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.
List of shadow ministers 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
Frontbench teams The list below contains a list of McLays's shadow ministers and their respective roles.Refer to the talk page for source 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.
January 1985 McLay announced his first shadow cabinet in January 1985. Rank Shadow Minister Portfolio 1 Hon Jim McLay Leader of the OppositionShadow Minister of Foreign Affairs 2 Hon Jim Bolger Deputy Leader of the OppositionShadow Minister of Trade and Industry 3 Hon Bill Birch Shadow Minister of Finance 4 Hon George Gair Shadow Minister of LabourShadow Minister of Employment 5 Hon Warren Cooper Shadow Minister of National DevelopmentShadow Minister of Regional DevelopmentShadow Minister of Resource allocationShadow Minister of Industrial developmentShadow Minister of South Island development 6 Hon Venn Young Shadow Minister of Social WelfareShadow Minister of Civilian rehabilitationShadow Minister of ACC 7 Hon John Falloon Shadow Minister of Overseas tradeShadow Minister of Expenditure 8 Ian McLean Shadow Minister of Agriculture 9 Hon Tony Friedlander Shadow Minister of Energy 10 Hon Merv Wellington Shadow Minister of Local GovernmentShadow Minister of Urban issues 11 Don McKinnon Senior WhipShadow Minister of Industrial Relations 12 Michael Cox Junior WhipShadow Minister of CustomsShadow Minister of Revenue 13 Robin Gray Shadow Minister of Works and Development 14 Doug Kidd Shadow Minister of DefenceShadow Minister of FisheriesShadow Minister of Aquaculture 15 Paul East Shadow Attorney-GeneralShadow Minister of JusticeShadow Minister of Constitutional IssuesShadow Minister of Official Information 16 Bruce Townshend Shadow Minister of State ServicesShadow Minister of State CorporationsShadow Minister of Immigration 17 Rt Hon Sir Robert Muldoon no portfolio 18 Jack Luxton Shadow Minister of Foreign RelationsShadow Minister of Pacific Island Affairs 19 Winston Peters Shadow Minister of Maori AffairsShadow Minister of TransportShadow Minister of RailwaysShadow Minister of Civil Aviation and Meteorological services 20 Ruth Richardson Shadow Minister of Education 21 Philip Burdon Shadow Minister of Health 22 John Banks Shadow Minister of TourismShadow Minister of PublicityShadow Minister of Sport and Recreation 23 Roger McClay Shadow Minister of HousingShadow Minister of the Environment 24 Graeme Lee Shadow Minister of Internal AffairsShadow Minister on Civil DefenceShadow Minister of EQCShadow Minister of WildlifeShadow Minister of Drug Misuse 25 Norman Jones Shadow Minister of PoliceShadow Minister of War Pensions and Rehabilitation 26 Neill Austin Shadow Minister of LandsShadow Minister of Valuation 27 Rex Austin Shadow Minister of Apiculture 28 Rob Talbot Shadow Minister of Horticulture 29 Derek Angus Shadow Minister of Forests 30 Simon Upton Shadow Minister of the ArtsShadow Minister of Science and Technology 31 Jim Gerard Shadow Minister of BroadcastingShadow Minister of Public TrustShadow Minister of Racing 32 Doug Graham Shadow Minister of Disarmament 33 Denis Marshall Associate Shadow Minister of Agriculture 34 Roger Maxwell Shadow Postmaster GeneralShadow Minister of State Insurance 35 Katherine O'Regan Shadow Minister of Consumer AffairsShadow Minister of Statistics 36 Dr Lockwood Smith Shadow Minister of Marketing 37 Rob Storey Shadow Minister of DiversificationShadow Minister of Rural Banking
August 1985 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. Rank Shadow Minister Portfolio 1 Hon Jim McLay Leader of the Opposition 2 Hon Jim Bolger Deputy Leader of the OppositionShadow Minister of Trade and Industry 3 Hon Bill Birch Shadow Minister of Finance 4 Hon George Gair Shadow Minister of LabourShadow Minister of Employment 5 Hon Warren Cooper Shadow Minister of Foreign AffairsShadow Minister of Regional DevelopmentShadow Minister of Resource allocationShadow Minister of Industrial developmentShadow Minister of South Island development 6 Hon Venn Young Shadow Minister of Social WelfareShadow Minister of Civilian rehabilitationShadow Minister of ACC 7 Hon John Falloon Shadow Minister of Overseas tradeShadow Minister of ExpenditureAssociate Shadow Minister of Finance 8 Ian McLean Shadow Minister of Agriculture 9 Hon Tony Friedlander Shadow Minister of Energy 10 Hon Merv Wellington Shadow Minister of Local GovernmentShadow Minister of Urban issues 11 Don McKinnon Senior WhipAssociate Shadow Minister of State Corporations 12 Robin Gray Junior WhipShadow Minister of Works and Development 13 Michael Cox Shadow Minister of CustomsShadow Minister of Revenue 14 Doug Kidd Shadow Minister of DefenceShadow Minister of FisheriesShadow Minister of Aquaculture 15 Paul East Shadow Attorney-GeneralShadow Minister of JusticeShadow Minister of Constitutional IssuesShadow Minister of Official Information 16 Bruce Townshend Shadow Minister of State ServicesShadow Minister of Immigration 17 Rt Hon Sir Robert Muldoon no portfolio 18 Jack Luxton Shadow Minister of Foreign RelationsShadow Minister of Pacific Island Affairs 19 Winston Peters Shadow Minister of Maori AffairsShadow Minister of TransportShadow Minister of RailwaysShadow Minister of Civil Aviation and Meteorological services 20 Ruth Richardson Shadow Minister of Education 21 Philip Burdon Shadow Minister of Health 22 John Banks Shadow Minister of TourismShadow Minister of PublicityShadow Minister of Sport and Recreation 23 Roger McClay Shadow Minister of Housing 24 Graeme Lee Shadow Minister of Internal AffairsShadow Minister on Civil DefenceShadow Minister for EQCShadow Minister of WildlifeShadow Minister of Drug Misuse 25 Norman Jones Shadow Minister of PoliceShadow Minister of War Pensions and Rehabilitation 26 Neill Austin Shadow Minister of LandsShadow Minister of Valuation 27 Rex Austin Associate Shadow Minister of Apiculture 28 Derek Angus Shadow Minister of Forests 29 Simon Upton Shadow Minister of the EnvironmentShadow Minister of the ArtsShadow Minister of Science and Technology 30 Jim Gerard Shadow Minister of BroadcastingShadow Minister of Public TrustShadow Minister of Racing 31 Doug Graham Shadow Minister of Disarmament 32 Denis Marshall Associate Shadow Minister of Agriculture 33 Roger Maxwell Shadow Postmaster GeneralShadow Minister of State Insurance 34 Katherine O'Regan Shadow Minister of Consumer AffairsShadow Minister of Statistics 35 Dr Lockwood Smith Shadow Minister of Marketing 36 Rob Storey Associate Shadow Minister of Agriculture 37 Maurice McTigue Shadow Minister of Irrigation 38 Rob Talbot no portfolio
February 1986 McLay announced a major reshuffle in February 1986. 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 1 Hon Jim McLay Leader of the Opposition 2 Hon Jim Bolger Deputy Leader of the OppositionShadow Minister of Agriculture 3 Hon Warren Cooper Shadow Minister of Foreign AffairsShadow Minister of Regional DevelopmentShadow Minister of Resource allocationShadow Minister of South Island development 4 Hon Venn Young Shadow Minister of Social WelfareShadow Minister of Civilian rehabilitation 5 Ian McLean Shadow Minister of Trade and IndustryShadow Minister of Economic DevelopmentShadow Minister of Industrial Development 6 Michael Cox Shadow Minister of Finance 7 Doug Kidd Shadow Minister of DefenceShadow Minister of National Development 8 Ruth Richardson Shadow Minister of EducationShadow Minister for Youth 9 Paul East Shadow Attorney-GeneralShadow Minister of JusticeShadow Minister of Constitutional IssuesShadow Minister of Official Information 10 Hon John Falloon Shadow Minister of Overseas tradeShadow Minister for the Audit DepartmentAssociate Shadow Minister of Finance 11 Hon George Gair Shadow Minister of Health 12 Hon Bill Birch Shadow Minister of LabourShadow Minister of Employment 13 Don McKinnon Senior WhipAssociate Shadow Minister for State Corporations 14 Robin Gray Junior WhipShadow Minister of Works and Development 15 John Banks Shadow Minister of Local GovernmentShadow Minister of TourismShadow Minister of PublicityShadow Minister of Sport and Recreation 16 Philip Burdon Shadow Minister of Customs 17 Roger McClay Shadow Minister of Housing 18 Hon Tony Friedlander Shadow Minister of Energy 19 Simon Upton Shadow Minister for the EnvironmentShadow Minister of the ArtsShadow Minister of Science and Technology 20 Winston Peters Shadow Minister of Maori AffairsShadow Minister of TransportShadow Minister of RailwaysShadow Minister of Civil Aviation and Meteorological services 21 Norman Jones Shadow Minister of PoliceShadow Minister of War Pensions and Rehabilitation 22 Neill Austin Shadow Minister of LandsShadow Minister of ValuationShadow Minister of FishiriesShadow Minister of Aquaculture 23 Graeme Lee Shadow Minister of Internal AffairsShadow Minister on Civil DefenceShadow Minister of Earthquake and War DamageShadow Minister of WildlifeShadow Minister of Drug Misuse 24 Bruce Townshend Shadow Minister of Immigration 25 Derek Angus Shadow Minister of Forests 26 Doug Graham Shadow Minister of RevenueShadow Minister for Disarmament 27 Rob Storey Shadow Minister for Rural BankingShadow Minister of Horticulture 28 Roger Maxwell Shadow Postmaster GeneralShadow Minister of State Insurance 29 Jim Gerard Shadow Minister of BroadcastingShadow Minister of Public TrustShadow Minister of Racing 30 Denis Marshall Associate Shadow Minister of Agriculture 31 Katherine O'Regan Shadow Minister of Consumer AffairsShadow Minister of Statistics 32 Dr Lockwood Smith Shadow Minister of Marketing 33 Maurice McTigue Shadow Minister of Irrigation 34 Jack Luxton Shadow Minister of Foreign RelationsShadow Minister of Pacific Island Affairs 35 Rex Austin Shadow Minister of Apiculture 36 Rob Talbot no portfolio 37 Hon Merv Wellington Shadow Minister for ACC 38 Rt Hon Sir Robert Muldoon no portfolio
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