of spokesperson for space. On 10 June 2021, the list MP Nick Smith resigned from Parliament, and was replaced by the next candidate on National's party list, the former MP Harete Hipango. Hipango was subsequently ranked at 23 in the caucus, as Smith had been, and was allocated the two portfolios that he had vacated, Research and Science and Electoral Reform, as well as the re-created portfolio of Māori Tourism, which she had held for most of the previous Parliament. Collins signaled that a wider reshuffle was due in September 2021. A portfolio reshuffle was announced on 28 August 2021, while New Zealand was in an Alert Level Four lockdown in response to an outbreak of the Delta variant of COVID-19. Collins stated that there were two main reasons for the reshuffle: Smith's resignation and Todd Muller's announcement that he would not stand at the [2023 New Zealand general election]]. Muller was ranked last and given no portfolios; his Trade and Export Growth portfolio was given to Nicola Grigg and his Internal Affairs portfolio went to Simon O'Connor. Harete Hipango was assigned the roles of spokesperson for Children/Oranga Tamariki, Whānau Ora, Māori Development and Māori Tourism. The Research and Science portfolio was reassigned to Christopher Luxon while Chris Penk gained responsibility for electoral reform. Additionally, Chris Bishop was relieved of his role as Shadow Leader of the House. Collins' press release stated this was to enable Bishop to focus on his role as COVID-19 response spokesperson. However, The New Zealand Herald journalist Thomas Coughlan claimed that this was a punishment for "not toeing the party line hard enough" in the aftermath of National's vote against the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill on 5 August. Bishop was replaced by Michael Woodhouse with Collins loyalist Simeon Brown as Deputy Shadow Leader of the House. To accommodate this change, David Bennett was assigned Woodhouse's transport portfolio; Bennett's agriculture portfolio was given to Barbara Kuriger. Louise Upston picked up a new role as spokesperson for regional economic development; her land information portfolio went to Luxon. An associate economic development position, previously held by Bishop ally Nicola Willis, was disestablished. A number of other minor changes were made. Deputy leader Shane Reti became spokesperson for child poverty, having given up the children portfolio to Hipango. To accommodate Simeon Brown's assumption of the deputy shadow leader of the house role, he was replaced as spokesperson for