Brook Barrington is a New Zealand public servant and former diplomat. From 1 July 2024 he will commence as chief executive of the Ministry of Defence. He has previously served as chief executive of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Barrington was awarded a PhD in history from the University of Auckland in 1993. His thesis on the transformation of New Zealand's foreign policy from 1944 to 1954 was supervised by Nicholas Tarling. [1] [2] [3]
Barrington's marriage to Gillian, a nurse, ended with her death in 2023. [4]
Barrington began his public service career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) in 1990. [2] He had diplomatic postings in Canberra and, as deputy head of mission to the European Union, in Brussels from 1999 to 2002. [5] He was seconded as a foreign policy, trade and defence advisor at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) until his appointment as the Ambassador of New Zealand to Thailand, which he held from 2006 until 2009. [2] [6] [7]
After leaving MFAT, Barrington held deputy chief executive positions at the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Justice. [2] [7] [3] He returned to MFAT as chief executive in 2015 and was credited with "restoring order" to the department after a "controversial" restructuring process. [7] [8]
State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes reassigned Barrington to the head of DPMC in 2019 as part of a series of high-profile transfers between departments. [8] [9]
Barrington took family leave from DPMC from March 2023 and resigned his substantive role in January 2024. He was soon after appointed for a short term as acting chief executive of MFAT. [10] He was announced as the incoming chief executive of the Ministry of Defence on 5 June 2024 and appointed to a five-year term. [5]
The foreign relations of New Zealand are oriented chiefly toward developed democratic nations and emerging Pacific Island economies. Until the late 20th century, New Zealand aligned itself strongly with the United Kingdom and had few bilateral relationships with other countries. From the latter half of the 20th century, Australia has been New Zealand's most important cultural, economic and military partner. Today, the country participates in several multilateral political organisations, including Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Pacific Community, and the Pacific Islands Forum. New Zealand has been described as an emerging power; however, such a claim needs to be considered in the context of its medium-sized economy and limited military capability. The country's major political parties have generally agreed on the broad outlines of foreign policy, and the government has been active in promoting free trade, nuclear disarmament, and arms control.
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with issuing passports; administering applications for citizenship and lottery grants; enforcing censorship and gambling laws; registering births, deaths, marriages and civil unions; supplying support services to ministers; and advising the government on a range of relevant policies and issues.
Derek Francis Quigley is a New Zealand former politician. He was a prominent member of the National Party during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and was known for his support of free-market economics and trade liberalisation. Quigley left the National Party after clashing with its leadership, and later co-founded the ACT New Zealand party.
Antarctica New Zealand is an Institute set up by the Government of New Zealand in 1996 to manage its interests in Antarctica and the Ross Sea. As well as providing logistics support to a large scientific programme, it also runs bases such as Scott Base. It has run other bases in the past, such as Vanda Station.
The administrator of Tokelau is an official of the New Zealand Government, responsible for supervising the government of the dependent territory of Tokelau.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) (Māori: Manatū Aorere) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with advising the government on foreign and trade policy, and promoting New Zealand's interests in trade and international relations.
Donald Kent Hunn is a senior New Zealand diplomat and civil servant. Hunn is the son of Sir Jack Hunn, a former Secretary of Defence, Maori Affairs, and Justice.
Sir George Robert Laking was a New Zealand diplomat who served as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador to the United States, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Chief Ombudsman.
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) is the central public service department of New Zealand charged with providing support and advice to the governor-general, the prime minister and members of the Cabinet of New Zealand. The department is also charged with centrally leading New Zealand's "national security planning, which includes civil defence."
Simon Peter Wallace Murdoch is a New Zealand diplomat and public servant. He was New Zealand's Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was previously New Zealand High Commissioner to Canberra, and Chief Executive of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
The Officials Committee for Domestic and External Security Coordination (ODESC) is a New Zealand government committee which gives the Prime Minister strategic policy advice on security and intelligence matters. Operational security matters are handled by other groups, including the Defence Force, the Ministry of Defence, the Security Intelligence Service, the Government Communications Security Bureau and Police.
The National Emergency Management Agency is the public service department of New Zealand responsible for providing leadership and support around national, local and regional emergencies. It is an autonomous departmental agency hosted by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. It replaced the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management in December 2019.
Gerald Christopher Philip Hensley was a New Zealand diplomat and public servant.
Edward Richard Woods, is a New Zealand diplomat and public servant. He is currently Chair of the Board of the Environmental Risk Management Authority, a New Zealand Government Agency that ensures compliance with the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act – HSNO Act 1996. He took over as chairman on the retirement of Neil Walter.
Martyn John Dunne, is a retired New Zealand Army officer, a diplomat and senior public servant. He was the chief executive of the Ministry for Primary Industries. From 2011 until 2013 he was New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia based in Canberra. He was Comptroller of Customs and Chief Executive of the New Zealand Customs Service (2004–2011) after a career as soldier in the New Zealand Army from 1970 ending his military career in 2004 as Commander Joint Forces New Zealand with the rank of major general. In September 1999, Dunne led the New Zealand Force East Timor during New Zealand's largest deployment since World War II, and as the Senior National Officer and, with the rank of brigadier, commanded the Dili Command, an operational formation in the International Force East Timor, until 2000.
John Allen is a New Zealand public servant. From 2009 to 2014 he served as chief executive of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was the acting Administrator of Tokelau from 2009 until 2011.
Francis Ormond Wilson is a retired New Zealand diplomat. During his career, he served as head of mission in Moscow, Santiago, and Hong Kong.
The Natano Ministry was the 15th ministry of the Government of Tuvalu, led by Prime Minister Kausea Natano. It succeeded the Sopoaga Ministry upon its swearing in by the acting Governor-General, Mrs. Teniku Talesi Honolulu, on 18 September 2019.
Dame Janet Marie Shroff is a New Zealand public servant who served as the Cabinet Secretary and then as Privacy Commissioner.
Bede Gilbert Corry is a New Zealand diplomat and public servant. He currently serves as New Zealand's ambassador to the United States and will take up the position of chief executive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 30 June 2024.