CO (23) 2: Cabinet Committees: Terms of Reference and Membership

CO (23) 2: Cabinet Committees: Terms of Reference and Membership

This circular has been updated to include the Cabinet Extreme Weather Recovery Committee (EWR) established in February 2023.

Rachel Hayward
Secretary of the Cabinet

Enquiries:

Diana Hawker, Deputy Secretary of the Cabinet
Ph: (04) 495 6725
diana.hawker@dpmc.govt.nz

Jenny Vickers, Senior Advisor
Ph: (04) 830 5018
jenny.vickers@dpmc.govt.nz

Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee (APH)

To consider appointments to statutory and other government agencies, chief executive appointments, nominations for New Zealand Royal Honours, and associated policy.

Membership

Rt Hon Chris Hipkins (Chair)
Hon Carmel Sepuloni (Deputy Chair)
Hon Kelvin Davis
Hon Grant Robertson
Hon Jan Tinetti
Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall
Hon Willie Jackson
Hon Kiri Allan
Hon Andrew Little
Hon Nanaia Mahuta
Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan
Hon Ginny Andersen
Hon Barbara Edmonds

Relevant Portfolios

All portfolios

Frequency

Meets weekly during sitting weeks

Cabinet Business Committee (CBC)

To consider policy issues, appointments, bills, and regulations, and other matters that require decisions before the next scheduled relevant Cabinet committee meeting, when other committees are not meeting and the House of Representatives is adjourned. CBC will meet only on a strictly if required basis.

Membership

Rt Hon Chris Hipkins (Chair)
Hon Carmel Sepuloni (Deputy Chair)
Hon Kelvin Davis
Hon Grant Robertson
Hon Dr Megan Woods
Hon Jan Tinetti
Hon Michael Wood
Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall
Hon Willie Jackson
Hon Kiri Allan
Hon Stuart Nash
Hon Damien O’Connor
Hon Andrew Little
Hon David Parker

Relevant Portfolios

All portfolios

Frequency

Meets during non-sitting weeks if required

Cabinet Priorities Committee (CPC)

• Consider overall government priorities and major strategic issues.
• Consider significant issues as determined by the Prime Minister or Cabinet. Implementation aspects of these issues will be considered by the appropriate committee, once major policy directions have been set.
• Responsible for the overall coordination of the delivery of the government's priorities.

Membership

Rt Hon Chris Hipkins (Chair)
Hon Carmel Sepuloni (Deputy Chair)
Hon Kelvin Davis
Hon Grant Robertson
Hon Dr Megan Woods
Hon Jan Tinetti
Hon Michael Wood
Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall
Hon Willie Jackson
Hon Kiri Allan
Hon Stuart Nash
Hon Damien O’Connor
Hon Andrew Little
Hon David Parker

Relevant Portfolios

All portfolios

Frequency

Meets monthly, or as required

Cabinet Economic Development Committee (DEV)

To consider strategy and policy relating to building an inclusive, sustainable economy.

Membership

Relevant Portfolios¹

Frequency

Meets weekly during sitting weeks

Cabinet Environment, Energy and Climate Committee (ENV)

To consider strategic and policy matters relating to the environment, climate change, sustainable energy use, natural resources, and resource management.

Membership

Rt Hon Chris Hipkins
Hon Carmel Sepuloni
Hon Kelvin Davis
Hon Dr Megan Woods (Deputy Chair)
Hon Michael Wood
Hon Willie Jackson
Hon Kiri Allan
Hon Stuart Nash
Hon Damien O’Connor
Hon David Parker (Chair)
Hon Kieran McAnulty
Hon Willow-Jean Prime
Jo Luxton, MP

Relevant Portfolios²

Frequency

Meets fortnightly during sitting weeks

Cabinet External Relations and Security Committee (ERS)

• Oversight of the national security and intelligence sector, and to consider strategic, policy, and legislative matters relating to the sector, foreign affairs, defence (excluding Defence procurement), and significant hazards.
• Coordinate and direct national responses to major crises or circumstances affecting national security (either domestic or international).

ERS, or a subcommittee of ERS as determined by the Prime Minister, will have Power to Act where the need for urgent action and/or operational or security considerations require it.

Membership

Rt Hon Chris Hipkins (Chair)
Hon Carmel Sepuloni
Hon Kelvin Davis
Hon Grant Robertson
Hon Michael Wood
Hon Stuart Nash
Hon Damien O’Connor
Hon Andrew Little
Hon David Parker
Hon Nanaia Mahuta (Deputy Chair)
Hon Kieran McAnulty
Hon Ginny Andersen

With the addition of the relevant portfolio Minister as appropriate.

Relevant Portfolios³

Frequency

 Meets monthly, or as required

Cabinet Extreme Weather Recovery Committee (EWR)

To co-ordinate and direct the government response to recovery from the severe weather events that occurred in the upper and eastern North Island in January and February 2023, and related matters.

The committee has Power to Act to take decisions on the Government response as needed.

Membership

Relevant Portfolios

Frequency

The committee will meet weekly during sitting weeks and/or as required, including by teleconference.

Cabinet Government Administration and Expenditure Review Committee (GOV)

• Consider strategic and policy matters relating to the public sector and government expenditure, including significant sector infrastructure and investment proposals (e.g. defence, schools, hospitals).
• Consider matters relating to local government and emergency management.

Membership

Rt Hon Chris Hipkins
Hon Carmel Sepuloni
Hon Grant Robertson (Chair)
Hon Dr Megan Woods
Hon Jan Tinetti
Hon Michael Wood (Deputy Chair)
Hon Andrew Little
Hon David Parker
Hon Kieran McAnulty
Hon Ginny Andersen
Hon Meka Whaitiri
Hon Dr Duncan Webb
Hon Dr Deborah Russell

Relevant Portfolios⁴

Frequency

Meets fortnightly during sitting weeks

Cabinet Legislation Committee (LEG)

To consider the legislation programme, draft Bills and regulations, government responses to petitions, select committee reports, and Law Commission reports.  LEG may also consider minor policy issues relating to these matters.

Government responses to significant select committee reports and Law Commission reports should be dealt with at a policy committee if they involve significant new policy or amendments to existing policy.

Membership

Rt Hon Chris Hipkins
Hon Carmel Sepuloni
Hon Grant Robertson (Chair)
Hon Michael Wood
Hon Kiri Allan
Hon Andrew Little
Hon David Parker
Hon Kieran McAnulty (Deputy Chair)
Hon Barbara Edmonds
Hon Dr Duncan Webb
Hon Willow-Jean Prime
Tangi Utikere, MP (Chief Government Whip)

Relevant Portfolios

All portfolios

Frequency

Meets weekly during sitting weeks

Cabinet Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti Committee (MCR)

To consider strategic and policy matters relating to Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiations and the delivery of post-settlement commitments, the Crown's Treaty obligations, the revitalisation of te reo Māori, and opportunities that exist in the post-Treaty settlement environment.

Membership

Relevant Portfolios⁵

Agriculture
Attorney-General
Conservation
Economic Development
Environment
Local Government
Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti
Māori Development
Oceans and Fisheries
Regional Development
Rural Communities
Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
Whānau Ora

Frequency

Meets monthly, or as required

Cabinet Social Wellbeing Committee (SWC)

To consider strategic and policy matters which support an equal, inclusive, and fair standard of living for all New Zealanders, including education, health, justice, income support, homelessness, public housing and residential tenancy issues.

Membership

Relevant Portfolios⁶

Frequency

Meets weekly during sitting weeks