New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has retained

all her ministers in a reshuffle which delays big changes until after the victory she anticipates at next year's general election.

She has signaled, in some key portfolios, what those changes would be and said Monday her decisions were "a balance between continuity and transition".

There are numerous shifts in secondary responsibilities, and the only ministers entirely unaffected are Health Minister Annette King, Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff and Police Minister George Hawkins.

However, Transport Minister Pete Hodgson has been given an associate health role and Clark said Ms King was likely to "move to other areas" in a post-election cabinet.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard remains in that portfolio but David Benson-Pope, a former teacher, has been brought in as his associate with responsibility for the entire compulsory sector so he will be ready to take over post-election.

The cabinet will shrink from 20 to 18 because Clark has not replaced Attorney-General Margaret Wilson or John Tamihere.

Ms Wilson will become Parliament's Speaker next year, and Tamihere resigned while allegations about his golden handshake were investigated.

Clark said she needed room to move because she might need to accommodate a large coalition partner after the election.

"I've opted for indicating where the portfolios may go in the future," Clark said at a press conference.

"I will be looking for change again after the election. You can see some transitional thinking in this line-up," she said.

Clark said all her ministers had been prepared to change their portfolios if she had asked them to.

"Key ministers have got fresh challenges. We've endeavored to strike a balance between new projects and challenges and keeping continuity in critical social portfolios leading up to the election which is no longer than nine months away," she said.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen is taking over as attorney-general, and Clark dismissed suggestions that the legal fraternitymight be dismayed because he is not a lawyer.

"They have the second most senior member of the government taking a very direct interest in their area. I would think that isa substantial advantage," Clark said. There are no changes in the cabinet rankings.

Source: Xinhua