“Changing some of the faces in the Beehive will make no difference to the lives of New Zealanders if there aren’t new policies to go with them,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Chris Hipkins has today announced the same top five Ministers as before, other than Carmel Sepuloni replacing Jacinda Ardern. Is that the circuit breaker New Zealand needs?

“We have the same Finance Minister, with the Prime Minister saying he will now put his full focus on inflation. It’s nearly a year since Labour finally admitted there is a cost of living crisis, what has the Finance Minister been focusing on until now? He’s the same guy who will keep borrowing and spending and driving inflation despite acknowledging a cost of living crisis a year ago.

“If the policies haven’t changed, then Hipkins 'reset' is another triumph of spin over substance, straight from his old boss’s playbook? If the policies are changing then which ones and why did it take so long?

“Hipkins still hasn’t come close to connecting problems with solutions. How will Jan Tinetti ensure kids are going to school? What will the Police Minister do to contain youth offenders? How is the Police Minister not in the top 10 when crime is one of the biggest issues facing New Zealand?

“People need real solutions to the cost of living crisis, to rising crime and to unite New Zealanders instead of dividing us. A nearly identical top five atop a handful of rookies aren’t going to fix those issues.”

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