Secretary of the Cabinet (New Zealand)

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Secretary of the Cabinet of New Zealand
Te Hekeretari a te Rūnanga (Māori)
Coat of arms of New Zealand
Incumbent
Rachel Hayward
since 2 November 2022
Cabinet Office (part of Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet)
Reports toGovernor-General of New Zealand
SeatWellington
NominatorPrime Minister
AppointerGovernor-General of New Zealand
on the advice of the Prime Minister
Term lengthAt the Governor-General's pleasure
FormationJanuary 1864
First holderWilliam Gisborne
Salary$212,450[1]
WebsiteDepartment of Prime Minister and Cabinet
Politics of New Zealand
Constitution
The Crown
Executive government
Legislature
54th New Zealand Parliament
Elections
Judiciary
Local government
Foreign relations
Ideology
Related topics
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The secretary of the Cabinet (or Cabinet secretary) is a senior public servant in New Zealand. The Cabinet secretary usually serves concurrently as the clerk of the Executive Council. The secretary is responsible for the impartial recording of Cabinet decisions, and as clerk of the Executive Council they are also a liaison between the Cabinet and the governor-general. The secretary is also responsible to Cabinet as a collective for ensuring the confidentiality of Cabinet proceedings, and the impartial and effective operation of the Cabinet system.[2] The current Cabinet Secretary and Clerk of the Executive Council is Rachel Hayward.

Responsibilities and powers[edit]

The Cabinet secretary is a public servant who heads the Cabinet Office, which while a part of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, it is autonomous. The Cabinet secretary is formally appointed by the Governor-General by warrant under the Letters Patent Act, on the advice of the prime minister. The post has two principal roles that are designed to ensure continuity of constitutional government and provide support to administer the operations of the New Zealand Government.[3]

As the clerk of the Executive Council, they act on behalf of the governor-general by providing a channel of communication and liaison between the government and the governor-general, providing advice to the governor-general, and administering the New Zealand royal honours system.[4]

The Cabinet secretary is the steward of the Cabinet Manual. This document sets out clear descriptions of the key constitutional conventions observed in New Zealand, and describes the underlying structures, principles and values of government. The Cabinet Manual is endorsed at the first Cabinet meeting of a new government, to provide for the orderly re-commencement of the business of government.[5][6]

While similar to its British equivalent, the role has some key differences. For example, authority over the civil service is held by the State Services Commissioner, a separate official. The Cabinet secretary is highly influential in determining the Government decisions on public law and through their constitutional advice to Cabinet.[7]

History[edit]

William Gisborne, the first secretary to the Cabinet

After the separation of New Zealand as a distinct Crown Colony from New South Wales New Zealand formed its first responsible government in 1856. By 1863 Cabinet had largely taken over the function of the Colonial Executive Council. This led to the establishment of the secretary to the Cabinet in 1864 with future colonial secretary William Gisborne being appointed.[8]

The role required extensive knowledge of the colony and its constitutional underpinnings.[9] In 1889 the role of clerk of the Executive Council was also assumed by then Cabinet Secretary Alexander Willis.[10] This protocol has been largely abided by since, with an only exception occurring at the conclusion of Cecil Jeffery's tenure in 1945 for a period of 24 years[11] when Foss Shanahan assumed the role of Cabinet secretary and held the position until 1955.[12][13] During this time, the role of clerk of the Executive Council was held briefly by William Harvey[14][15] and then Thomas Sherrard. The roles would not be combined again until the departure of Cabinet Secretary Albert Perry in 1969 when the then Clerk of the Executive Council, Peter Brooks, assumed the role of Cabinet Secretary.[16] In 1979 Cabinet Secretary Patrick Millen collated and published the first Cabinet Manual, which centralised the practise and procedures of Cabinet into a single document.[17]

When the Prime Minister's Department was established in 1926 then Cabinet Secretary Frank Thomson initially was appointed as its head.[18] Eventually the Head of the Prime Minister's Department would become a separate role, although until the 1960s the roles were interchangeable.

Despite the name, it was not initially a codified practice to have the secretary present at Cabinet meetings, and this was usually at the discretion of the prime minister. During the first 84 years, if the secretary was not present, minutes were rarely taken and the prime minister or another senior minister noted Cabinet's decisions on a Schedule for subsequent recording and distribution by the secretary. Starting in 1946, Foss Shanahan sought to make a number of significant administrative changes to the way Cabinet operated which initially saw him joining Cabinet informally in 1948 and the presence of the secretary was formally adopted in December 1949.[19][20][21] The Cabinet secretariat was set up by Shanahan for the purpose of co-ordination, continuity of action, and review, and to enable the smooth functioning of the work of Cabinet. As Cabinet deliberations are often investigatory or preliminary to action in other organs of Government, they are often informal. While ministers may remain anonymous in their advocacy or opposition to issues discussed, the Cabinet secretariat would record the agreed action.[22][23]

Recent holders of the post have gone on to have successful public service careers. Marie Shroff served in the role from 1987 until 2003[24] and went on to be the Privacy Commissioner.[25] and then chair the New Zealand Electoral Commission.[26] Rebecca Kitteridge served in the role from 2008 until 2013[27] and went on to be the director of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service.[28]

List of Cabinet secretaries[edit]

Prime Minister-elect Keith Holyoake leaves Parliament Buildings followed by the clerk of the executive council, Thomas James Sherrard, on 12 December 1960
Name Took office Left office Notes
1 William Gisborne[29][30] 1 January 1864 2 July 1869 Forster Goring was Clerk of the Executive Council from 18 August 1862[31][32][33]
2 Felix Edward Wakefield[34] June 1869 1869 Forster Goring was Clerk of the Executive Council
3 William Robert Edward Brown[35][36] 1870 1872 Forster Goring was Clerk of the Executive Council
4 Felix Edward Wakefield[37] 1 July 1872 1 November 1872 Forster Goring was Clerk of the Executive Council
5 William Robert Edward Brown[38][39] 1873 1873 Forster Goring was Clerk of the Executive Council
6 George Sisson Cooper[40][41] 1874 1876 Forster Goring was Clerk of the Executive Council
7 Ebenezer Fox[42][43][44] 1877 April 1884 Forster Goring was Clerk of the Executive Council until 30 May 1889
8 Alexander James Willis[45][46] 1885 30 June 1909 Also Clerk of the Executive Council from 1 June 1889
9 James Frank Andrews[47][48] 1 July 1909 31 March 1919 Also Clerk of the Executive Council
10 Frank David Thomson[49][50] 17 February 1920 14 December 1934 Also Clerk of the Executive Council
11 Cecil Albert Jeffery[51][52] 15 January 1935 31 March 1946 Also Clerk of the Executive Council
12 Foss Shanahan[53][54] December 1945 1955 William Osborne Harvey was Clerk of the Executive Council from 1 April 1946[55] until 31 December 1947[56] and then Thomas James Sherrard was Clerk of the Executive Council from 1 January 1948[57]
13 Richard Lewis Hutchens[58] 1955 1959 Thomas James Sherrard was Clerk of the Executive Council
14 Alfred Raymond Perry[59] 1959 1969 Thomas James Sherrard was Clerk of the Executive Council until 30 June 1967[60]
15 Peter John Brooks[61][62][63] 1969 February 1973 Also Clerk of the Executive Council from 1 July 1967[64]
16 Patrick Millen[65][66] 12 February 1973 21 September 1987 Also Clerk of the Executive Council
17 Marie Shroff[67] 6 October 1987 2003 Also Clerk of the Executive Council
18 Diane Morcom[68] 2003 2008 Also Clerk of the Executive Council
19 Rebecca Kitteridge[69][70] 26 March 2008 2013 Also Clerk of the Executive Council
20 Michael Webster[71][72] 18 March 2014 2022 Also Clerk of the Executive Council
21 Rachel Hayward[73] 2 November 2022 Incumbent Also Clerk of the Executive Council

List of Clerks of the Executive Council Prior to 1862[edit]

Name Took office Left office Notes
1 James Coates[74] 1841 1853
2 Andrew James Richmond[75] 1853 1855
3 Frederick Gordon Steward[76][77][78] 13 September 1855 1861
4 James Holt[79] 15 October 1861 8 February 1862

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Parliamentary Salaries and Allowances Determination 2016" (PDF). Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Secretary of the Cabinet and the Cabinet Office". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
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  4. ^ "Clerk of the Executive Council". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  5. ^ Webster, Michael (31 August 2017). "IPANZ Presentation: NZ Cabinet Manual" (PDF). Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Cabinet Manual". Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. 3 July 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  7. ^ Mclean, Janet (January 2016). "The Unwritten Political Constitution and Its Enemies". The International Journal of Constitutional Law. 14 (1): 119–136. doi:10.1093/icon/mow002. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  8. ^ Wilson, J. O. (1985). New Zealand Parliamentary Record 1840-1984. Wellington: V. R. Ward Government Printer. p. 53.
  9. ^ "Parliament Legislative Council". The New Zealand Times. Volume XXXV Issue 6006 Page 3. 30 June 1880. Retrieved 6 October 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  10. ^ "Parliament House of Representatives". The Evening Post. Volume XL Issue 17 Page 4. 19 July 1890. Retrieved 6 October 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  11. ^ "Long Service Ends". The Evening Post. Volume CXL Issue 78 Page 8. 29 September 1945.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  12. ^ Martin, John (2015). The Seven Dwarfs and the Age of the Mandarins: Australian Government Administration in the Post-War Reconstruction Era (PDF). ANU Press. p. 98. ISBN 978-1925022322.
  13. ^ "NZ Mission in Singapore". The Press. Volume XCI Issue 27683 PAGE 10. 13 June 1955. Retrieved 7 October 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
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  18. ^ "The Changes Discussed A New Government Department". The Auckland Star. Volume LVII Issue 15 19 January 1926 Page 14. 19 January 1926. Retrieved 7 October 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
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External links[edit]

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