New Zealand Ministers

Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
New Zealand/Aotearoa (Female Suffrage for local elections 1867, universal suffrage 1893, but women did not get the right to stand for election until 1918) Colony 1840-1907 then an independent Dominion 1907. In 1987 the name was changed from Dominion of New Zealand.  

Also see New Zealand Heads of State for the Queen and Governor Generals, as well as New Zealand Parliament

 

1947 Minister of Supplies Mable Bowden Howard
1947-49 Minister of Health 
1957-60 Minister of Social Affairs and Welfare of Women and Children
MP 1943-69 as the third woman, Deputy Speaker of the first Labour Government in 1935. She was the daughter of the MP Ted J. Howard and lived (1894-1972)

1949-57 Minister without Portfolio and Minister for the Welfare of Women and Children
1957 Minister of Social Security Dame Hilda Ross
MP 1945-59. She lived (1873-1959) 1952- Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of New Zealand and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith (5.2-) Until 1974 her title was Queen of the United Kingdom, New Zealand etc. She has been Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland since 1952. (b. 1926-)

1972-74 Associate Minister of Social Affairs Dame Tini Whetu Marama Tirikatene-Sullivan, Te Hiwi Marama
1974-75 Minister of Tourism and Environment
Te Hiwi Marama is a maori nobility-title. She was MP for the South Maori Constituency 1967-96 which her father, Sir Eruwe Tirikatene, represented 1932-67. She was the first MP to give birth a child in 1970 and the first Minister in 1974 and lived (1932-2011)

1984-87 Minister of Social- and Women's Affairs Margaret Ann Hercus
Labour MP 1978-89. Ambassador to USA, 1988-89 and 1989-90 to the UN. Afterwards international consultant, 1998-99 UN Representative to Cyprus and since 1999 Personal Representative of the UN Secretary General. (and cr. Dame) (b. 1944-)

1984-87 Minister of Costumes and Consumer Affairs and Associate Minister of Housing, Women’s Affairs and Education
1987-90 Minister of Statistics Dame Margaret Kerslake Shields
Labour MP 1981-90, Deputy Chairperson of the Wellington Regional Council 1998-2001 and 2001-04 its Chairperson. She lived (1941-2013)

1987-89 Minister of Housing and Conservation Helen Clark
1989-90 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Health (The Rt. Hon.)
1993-99 Leader of the Opposition
1999-2008 Prime Minister
1999-2008 Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Minister in Charge of the NZ Security Intelligence Service and Ministerial Services
2004-08 Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau
2008 Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs
Labour MP since 1981. Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Select Committee 1984-87, Deputy Leader of Labour and of the Opposition 1990-93, Leader of Labour 1993-2008 and Parliamentary Leader and Leader of the Opposition 1993-99 and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson from 2008. Took the role of Acting Foreign Minister when the incumbent stepped aside because of fraud investigations, Head of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP from 2009 and Candidate for UN Secretary General in 2016.. Married to Dr. Peter Davis in 1981. No children. (b. 1950-)

1987-90 Associate Minister of External Relations and Trade and Associate Minister of Housing Fran Wilde
1989-90 Minister of Disarmament, Weapon-Control and Tourism
Labour MP 1981-1992, Government Whip 1984-87, Mayor of Wellington 1992-95 and Regional Councillor from 2003 and Chairperson of the Greater Wellington Retional Council from 2007.. (b. 1948-).

 

1987-90 Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Employment, Youth Affairs, Tourism and Social Welfare
1989-90 Minister of Employment, Immigration and Minister of Youth Affairs, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister to liaise between the Cabinet and Caucus
1999-2005 Minister of Health
1999-2002 Minister of Racing
2002-06 Minister for Food Safety
2005-07 Minister of State Services, Coordinating Minister of Race Relations and Associate Minister of Defence
2005-06 Associate Minister of Trade
2005-08 Minister of Police
2006-08 Minister of Trade
2006-08 Minister of Justice and the Law Commission Annette King
Labour MP 1984-90 and since 1993, Deputy Leader of Labour and the Opposition 2008-11 and from 2014. (b. 1947-)

1989-90 Minister of Interior, Civil Defence, Arts, Culture and Science Margaret Austin

Labour MP 1984-96. (b. 1933-).

1990-93 Minister of Finance Ruth Richardson
National Party MP 1981-93. She entirely withdrew from politics. Gave birth to a child in 1983. (b. 1950-)

1990-98 Minister of Women's Affairs Dame Jenny Shipley
1990-93 Minister of Social Affairs
1993-96 Minister of Health
1996-97 Minister of Transport, Minister of State Services and State-Owned Enterprises, Minister of Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance
1997-99 Prime Minister (The Rt. Hon.)
1997-99 Minister in charge of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service
1999-2001 Leader of the Opposition
National Party MP 1987-2002, Party Leader 1997-2001, Afterwards became Spokesperson on State Services and Trade. Created Dame in 2009. Mother of two children. (b. 1952-)

1990-96 Minister of Consumer Affairs and Associate Minister of Women's Affairs and Health
1993-96 Associate Minister of Social Welfare
1996 Minister of Youth Affairs Katherine O'Regan
National MP 1984-99 (b. 1946-)

1996-97 Minister of Cultural Affairs and Local Government and Associate Minister of Women’s Affairs Chris Fletcher
National MP 1990-99. Her Worship the Mayor of Auckland 1998-2001. (b 1955-).

1996-98 Minister for Senior Citizens and Minister for Consumer Affairs Robyn McDonald
MP for New Zealand First 1996-98. 1996-98 Minister for Youth Affairs, Associate Minister for Women’s Affairs, Associate Minister for Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance and Associate Minister for the Environment Deborah Morris MP for New Zealand First 1996. (b. 1970-)

1998-99 Minister for Courts and Women’s Affairs, Associate Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations and Associate Minister of Health
2008-11 Minister for Courts, Pacific Island Affairs, Disarmament and Arms Control and Associate Minister of Maori Affairs Georgina Manunui te Heuheu
National MP since 1996, 1996-98 Chairperson of the Maori-Affair’s Committee of the Parliament. The Treaty of Waitangi set up the relations with the Maori population in the late 1900 century. (b. 1943-)

1998-99 Minister of Cultural Affairs, Associate Minister for Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance and Associate Minister for the Environment
1999 Minister responsible for Radio New Zealand Marie Hasler
National MP 1990-93 and 1996-2002, Assistant Speaker of the House of Representatives 1996-98. (b. 1945-)

1999-2002 Minister of Conservation and Minister of Local Government, Associate Minister of Maori Affairs and for the Biodiversity Strategy
2003-05 High Commissioner for Niue Sandra Rose Te Hakamatua Lee
Alliance MP 1993-2002. She is ative in Poutin Ngai Tahu tribal affairs, 1989 Council Chairperson of Waiheke County Council, 1991 President of the Mana Motuhake Party and 1994-2001 its leader. Co-Deputy Leader 1991-94, Leader 1994-95 and Deputy leader of the Alliance 1996-2001. (b. 1952-).

1999-2004 Attorney General and Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Margaret Wilson
1999-2004 Associate Minister of Justice
1999-2004 Minister of Labour
1999-2002 Associate Minister of State Services
2001-2002 Minister responsible for the Law Commission
2002-2003 Minister for Courts
2003-04 Associate Minister for Courts
2004 Minister of Commerce
2004 Acting Minister for the Law Commission
2004 Minister for Building Issues
President of Labour 1984-87 and Labour MP since 1999 and Speaker of the House of Representatives 2005-08. (b. 1947-).

1999 Minister of Immigration, Minister for Senior Citizens and Associate Minister of Education Lianne Dalziel
2002-2004 Minister of Commerce, Associate Minister of Justice and Minister Responsible for the Law Commission
2005-07 Minister of Commerce, Minister for Small Business, and Minister of Women's Affairs
2007-08 Minister of Minister of Commerce, Minister for Food Safety and Associate Minister of Justice
Labour MP since 1990. (b. 1960-)

1999-2005 Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for the National Library and National Archives, Associate Minister of Biosecurity
1999-2002 Minister of Broadcasting and Associate Minister of Communication 2002-2005 Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Official Development Assistance) and Urban Affairs 2002-04 Associate Minister of Education
2004-05 Minister Responsible for the Law Commission and Associate Minister of Justice Marion Hobbs Labour MP since 1996. (b. 1947-)
1999-2002 Minister of Women's Affairs, Youth Affairs and Associate Minister of Commerce and of Labour Laila Harré
Leader of the Alliance in 2002, but she lost her seat and the party lost its parliamentary representation in the elections in July. (b. 1966-).

1999-2000 and 2001-02 Minister of State Ruth Dyson
1999-2000 and 2001-08 Minister of Disability Issues
1999-2000 and 2001-02 Associate Minister of Accident Insurance and Health
1999-2000 and 2002-03 and 2004-07 Associate Minister of Social Services (Child Youth and Family Service) and Employment
2001-2002 Associate Minister of Immigration
2002-2004 Associate Minister of Health
2002-07 Minister of the Accident Compensation Corporation
2002-05 Minister of Women's Affairs
2003-08 Minister for Senior Citizens and Disability Issues
2003-05 Associate Minister of Labour
2005-07 Minister of Labour
2007-08 Minister of Social Development and Employment, the Community and Voluntary Sector
Labour MP since 1993. Minister outside the Cabinet until 2002. She was Senior Vice-President 1987 and President of Labour 1988-93. In December 2000 she resigned after she was charged with drink-driving. (b. 1957-)

1999-2002 Minister of State Judith Naire Tizard
1999- Associate Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage and Associate Minister of Transport
1999-2002 Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Auckland Issues
2001 Acting Minister Responsible for the National Library and National Archives 2002-Minister of Consumer Affairs and Associate Minister of Commerce
2002-07 Minister Responsible for Auckland Issues
2005-08 Minister Responsible for Archives New Zealand and for the National Library
2007-08 Associate Minister of Transport
Labour MP 1993-2008. She is the daughter of former Governor-General Dame Cath Tizard and former MP Rt. Hon R. Tizard. (b. 1956-)

1999-02 Minister of State Tariana Turia
1999-04 Associate Minister of Maori Affairs (Social Development), Associate Minister of Health, Housing, Social Services and Employmen
2000-02 Associate Minister of Corrections
2002-04 Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
2008-11 Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Associate Minister of Health and Social Development (Outside Cabinet)
2009- Minister for Disability Issues and and Associate Minister of Housing and Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment (Outside Cabinet) Labour MP 1998-2004 until she resigned from Labour and Parliament in protest with government policies, and founded The Maori Party, and became MP for the party after being elected in a by-election. Co-Leader of the party 2004-14. In 2008 her party joined the National Party-government, and held two positions outside Cabinet. (b. 1944-)

1999-2002 Minister of Costumes and Consumer Affairs and Associate Minister for Economic Development and for the Environment
1999-2000 Associate Minister and for Women's Affairs
2000 Associate Minister for Conservation Phillida Bunkle
MP for the Alliance 1996-2002. She was Minister outside the Cabinet. (b. 1944-)

2000-03 Cabinet Secretary and Clerk of the Executive Council Marie Schroff
Her deputy was Diana Wilderspin

 2003-08 Cabinet Secretary and Clerk of the Executive Council Dian Morcom

2005-08 Minister of Customs, Minister of Youth Affairs, and Associate Minister for the Environment and Local Government Nanaia Mahuta
Labour MP since 1996, she was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Ministers of Education and Local Government 1999-2004 and Candidate for the deputy leadership of Labour in 2011 and for the Leadership in 2014. Her father, Sir Robert Mahuta, was the adopted son of King Korokī and the elder brother of Māori Queen Te Atairangikaahu. Nanaia Mahuta is (b. 1970-).

2005-07 Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector and Associate Minister for Pacific Island Affairs
2005-08 Associate Minister of Social Development and Employment and Economic Development
2007-08 Minister of Pacific Affairs and Associate Minister of Trade Luamanuvao Winnie Laban
An Elder of the Presbyterian Church, she was bestowed with the Samoan chiefly title of Luamanuvao in 1992, Labour MP from 1999, she was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of Trade, to the Minister for the Environment, and to the Minister Responsible for Overseas Development Assistance 2003-05. (b. 1955-).

2005-07 Joint Government Spokesperson for Solar Energy and "Buy Kiwi Made" Jeanette Fitzsimons
2007-09 Government Spokesperson of Energy Efficiency and Conservation
First held the post jointly with the other Co-Leader of the Green Party as part of the coalition-agreement, where the Greens were not part of the government and where the Leader of New Zealand First, Winston Peters, became Foreign Minister outside the Cabinet, a construction never seen before anywhere in the world. She was Deputy Leader of the Alliance 1992-99, Co-Leader of the Green Party 1995-2009 and Parliamentary Chairperson 1999-2009. (b. 1945-).

2007-08 Minister for Accident Compensation Corporation, Minister of Housing, Associate Minister for Economic Development and for Tertiary Education Maryan Street
President of Labour 1994-96 and MP from 2005, her partner is Kathryn Street, press secretary to Prime Minister Helen Clark. (b. 1955-).

2007-08 Government Spokesperson for "Buy Kiwi Made" Sue Bradford
New Labour Party MP in 1989-90 and Green MP from 1999. (b. 1952-).

2008- Cabinet Secretary and Clerk of the Executive Council Diana Wilderspin
Deputy Secretary of the Cabinet 2003-08

2008-11 Minister of Police, Corrections and Veterans' Affairs Judith Collins
2011-14 Minister of Justice, the Accident Compensation Act (ACC) and Ethnic Affairs
2015-16 Minister of Corrections and Police
2016- Minister of Revenue, Energy and Resources and Ethnic Communities
National MP from 2002 and candidate for the post of Party Leader and Prime Minister in 2016, but withdrew before the internal party lelections.

2008-11 Minister of Education, Tertiary Education and Minister Responsible for the Education Review Office Anne Tolley
2011-14 Minister of Police and Corrections, Deputy Leader of the House
2014- Minister of Social Development
2016- Minister for Children and Local Government
National MP 1999-2002 and from 2005, and Party Whip 2006-08. (b. 1953-).

2008-14 Minister for Social Development and Employment Paula Bennett
2008-13 Minister of Youth Affairs
2008-09 Minister for Disability Issues
2014- Minister of State Service

2014  Associate Minister of Housing
2014-15 Minister of Local Government
2014-16 Minister for Social Housing, Associate Minister of Finance and Associate Minister of Tourism
2015- Minister of Climate Change Issues
2016- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Police, Tourism and Women
MP for the National Party since 2005 and Deputy Party Leader from 2016. (b. 1969-).

2008-10 Minister for Ethnic Affairs and Women's Affairs and Associate Minister for Accident Compensation Corporation and Energy and Resources Pansy Wong
MP for the National Party since 1996 as the first Asian. Immigrated to New Zealand from Hong Kong in 1974. (b. 1955-)

2008-14 Minister of Labour and Food Safety and Associate Minister of Immigration Kate Wilkinson
2010-14 Minister of Conservation
National MP from 2005. (b. 1957-).

2008-11 Minister of Consumer Affairs and Associate Minister of Defence and Education Heather Roy
MP 2002-11 and Deputy Leader of ACT New Zealand 2006-10, which joined the National Party Government in 2008, but remained outside the cabinet. (b. 1964).

2010-11 Minister of Ethnic Affairs, Women's Affairs and Associate Minister of Energy, the Community and Voluntary Sector and ACC
2011 Acting Minister of Energy and Resources2011-14 Minister of Pacific Island Affairs
2011- Minister of Education Hekia Parata, Lady Gardiner
National Party MP from 2008. Married to Sir Wira Gardiner and mother of 2 children.

2011-12 Minister of Internal Affairs, including responsibility for Archives New Zealand and the New Zealand National Library
2011- Minister for Communications and Information Technology
2011-14 Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
2012-14 Minister of Environment
2014- Minister of Justice, Courts
2014-16 Minsiter of Broadcasting
2015-16 Minister of Communications
2016- Minister of Social Housing, Social Investment, Minister responsible for Housing New Zealand and Associate Minister of Finance Amy Adams

2011-16 Minister of Community and Voluntary Sector Jo Goodhew
National MP from 2005 and Junior Government Whip 2009-11.

2013-16 Minister of Civil Defence and Associate Minister of Immigration
2016- Minister of Youth Affairs and Associate Minister of Education Nikki Kaye
2013-14 Minister of Food Safety
2014-16 Minister for the Accident Compensation Act

2014- Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Conservation and Senior Citizens Maggie Barry

2014- Minister of Customs and Disability Issues, Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Regeneration and Conservation
2016- Associate Minister of Health and Tourism Nicky Wagner

2014-16 Minister for Land Information and Women, Associate Minister of Local Government, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
2016- Minister of Corrections and Associate Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment and for Primary Industries Louise Upston
National Party MP and Junior Government Whip 2011-13 and Senior Government Whip 2013-14.

2016- Minister of Commerce, Consumer Affairs, Small Business and Associate Minister for the Accident Compensation Corporation and Local Government Jacqui Dean
National MP from 2005.




 Last update 18.12.16