Cabinet of New Zealand
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2015) |
 |
|---|
 New Zealand portal |
The Cabinet of New Zealand (Māori: Te Rūnanga o te Kāwanatanga o Aotearoa) is a body of senior ministers, responsible to the New Zealand Parliament. Cabinet meetings, chaired by the Prime Minister, occur once a week; in them, vital issues are discussed and government policy is formulated. Though not established by any statue, cabinet has significant power in the New Zealand political system and nearly all bills proposed by the cabinet in Parliament are enacted.
All cabinet ministers also serve as members of the Executive Council, the body tasked with advising the Governor General in the exercise of his or her formal constitutional functions. Outside the cabinet, there is an outer ministry and also a number of non-cabinet ministers, responsible for a specific policy area and reporting directly to a senior cabinet minister.
Legislative basis
The cabinet has no formal statutory basis and is not established by any legislative act: it exists purely by constitutional convention. This convention carries sufficient weight for many official declarations and regulations to refer to the cabinet, and a government department—the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet—is responsibile for supporting it. Although cabinet lacks any direct legislative framework for its existence, the Cabinet Manual has become the official document which governs its functions, and on which its convention rests.[1]
The structure of cabinet has as its basis the formal institution known as the Executive Council, the body tasked with advising the Governor General in the exercise of his or her formal constitutional functions (i.e. the Governor-in-Council). Most ministers hold membership of both bodies, but some Executive Councillors—known as "ministers outside Cabinet"—do not have Cabinet positions. The convention of members of the Executive Council meeting separately from the Governor began during Edward Stafford's first tenure as Premier (1856–1861). Stafford, a long-time advocate of responsible government in New Zealand, believed the colonial government should have full control over all its affairs, without the intervention of the Governor. Because the Governor chaired the Executive Council, Stafford intentionally met with his ministers without the Governor present.
Members
All ministers have the style of "The Honourable", except for the Prime Minister, who is styled "The Right Honourable".[2] Additionally, Winston Peters is styled as The Right Honourable, having been appointed a member of the Privy Council prior to the change in rules regarding the use of the style.[3]
The table below lists New Zealand's cabinet ministers and ministers outside Cabinet as of 26 October 2017[update].[4]
| bgcolor="Template:New Zealand Labour Party/meta/color" | | Labour |
| bgcolor="Template:New Zealand First/meta/color" | | NZ First |
| bgcolor="Template:Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand/meta/color" | | Greens |
All Ministers, both inside and outside Cabinet are Executive Council Members.
Parliamentary Private Secretaries have no Government rank, but merely assist the Ministers from a Parliamentary standpoint, and represent the Minister they assist when they are unavailable.[5]
Powers
The lack of formal legislation establishing Cabinet leaves the powers of its members only loosely defined. The Cabinet generally directs and controls policy (releasing government policy statements) and is responsible to Parliament. It also has significant influence over lawmaking. Convention regarding the Cabinet's authority has considerable force, and generally proves strong enough to bind its participants. Theoretically, each minister operates independently, having received a ministerial warrant over a certain field from the Crown (represented by the Governor-General). But the Governor-General can dismiss a minister at any time, conventionally on the advice of the Prime Minister, so ministers are largely obliged to work within a certain framework.
Cabinet itself acts as the accepted forum for establishing this framework. Ministers will jointly discuss the policy which the government as a whole will pursue, and ministers who do not exercise their respective powers in a manner compatible with Cabinet's decision risk losing those powers. This has become known as the doctrine of collective responsibility.[6] Problems arise when the Prime Minister breaches collective responsibility. Since ministerial appointments and dismissals are in practice in the hands of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet can not directly initiate any action against a Prime Minister who openly disagrees with their government's policy. On the other hand, a Prime Minister who tries to act against concerted opposition from their Cabinet risks losing the confidence of their party colleagues. An example is former Prime Minister David Lange, who publicly spoke against a tax reform package which was sponsored by then-Finance Minister Roger Douglas and supported by Cabinet. Lange dismissed Douglas, but when the Cabinet supported Douglas against Lange, Lange himself resigned as Prime Minister.
Meetings
The Cabinet typically meets weekly in the Beehive (the executive wing of the Parliament Buildings),[2] where it discusses important political issues. The Prime Minister usually chairs the meeting and sets the agenda.
Committees
 | Parts of this article (those related to Current committee members) need to be updated. (October 2017) |
A Cabinet Committee comprises a subset of the larger Cabinet, consisting of a number of ministers who have responsibility in related areas of policy. Cabinet Committees go into considerably more detail than can be achieved at regular Cabinet meetings, discussing issues which do not need the input of ministers holding unrelated portfolios. There are currently 10 Cabinet Committees.[7]
Cabinet Committees will often discuss matters referred to them by Cabinet itself, and then report back the results of their deliberation. This can sometimes become a powerful tool for advancing certain policies, as was demonstrated in the Lange government. Roger Douglas, Minister of Finance, and his allies succeeded in dominating the finance committee, enabling them to determine what it recommended to Cabinet. The official recommendation of the finance committee was much harder for his opponents to fight than his individual claims in Cabinet would be. Douglas was able to pass measures that, had Cabinet deliberated on them itself rather than pass them to Committee, would have been defeated.
Cabinet Strategy Committee
Chaired by Rt Hon Bill English MP, Prime Minister.[8]
All Portfolios are relevant.
Current Members are:
|
|
Cabinet Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee
Chaired by Hon Steven Joyce MP, Minister of Finance.[9]
Relevant Portfolios are;
|
|
|
|
Current Members are;
|
|
|
|
Cabinet Social Policy Committee
Chaired by Hon Amy Adams MP, Minister of Justice, Minister for Courts, and Minister Responsible for Social Investment.[10]
Relevant Portfolios are;
|
|
|
|
Current Members are;
|
|
|
|
Cabinet Committee on Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
Chaired by Rt. Hon Bill English MP, Prime Minister.[11]
Relevant Portfolios are;
|
|
|
|
Current Members are;
|
|
|
|
Cabinet External Relations and Defence Committee
Chaired by Hon Gerry Brownlee MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs.[12]
Relevant Portfolios are;
|
|
|
Current Members are;
|
|
|
|
|
Cabinet Committee on State Sector Reform and Expenditure Control
Chaired by Hon Steven Joyce MP, Minister of Finance.[13]
All Portfolios are relevant.
Current Members are;
- Rt Hon Bill English
- Hon Paula Bennett
- Hon Steven Joyce
- Hon Simon Bridges
- Hon Amy Adams
- Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman
- Hon Michael Woodhouse
- Hon Anne Tolley
- Hon Nikki Kaye
- Hon Judith Collins
- Hon Mark Mitchell
- Hon David Bennett
- Hon Tim Macindoe
- Hon Peter Dunne
Cabinet Legislation Committee
Chaired by Hon Simon Bridges MP, Leader of the House.
All Portfolios are relevant.
Current Members are;
- Rt Hon Bill English
- Hon Steven Joyce
- Hon Simon Bridges
- Hon Amy Adams
- Hon Christopher Finlayson QC
- Hon Michael Woodhouse
- Hon Nikki Kaye
- Hon Judith Collins
- Hon Paul Goldsmith
- Hon Jacqui Dean
- Jamie-Lee Ross (Senior Government Whip)
Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee
Chaired by Rt Hon Bill English MP, Prime Minister.[14]
All Portfolios are relevant.
Current Members are;
- Rt Hon Bill English
- Hon Paula Bennett
- Hon Steven Joyce
- Hon Gerry Brownlee
- Hon Amy Adams
- Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman
- Hon Christopher Finlayson QC
- Hon Anne Tolley
- Hon Nikki Kaye
- Hon Maggie Barry
- Hon Alfred Ngaro
- Hon Peter Dunne
- Hon Te Ururoa Flavell
- David Seymour MP
Cabinet Business Committee
Chaired by Rt Hon Bill English MP, Prime Minister.[15]
All Portfolios are relevant.
Current Members are;
- Rt Hon Bill English
- Hon Paula Bennett
- Hon Steven Joyce
- Hon Gerry Brownlee
- Hon Simon Bridges
- Hon Amy Adams
- Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman
- Hon Christopher Finlayson QC
- Hon Michael Woodhouse
- Hon Anne Tolley
Cabinet National Security Committee
Chaired by Rt Hon Bill English MP, Prime Minister.
Relevant Portfolios are;
- Civil Defence
- Defence
- Foreign Affairs
- GCSB
- National Security and Intelligence
- NZSIS
- Police
- Prime Minister
Current Members are;
- Rt Hon Bill English
- Hon Paula Bennett
- Hon Steven Joyce
- Hon Gerry Brownlee
- Hon Simon Bridges
- Hon Amy Adams
- Hon Christopher Finlayson QC
- Hon Michael Woodhouse
- Hon Nathan Guy
- Hon Mark Mitchell
References
- ^ "Cabinet Manual". cabinetmanual.cabinetoffice.govt.nz. Cabinet Office of New Zealand. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
- ^ a b "Cabinet government". Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- ^ ""The Honourable" and "The Right Honourable"". New Zealand Government. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ "Ministerial list for Announcement" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ^ "Parliamentary Private Secretaries appointed". The Beehive. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
- ^ "Cabinet Manual: Cabinet". Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
- ^ "Cabinet Committees | DPMC". www.dpmc.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Cabinet Strategy Committee (STR) | DPMC". www.dpmc.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Cabinet Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee (EGI) | DPMC". www.dpmc.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Cabinet Social Policy Committee (SOC) | DPMC". www.dpmc.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Cabinet Committee on Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations (TOW) | DPMC". www.dpmc.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Cabinet External Relations and Defence Committee (ERD) | DPMC". www.dpmc.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Cabinet Committee on State Sector Reform and Expenditure Control (SEC) | DPMC". www.dpmc.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee (APH) | DPMC". www.dpmc.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Cabinet Business Committee (CBC) | DPMC". www.dpmc.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 May 2017.