Editing David Cunliffe (section)

===Cabinet minister (2005–2008)===
Cunliffe was appointed to the [[Cabinet of New Zealand]] in 2005 for the third term of the [[Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand|Fifth Labour Government]], initially as the [[Minister of Immigration (New Zealand)|Minister of Immigration]], Minister of Communications, Minister for Information Technology, and Associate Minister for Economic Development. He had previously held the Communications and Information Technology portfolios outside of Cabinet. A Cabinet reshuffle in 2007 saw him lose the Immigration portfolio in exchange for the more senior position as [[Minister of Health (New Zealand)|Minister of Health]].

==== Immigration ====
[[File:David Cunliffe.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Cunliffe closing the 2005 Auckland [[BioBlitz]]]]
As Immigration Minister in 2006, Cunliffe initiated a major review of the Immigration Act 1987 which, under the oversight of his successors, resulted in the eventual replacement of that Act with the new Immigration Act 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4157379a10.html|title=Immigration Act to drop 'Zaoui' law|publisher=[[NZPA]]|date=8 August 2007|access-date=22 March 2008|archive-date=23 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823104920/http://www.stuff.co.nz/4157379a10.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Immigration law change takes New Zealand forward|url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/immigration-law-change-takes-new-zealand-forward|access-date=2020-06-10|website=The Beehive|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Immigration Bill reported back|url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/immigration-bill-reported-back|access-date=2020-06-10|website=The Beehive|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=A new Act – a new era for immigration|url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-act-new-era-immigration|access-date=2020-06-10|website=The Beehive|language=en}}</ref>

==== Communications and Information Technology ====
Cunliffe served as an Associate Minister for Communications and Associate Minister for Information Technology from 2003 before being promoted to the primary portfolios in 2004. The two portfolios were merged into a single ministerial role in 2007.

As Minister for Communications and Information Technology he announced extensive pro-competitive reform of the telecommunications sector, including [[Unbundling#New Zealand|local loop unbundling]] and operational separation of then Telecom New Zealand.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0606/S00543.htm|access-date=22 March 2008|title=Cunliffe: Vision 2011 – Roadmap to the Top|publisher=New Zealand Government|date=28 June 2006|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920195505/http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0606/S00543.htm|archive-date=20 September 2012}}</ref>

In May 2006 Cunliffe was referred to the [[Securities Commission of New Zealand|Securities Commission]] by the [[NZX]] for commenting on [[Telecom New Zealand|Telecom]]'s future dividend plans,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.techday.co.nz/telecommunicationsreview/news/nzx-reports-cunliffe-to-securities-commission/8867/ |title=NZX reports Cunliffe to Securities Commission |first=David |last=Dickens |work=techday |date=17 May 2006 |access-date=6 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130223024950/http://www.techday.co.nz/telecommunicationsreview/news/nzx-reports-cunliffe-to-securities-commission/8867/ |archive-date=23 February 2013  }}</ref> causing Telecom's stock price to drop. The Securities Commission found that no law had been breached and no action was taken.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10382932 |title=Cunliffe won't be reprimanded for Telecom comments, says PM |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=22 May 2006 |access-date=1 April 2017}}</ref>

On 30 June 2008 Cunliffe was conferred the title of ''Honorary Fellow of the NZCS'' (HFNZCS) by the [[New Zealand Computer Society]], the [[professional body]] of the [[information communication technology|ICT]] profession in recognition of his significant contribution to the ICT sector.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/7A0A42B6729524E6CC2574730081E642 |title=Computerworld > Cunliffe to be honorary NZCS Fellow |access-date=9 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081018055502/http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/7A0A42B6729524E6CC2574730081E642 |archive-date=18 October 2008  }}</ref><ref>[http://www.nzcs.org.nz/tools/events/event.asp?SECT=wellington&ID=3061]{{dead link|date=April 2017}}</ref>

====Health====
Cunliffe was promoted to the Health portfolio in 2007, replacing [[Pete Hodgson]]. He received some attention when, early in the portfolio, he said to his opposition counterpart [[Tony Ryall]], "Mr Ryall, why don't you stay in your box. I'm running this show."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Noted|title=David Cunliffe: politician and poet – a 2008 profile|url=https://www.noted.co.nz/archive/archive-listener-nz-2013/david-cunliffe-politician-and-poet-a-2008-profile|access-date=2020-06-10|website=www.noted.co.nz|language=en|archive-date=10 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610042200/https://www.noted.co.nz/archive/archive-listener-nz-2013/david-cunliffe-politician-and-poet-a-2008-profile|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=17 December 2007|title=Pollies for wallies and winners|url=https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-dominion-post/20071217/282037617827342|access-date=2020-06-10|via=PressReader|publisher=Dominion Post}}</ref>

In February 2008, as the Minister of Health, Cunliffe dismissed the [[Hawke's Bay Region|Hawke's Bay]] [[District Health Board (New Zealand)|District Health Board]] over political, monetary and conflict of interest troubles.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4418090a10.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912053334/http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4418090a10.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 September 2012|access-date=22 March 2008|title=Health Minister fires Hawke's Bay DHB|date=27 February 2008|author=Martin Kay|newspaper=[[The Dominion Post (Wellington)|The Dominion Post]]}}</ref> [[Napier, New Zealand|Napier]] Mayor Barbara Arnott and a number of members of the district voiced opposition to Cunliffe's move as many of the board members were democratically elected.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411416/1608329|publisher=[[TVNZ]]|date=29 February 2008|title=Locals back sacked Health Board|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404115101/http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411416/1608329|archive-date=4 April 2008}}</ref>  Following the release of a Health Ministry-commissioned independent report into the matter, Cunliffe referred to the board as a "nasty little nest of self-perpetuating provincial elites".<ref>{{cite speech|title=Hawke's Bay District Health Board—Conflicts of Interest Report|author=David Cunliffe|date=18 March 2008|url=http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Debates/Debates/Speeches/d/a/7/48HansS_20080318_00000880-Cunliffe-David-Urgent-Debates-Hawke-s-Bay.htm|location=Debating Chamber of the New Zealand House of Representatives|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301212505/http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Debates/Debates/Speeches/d/a/7/48HansS_20080318_00000880-Cunliffe-David-Urgent-Debates-Hawke-s-Bay.htm|archive-date=1 March 2012}} [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/multimedia/video.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10498982&content_media_id=4974100 Speech video on nzherald.co.nz]</ref>