Minister for National Security and Intelligence (New Zealand)

Minister for National Security and Intelligence
Coat of arms of New Zealand
Flag of New Zealand
Incumbent Christopher Luxon since 27 November 2023
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Style	The Honourable
Member of	Cabinet of New Zealand Executive Council
Reports to	Prime Minister of New Zealand
Appointer	Governor-General of New Zealand
Term length	At His Majesty's pleasure
Formation	8 October 2014
First holder	John Key
Website

The Minister for National Security and Intelligence is a minister in the New Zealand Government who is responsible for leading and setting the policies and legislative framework of New Zealand's national security system. By convention, the portfolio is held by the Prime Minister, currently Christopher Luxon.

Role and responsibility

The Minister for National Security and Intelligence is responsible for overseeing policy and legislation relating to New Zealand's national security apparatus. The Minister also chairs the Cabinet National Security Committee and the Parliamentary specialist committee on Intelligence and Security. ^{[1] [2] [3]} The minister does not provide direct oversight to New Zealand's main two intelligence agencies, the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) and Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), which is instead provided by two separate portfolios, Minister Responsible for the NZSIS and Minister Responsible for the GCSB. ^{[4] [5]} Administrative support for the portfolio is provided by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Prior to the creation of the National Security and Intelligence portfolio in 2014, the NZSIS and GCSB portfolios were, by convention and without exception, held by the Prime Minister, meaning sole ministerial oversight of New Zealand's intelligence and security agencies and arrangements lay with the Prime Minister. ^[6] The portfolio was established following the 2014 election by Prime Minister John Key as part of a rearrangement to the way New Zealand's intelligence sector was governed. ^[1] Since then it has been convention for the Prime Minister to hold the National Security and Intelligence portfolio, while direct ministerial oversight for the NZSIS and GCSB is delegated to another senior minister.

List of ministers for national security and intelligence

Key

   National    Labour

No.		Name	Portrait	Term of office		Prime Minister
	1	John Key		8 October 2014	12 December 2016		Key
	2	Bill English		12 December 2016	26 October 2017		English
	3	Jacinda Ardern		26 October 2017	25 January 2023		Ardern
	4	Chris Hipkins		25 January 2023	27 November 2023		Hipkins
	5	Christopher Luxon		27 November 2023	Incumbent		Luxon

Notes

1. "National Security and Intelligence role created". Scoop Media. New Zealand. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
2. "Outline of security portfolio responsibilities" (PDF). Scoop Media. 6 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
3. "National Security and Intelligence | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)". 10 November 2020.
4. "NZSIS | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)". 12 October 2017.
5. "GCSB | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)". 12 October 2017.
6. Wilson 1985, pp. 126.

References

• Wilson, Jim (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC   154283103.