Rainbow Labour MPs Charles Chauvel, Maryan Street and Grant Robertson have all been promoted following a reshuffle in the Labour Party.
Chauvel has been given the Environment portfolio and moves to the front bench, while Street picks up Chris Carter's former Foreign Affairs portfolio.
Robertson has been handed Tertiary Education and leaps into the second row.
The changes come after New Zealand's first openly-gay MP Chris Carter was demoted over ministerial credit card spending breaches, along with colleagues Shane Jones and Mita Ririnui.
Labour leader Phil Goff says the trouble surrounding use of ministerial credit cards and the subsequent demotions has given him the opportunity to refresh the party's arrangement.
"The MPs stepping up to new roles bring a combination of experience and fresh thinking. I believe these changes strengthen our line up," Goff says.
"There will be further changes to our line up ahead of next year's election. All Labour MPs know that they will be judged on their performance in the coming months."
Carter has been avoiding the media pack at Parliament, only releasing a short statement on his demotion yesterday, saying he fully accepts the demotion and will apply himself to any responsibilities he receives with his 'usual energy and enthusiasm'.
"It is time for me to draw a line: time to rededicate myself to the principal job of being the Member of Parliament for Te Atatu, and I will do this," he said.
His Foreign Affairs portfolio has today been switched for Conservation and he has dropped five places to number 13 in the party's rankings.
Other MPs to move forward in the Labour rankings today are Nanaia Mahuta, David Parker, Darren Hughes and Stuart Nash.
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