Not "as daunting as it sounds" — that's how former National Party leader Judith Collins describes her towering list of ministerial portfolios, the biggest in the new government.
The new Space Minister also isn't likely to board a rocket any time soon, but jokes her political enemies might wish she was shot into orbit.
Collins, who led National during one of its worst election defeats in 2020, is now back in Cabinet following yesterday's swearing-in at Government House in Wellington.
She has the longest list of responsibilities among her ministerial colleagues, as the Minister of Defence, Digitising Government, Space, the Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), the Minister Responsible for the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS), the Lead Coordination Minister for the Government's Response to the Royal Commission's Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques — and Attorney-General.
It was a list long enough for the Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro to take note yesterday.
"She did say, 'oh gosh that's a long list, Judith,' I said yes, but I don't think it's quite as daunting as it sounds."
Asked how she might manage the workload, Collins — who was first elected to Parliament in 2002, and a minister in the Key-led Government — said "hopefully well".
"Because of course, I am a very experienced minister and MP, but also because there's quite a lot of inter-operability. Obviously the GCSB and NZSIS — and of course there's also quite a defence element there.
"The tech and science and innovation, I've been doing that the last few years.
"They're all very connected. There's certain tranches, but they're all connected."
She said Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had allocated the roles but she had been asked what areas she was most interested in.
"He's given me, I think, an enormous vote of confidence in my ability to do those. He needed someone very senior in those roles and he knows that I will undertake them to the best of my ability."
She said as an experienced lawyer being Attorney-General was "a dream job".
It was an "enormous responsibility", one she was "very humbled by".
"When the prime minister rang me and said, 'these are what you're going to have, Judith', I was delighted. For me, to be able to work with the judiciary as well, many of whom I have known over the years, is a massive privilege."
Collins, the MP for Papakura since 2008, said she wanted to be a "predictable and responsible" Attorney-General.
"That means making sure that I undertake the role of advocating for and protecting the judiciary, but at the same time making sure that we have a good relationship between the executive, Parliament and the judiciary.
"That good relationship often has tensions in it, but to make sure that we completely focus on delivery for people.
"I'm a huge proponent of the rule of law and adherence to it, and the sovereignty of Parliament."
She was the second woman in the Attorney-General role, she said, and the first woman Minister of Defence.
"I just think everyone needs to grow up knowing that there's someone who looks a bit like them, or has some sort of background like them, whether they're female or male, can actually get ahead and get these achievements."
As Minister for Space she would encourage New Zealand's space industry, she said.
It was a portfolio she created and took on as Leader of the Opposition.
At the nexus of science, business and technology, it was an "exciting" industry she said.
It was also a growing one, she said, but the Government needed to ensure legislation and regulation kept up-to-date to support "this brilliant, high-end industry".
"We cannot underestimate that combination of engineering, tech, science and also being part of the Five Eyes group is very important when it comes to space. We've got huge advantages, we need to make sure we use them."
Asked if she might ever go to space herself, she laughed and said: "I think my political enemies might wish me to.
"I don't think so... I don't think they do joy rides as such, certainly not from New Zealand.
"It's not human [flight] from New Zealand, it's mostly around science experiments... I think I'd let the experts go, they don't need me up there.
"Right here at the moment, I think I've got a job to do here on Earth."
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