bgcolor= | 5 | Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs Shadow Minister of Regional Development Shadow Minister of Resource allocation Shadow Minister of Industrial development Shadow Minister of South Island development | ||
| bgcolor= | 6 | Shadow Minister of Social Welfare Shadow Minister of Civilian rehabilitation Shadow Minister of ACC | ||
| bgcolor= | 7 | Shadow Minister of Overseas trade Shadow Minister of Expenditure Associate Shadow Minister of Finance | ||
| bgcolor= | 8 | Shadow Minister of Agriculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 9 | Shadow Minister of Energy | ||
| bgcolor= | 10 | Shadow Minister of Local Government Shadow Minister of Urban issues | ||
| bgcolor= | 11 | Senior Whip Associate Shadow Minister of State Corporations | ||
| bgcolor= | 12 | Junior Whip Shadow Minister of Works and Development | ||
| bgcolor= | 13 | Shadow Minister of Customs Shadow Minister of Revenue | ||
| bgcolor= | 14 | Shadow Minister of Defence Shadow Minister of Fisheries Shadow Minister of Aquaculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 15 | Shadow Attorney-General Shadow Minister of Justice Shadow Minister of Constitutional Issues Shadow Minister of Official Information | ||
| bgcolor= | 16 | Shadow Minister of State Services Shadow Minister of Immigration | ||
| bgcolor= | 17 | no portfolio | ||
| bgcolor= | 18 | Shadow Minister of Foreign Relations Shadow Minister of Pacific Island Affairs | ||
| bgcolor= | 19 | Shadow Minister of Maori Affairs Shadow Minister of Transport Shadow Minister of Railways Shadow Minister of Civil Aviation and Meteorological services | ||
| bgcolor= | 20 | Shadow Minister of Education | ||
| bgcolor= | 21 | Shadow Minister of Health | ||
| bgcolor= | 22 | Shadow Minister of Tourism Shadow Minister of Publicity Shadow Minister of Sport and Recreation | ||
| bgcolor= | 23 | Shadow Minister of Housing | ||
| bgcolor= | 24 | Shadow Minister of Internal Affairs Shadow Minister on Civil Defence Shadow Minister for EQC Shadow Minister of Wildlife Shadow Minister of Drug Misuse | ||
| bgcolor= | 25 | Shadow Minister of Police Shadow Minister of War Pensions and Rehabilitation | ||
| bgcolor= | 26 | Shadow Minister of Lands Shadow Minister of Valuation | ||
| bgcolor= | 27 | Associate Shadow Minister of Apiculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 28 | Shadow Minister of Forests | ||
| bgcolor= | 29 | Shadow Minister of the Environment Shadow Minister of the Arts Shadow Minister of Science and Technology | ||
| bgcolor= | 30 | Shadow Minister of Broadcasting Shadow Minister of Public Trust Shadow Minister of Racing | ||
| bgcolor= | 31 | Shadow Minister of Disarmament | ||
| bgcolor= | 32 | Associate Shadow Minister of Agriculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 33 | Shadow Postmaster General Shadow Minister of State Insurance | ||
| bgcolor= | 34 | Shadow Minister of Consumer Affairs Shadow Minister of Statistics | ||
| bgcolor= | 35 | Shadow Minister of Marketing | ||
| bgcolor= | 36 | Associate Shadow Minister of Agriculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 37 | Shadow Minister of Irrigation | ||
| bgcolor= | 38 | no portfolio | ||
McLay announced a major reshuffle in February 1986.[5] He demoted Muldoon and Merv Wellington to the lowest and third lowest rankings for disloyalty and also promoted several MPs to the frontbench at the expense of Bill Birch and George Gair, which would cause destabilization in the caucus.
| Rank | Shadow Minister | Portfolio | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bgcolor= | 1 | Leader of the Opposition | ||
| bgcolor= | 2 | Deputy Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister of Agriculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 3 | Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs Shadow Minister of Regional Development Shadow Minister of Resource allocation Shadow Minister of South Island development | ||
| bgcolor= | 4 | Shadow Minister of Social Welfare Shadow Minister of Civilian rehabilitation | ||
| bgcolor= | 5 | Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry Shadow Minister of Economic Development Shadow Minister of Industrial Development | ||
| bgcolor= | 6 | Shadow Minister of Finance | ||
| bgcolor= | 7 | Shadow Minister of Defence Shadow Minister of National Development | ||
| bgcolor= | 8 | Shadow Minister of Education Shadow Minister for Youth | ||
| bgcolor= | 9 | Shadow Attorney-General Shadow Minister of Justice Shadow Minister of Constitutional Issues Shadow Minister of Official Information | ||
| bgcolor= | 10 | Shadow Minister of Overseas trade Shadow Minister for the Audit Department Associate Shadow Minister of Finance | ||
| bgcolor= | 11 | Shadow Minister of Health | ||
| bgcolor= | 12 | Shadow Minister of Labour Shadow Minister of Employment | ||
| bgcolor= | 13 | Senior Whip Associate Shadow Minister for State Corporations | ||
| bgcolor= | 14 | Junior Whip Shadow Minister of Works and Development | ||
| bgcolor= | 15 | Shadow Minister of Local Government Shadow Minister of Tourism Shadow Minister of Publicity Shadow Minister of Sport and Recreation | ||
| bgcolor= | 16 | Shadow Minister of Customs | ||
| bgcolor= | 17 | Shadow Minister of Housing | ||
| bgcolor= | 18 | Shadow Minister of Energy | ||
| bgcolor= | 19 | Shadow Minister for the Environment Shadow Minister of the Arts Shadow Minister of Science and Technology | ||
| bgcolor= | 20 | Shadow Minister of Maori Affairs Shadow Minister of Transport Shadow Minister of Railways Shadow Minister of Civil Aviation and Meteorological services | ||
| bgcolor= | 21 | Shadow Minister of Police Shadow Minister of War Pensions and Rehabilitation | ||
| bgcolor= | 22 | Shadow Minister of Lands Shadow Minister of Valuation Shadow Minister of Fishiries Shadow Minister of Aquaculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 23 | Shadow Minister of Internal Affairs Shadow Minister on Civil Defence Shadow Minister of Earthquake and War Damage Shadow Minister of Wildlife Shadow Minister of Drug Misuse | ||
| bgcolor= | 24 | Shadow Minister of Immigration | ||
| bgcolor= | 25 | Shadow Minister of Forests | ||
| bgcolor= | 26 | Shadow Minister of Revenue Shadow Minister for Disarmament | ||
| bgcolor= | 27 | Shadow Minister for Rural Banking Shadow Minister of Horticulture | ||
| bgcolor= | 28 | Shadow Postmaster General Shadow Minister of State Insurance | ||
| bgcolor= | 29 | Shadow Minister of Broadcasting Shadow Minister of Public Trust Shadow Minister of Racing | ||
| bgcolor= | 30 | Associate Shadow Minister of Agriculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 31 | Shadow Minister of Consumer Affairs Shadow Minister of Statistics | ||
| bgcolor= | 32 | Shadow Minister of Marketing | ||
| bgcolor= | 33 | Shadow Minister of Irrigation | ||
| bgcolor= | 34 | Shadow Minister of Foreign Relations Shadow Minister of Pacific Island Affairs | ||
| bgcolor= | 35 | Shadow Minister of Apiculture | ||
| bgcolor= | 36 | no portfolio | ||
| bgcolor= | 37 | Shadow Minister for ACC | ||
| bgcolor= | 38 | no portfolio | ||
. Barry Gustafson . The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party . 1986 . Reed Methuen . Auckland . 0-474-00177-6.