Delegations to Associate Ministers

Roles/Responsibilities

All matters in respect of ACC operations relating to individual client and levy payer matters, including complaints;

Matters relating to ACC's work on implementing the Accident Compensation (Access Reporting and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2023;

Attending events, as requested by the Minister for ACC;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

All matters within the Agriculture portfolio relating to:

• rural health, including mental health;
• rural infrastructure matters relating to rural transport and communications (the Minister of Agriculture retains responsibility for all other infrastructure areas, including water and irrigation);
• wool;
• Landcorp Farming Ltd;
• other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

All matters within the Agriculture portfolio relating to:

• animal welfare, including legislative changes;
• skills;
• significant natural areas;
• other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

All matters within the Agriculture portfolio relating to:

• horticulture;
• rural women;
• other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

Assistance on work across the portfolio as and when needed, including initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

Functions and responsibilities of the Defence portfolio relating to:

• the Defence Estate;
• the Defence Industry, including the New Zealand Defence Industry Association, with the exception of anything related to technology, cyber or space related engagements;
• regulatory review;
• maritime fleet renewal;
• other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

Functions and responsibilities of the Education portfolio relating to school choice, in particular:

• leading the work related to the reintroduction and implementation of a partnership schools model, and the introduction and implementation of a policy to allow State schools to become partnership schools;
• exploring further options to increase school choice and expand access to State integrated and private schools, including reviewing the private school funding formula to better reflect changes in student numbers;
  (the Minister of Education retains responsibility for managing the overall network of schools, including school property provision in the Crown-owned portfolio, and policy changes that increase choice of State schools);

Functions and responsibilities of the Education portfolio relating to school attendance, in particular:

• leading work related to attendance, with a focus on reporting and enforcement action to increase regular attendance, including centrally collecting and publishing attendance data;
• leading work related to Ka Ora, Ka Ako / Healthy School Lunches, focused on programme improvements and cost effectiveness;

Functions and responsibilities of the Education portfolio relating to early childhood education (ECE), in particular:

• responsibility for ECE policy and operations, including funding, regulations, workforce and engagement with the key ECE stakeholders;
  (this delegation excludes Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and the transition from ECE to compulsory schooling, which will remain the responsibility of the Minister of Education, and Family Boost matters which are the responsibility of the Minister of Revenue);

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

All matters relating to engine fuel security, specifications, and infrastructure.  This includes leadership on policy, legislation, regulations and rules governing the import, refining, storage and distribution of engine fuels;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

All matters relating to the overall oversight of the Jobs for Nature programme, including responsibility for programme investments funded through Vote Environment;

Responsibility for policy development for any amendments to the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity 2023 relating to Significant Natural Areas, and any further policy work on biodiversity credits;

Responsibility for farm-facing freshwater instruments, including;

• implementation of Freshwater Farm Plans, policy development relating to any amendments to the relevant Regulations, and the development of industry assurance programme standards under Part 9A of the Resource Management Act 1991;
• policy development relating to any amendments to the Resource Management (Stock Exclusion) Regulations 2020;
• policy development relating to any amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Sources of Human Drinking Water 2007;
• policy development for new national direction on water storage;

(The Minister for the Environment and the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform as relevant will retain responsibility for the exercise of any statutory functions and powers under the Resource Management Act.)

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

Day-to-day responsibilities, functions and powers as a shareholder of the following Crown-owned companies:  Crown Infrastructure Partners Limited and Rau Paenga Limited (this delegation is subject to specified exclusions, eg relating to the appointment and remuneration of directors, approval of major transactions, changes to the companies' constitutions, and requirements to pay a dividend or net surplus to the Crown);

Responsibilities relating to proposals made by the Minister of Finance in relation to those appropriations in Vote Finance and any other Votes for which the Minister of Finance is responsible;

Policy work on Build-to-Rent, including overseas investment aspects of this work;

Assistance on work relating to infrastructure policy, funding, financing and delivery, including responsibility for any new infrastructure entity;

Assistance on work relating to Budgets and fiscal management;

Assistance with work on expenditure control;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

Day-to-day responsibilities, functions and powers as a shareholder of the following Crown-owned companies and as the Minister of Finance relating to certain other entities:

• Public Finance Act Schedule 4A companies:  City Rail Link Ltd; Crown Regional Holdings Ltd; Education Payroll Ltd; Health Benefits Ltd; Kiwi Group Capital Ltd; Ngāpuhi Investment Fund Ltd;  Predator Free 2050 Ltd;  Research and Education Advanced Network New Zealand Ltd; Tāmaki Redevelopment Company Ltd; The Network for Learning Ltd;
• Other companies: AgriZero (Centre for Climate Action Joint Venture Ltd);  Christchurch International Airport Ltd;  Dunedin International Airport Ltd;  Hawke’s Bay Airport Ltd;  

• Other entities: National Provident Fund; Government Superannuation Appeals Board; Crown Forestry Rental Trust;

  (this delegation is subject to specified exclusions, e.g. relating to the appointment and remuneration of directors, approval of major transactions, changes to the companies’ constitutions, and requirements to pay a dividend or net surplus to the Crown);

Policy responsibilities relating to community trusts and all responsibilities, functions and powers of the Minister of Finance under the Community Trusts Act 1999 and community trusts’ trust deeds;

Assistance with work relating to infrastructure policy, funding, financing and delivery;

Assistance with work relating to Budgets and fiscal management;

Assistance with work on expenditure control;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.
 

Roles/Responsibilities

Day-to-day responsibilities, functions and powers as a shareholder of the following Crown-owned companies and as the Minister of Finance relating to certain other entities:

• Crown entities:  New Zealand Productivity Commission;  Earthquake Commission Toka Tu Ake;
• SOEs:  Airways Corporation of NZ Ltd;  Animal Control Products Ltd;  AsureQuality Ltd;  Electricity Corporation of NZ Ltd;  Kordia Group Ltd;  Landcorp Farming Ltd;  Meteorological Service of NZ Ltd;  NZ Post Ltd;  Quotable Value Ltd;  Transpower NZ Ltd;
• Crown entity companies:  Auckland Light Rail Ltd;  Crown Irrigation Investments Ltd;  NZ Growth Capital Partners Ltd;  Radio NZ Ltd;  Television NZ Ltd;
• CRIs:  AgResearch;  Landcare Research/Manaaki Whenua;  Plant & Food Research;  Scion;  Institute of Environmental Science and Research;  GNS Science;  NIWA;
• Public Finance Act Schedule 4 entity:  NZ Government Property Corporation;
• Public Finance Act Schedule 4A company: Southern Response Earthquake Services Ltd; 
• Public Finance Act Schedule 5 companies:  Genesis Energy Ltd;  Mercury NZ Ltd;  Meridian Energy Ltd;

(this delegation is subject to specified exclusions, eg relating to the appointment and remuneration of directors, approval of major transactions, changes to the companies' constitutions, and requirements to pay a dividend or net surplus to the Crown);

Policy work on overseas investment (excluding work on Build-to-Rent);

Responsibilities, functions and powers of the Minister of Finance under the Overseas Investment Act 2005 (the Minister of Finance retains responsibility for those functions and powers that are unable to be delegated under the Act);

Assistance with work related to monetary policy and on tax policy, especially as that work relates to commitments contained in the Coalition Agreement between the National Party and the ACT Party;

Assistance with work relating to Budgets and fiscal management;

Assistance with work on expenditure control;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

Supporting the Minister of Foreign Affairs' leadership of key relationships in Africa, the Gulf, Latin America and North Asia;

Providing strategic leadership for disarmament and arms control issues, including chairing the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC);

Deputising for the Minister of Foreign Affairs as agreed on a case-by-case basis at internationally-focused events and meetings in New Zealand or abroad;

Representing the Government in domestic engagement and outreach related to the above duties as agreed from time to time;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

Functions and responsibilities of the Health portfolio relating to:

• Pharmac (the entity and its responsibilities, monitoring of Pharmac through the Ministry of Health, and implementation of any review recommendations);
• Medsafe;
• the Medicines Strategy;
• any proposed amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 in relation to pseudoephedrine;
• appointments relating to Pharmac, Pharmacy Council, Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee, Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee, Medicines Classification Committee, Medicines Review Committee, Psychoactive Substances Expert Advisory Committee, and End of Life Choice Review Committee;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time. 

Roles/Responsibilities

Functions and responsibilities within the portfolio relating to:

• rural health;
• eating disorders;
• nutrition and physical activity;
• neurodiversity;
• youth and rainbow health;

Appointments to the following:

• Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission;
• Mental Health Review Tribunal;
• Mental Health District Inspectors;
• Substance Addiction District Inspectors;
• Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs;
• Psychologists Board;
• Psychotherapists Board;
• Radiation Safety Advisory Committee;
• Dietitians Board;
• National Ethics Advisory Committee;
• Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology;
• Ethics Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology;
• Northern A Health and Disability Ethics Committee;
• Northern B Health and Disability Ethics Committee;
• Central Health and Disability Ethics Committee;
• Southern Health and Disability Ethics Committee;
• Chinese Medicine Council;

Responsibilities relating to standards that apply to medical practitioners and complaints processes, including appointments to the relevant bodies;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

All matters within the Health portfolio relating to:

• Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990;
• Vaping;
• Smokeless tobacco;
• Oral nicotine;

Functions and responsibilities within the portfolio relating to:

• women's health (excluding cancer and cancer screening, perinatal and maternal mental health, workforce, and infrastructure);
• maternity health (including Plunket, but excluding perinatal and maternal mental health, workforce, and infrastructure);
• perinatal and maternal mortality;
• surgical mesh;
• sexual and reproductive health;
• the COVID-19 Inquiry;
• the Therapeutic Products Act 2023;
• emergency road and air services;
• family and sexual violence;
• surrogacy;
• dementia management;
• aged care;

Appointments to the following entities:  

• Paramedic Council;
• Chiropractic Board;
• Dental Council;
• Occupational Therapy Board;
• Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board;
• Osteopathic Council;
• Podiatrists Board;
• Regulated Products Appeals Committee;
• Aged Care Commissioner;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

Functions and responsibilities within the portfolio relating to:

• Māori housing, including the housing aspects of Iwi-Crown Accords, Papakāinga and Māori community housing developments and other appropriate housing for whanau Māori, and lead Minister for the WAI2750 – Housing Policy and Services Kaupapa Inquiry (expenditure above $20 million would require the joint approval of the Minister of Finance, Minister of Housing and Associate Minister of Housing);
• social housing, including social housing operational matters and day-to-day issues relating to Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, and relationship management with Community Housing Providers and Housing First providers, and funding relating to Community Housing Providers (the Minister of Housing will retain responsibility for strategic oversight of Kāinga Ora, including board appointments and accountability documents, the outcomes of the Kāinga Ora review, and Kāinga Ora’s asset management programme);
• emergency and transitional housing, including responsibility for the Rotorua Housing Accord;
• homelessness, including operational policy relating to Housing First, Rapid Rehousing and Sustaining Tenancies, and oversight of programmes to support people in acute housing need;
• the review of the Retirement Villages Act 2003;
• housing responses relating to Pacific People;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

Residence appeals referred by the Immigration and Protection Tribunal for consideration of the grant of residence as exceptions to government residence instructions;

Requests for exceptions to government residence instructions;

Requests for special directions made by an individual;

Requests for exceptions to temporary entry class instructions;

Requests for visas under section 61 of the Immigration Act 2009 from people who are not entitled to apply for a visa because they are in New Zealand unlawfully;

Reconsideration of cases after court action;

Requests for children born as a result of international surrogacy arrangements;

Individual decisions on the deportation liability of a residence class visa holder;

Requests under the Parole Act 2002 for early release for the purpose of deportation;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Within the above responsibilities, the Minister of Immigration will retain responsibility for making decisions on whether a person constitutes a threat or risk to security (section 163 of the Immigration Act), cases involving classified informtion, and decisions relating to the immigration status of protected persons who may have committed certain crimes.

Roles/Responsibilities

Day-to-day responsibilities for policy and engagement relating to refugees, humanitarian migrants, and settlement support (with the Minister of Immigration retaining lead responsibility), including on matters relating to:

• Refugee support services;
• Management of the refugee quota;
• Refugee Family Support Category;
• Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship pilot and other complementary pathways for refugees;
• The Refugee Resettlement Strategy and Migrant Settlement and Integration Strategy;
• The response to Victoria Casey KC's review into the Restriction of Movement of Asylum Claimants;
• Special Ukraine Policy;
• New Zealand - Australia Refugee Resettlement Arrangement.

Roles/Responsibilities

The development and passage of the following proposed Bills, and associated policy and regulations:

• Justice Systems Stewardship Amendment Bill;
• Statutes Amendment Bill;

Responsibility for policy relating to:

• Firearms;
• Virtual participation (AVL) in court proceedings;
• Three Strikes sentencing;
• Surrogacy and adoption;
• Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism 2009, including Ministerial exemptions under section 157 of that Act;
• Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012;

Responsibility for policy and the administration of the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 and the Proceeds of Crime Fund;

Responsibility for the occupational regulation policy for the following matters:

• Pawnbrokers and second-hand dealers;
• Private investigators and security guards;
• Sex workers;
• Real estate agents;

Appointments to, and monitoring of the following Crown entities:

• Public Trust;
• Real Estate Agents Authority;

Appointments to, and monitoring of, a number of specified tribunals and statutory bodies administered by the Ministry of Justice;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

Functions and responsibilities within the portfolio relating to the development and passage of the Treaty Principles Bill and associated policy.

Roles/Responsibilities

Assistance with oversight, policy development and other matters relating to the cross-agency Transnational Organised Crime (TNOC) Strategy and annual work plans under the Strategy;

Assistance with oversight, policy development and other matters relating to the Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities (ROCC) work programme;

Assistance with the proposed government investment of 500 additional constabulary staff, including matters related to recruitment and retention;

All policy matters within the portfolio relating to deportees from Australia;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

Assisting the Minister for Regional Development in maintaining a strong relationship with rural communities, including the administration of the North Island Weather Events Primary Producer Finance Scheme as it relates to the Regional Development portfolio;

Assisting the Minister in maintaining a strong relationship with the agricultural sector;

Attending Regional Development events, meetings and other engagements, as requested by the Minister from time to time;

Engaging with relevant Ministers, local communities and industry groups to understand areas of opportunity in the Regional Development portfolio;

Providing assistance on work related to the Regional Infrastructure Fund as required;

Representing the Regional Development portfolio at Ministerial Group meetings, as agreed from time to time;

Day-to-day responsibilities, functions and powers of the Minister for Regional Development in relation to water infrastructure, and existing portfolio investments in forestry;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.

Roles/Responsibilities

All matters relating to the Training Incentive Allowance;

All matters relating to the Youth Service;

Responsibility for the New Zealand Carers' Strategy and associated action plans, including relationships with the New Zealand Carers' Alliance and other key stakeholders.

Roles/Responsibilities

All matters relating to:

• The maritime sector, including maritime security and oversight of Maritime New Zealand, but excluding issues relating to the safety and reliability of the Cook Strait connection;
• Recreational safety and search and rescue;
• The purchase of the replacement vessel for the Chatham Islands;
• The Milford Opportunities Project, including matters relating to the Milford Aerodrome;
• Day-to-day oversight of Crown agency relations in respect of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission;
• The provision of weather forecasting services (currently provided under contract by the MetService), in terms of the Meteorological Services Act 1990 and for transport policy work informing the weather forecasting review project;
• Transport research and statistics and the associated publications throughout the year;
• Matters in the aviation sector relating to tourism, specifically air service agreements and alliance agreements;

Providing general assistance in the portfolio, in particular in relation to setting the strategic direction for the transport sector and ensuring alignment between strategy, policy and regulations within the transport sector;

Attending transport sector events on the Minister’s behalf, as requested;

Engaging with the Minister and officials on Budget initiatives relevant to the above responsibilities;

Other initiatives as agreed from time to time.