Minister of Industries and Commerce

Last updated January 15, 2026

The Minister of Industries and Commerce in New Zealand is a former cabinet position (existing from 1894 to 1972) appointed by the Prime Minister to be in charge of matters of industrial and commercial growth and trade. In 1972 it was replaced with the new office of Minister of Trade and Industry.

List of ministers

The following ministers have held the office of Minister of Industries and Commerce.^[1]

Key

Liberal Reform United Labour National

	Name	Term of Office
1	Joseph Ward	20 January 1894	2 March 1896	Seddon
2	Thomas Thompson	2 March 1896	21 December 1899
(1)	Joseph Ward	21 December 1899	23 November 1906
				Hall-Jones
				Ward
3	James McGowan	23 November 1906	6 January 1909
4	Thomas Mackenzie	6 January 1909	10 July 1912
4	Thomas Mackenzie	6 January 1909	10 July 1912	Mackenzie
5	William Fraser	10 July 1912	26 July 1912	Massey
6	William Massey	26 July 1912	22 June 1920
7	Ernest Lee	22 June 1920	13 January 1923
8	William Downie Stewart	13 January 1923	24 May 1926
				Bell
				Coates
9	Alex McLeod	24 May 1926	28 November 1928
10	Alexander Young	28 November 1928	10 December 1928
11	John Cobbe	10 December 1928	18 December 1929	Ward
12	James Donald	18 December 1929	28 May 1930	Ward
13	Philip De La Perrelle	28 May 1930	22 September 1931	Forbes
14	Robert Masters	22 September 1931	6 December 1935	Forbes
15	Dan Sullivan	6 December 1935	8 April 1947	Savage
15	Dan Sullivan	6 December 1935	8 April 1947	Fraser
16	Arnold Nordmeyer	29 May 1947	12 December 1949	Fraser
17	Charles Bowden	12 December 1949	19 December 1950	Holland
18	Jack Watts	19 December 1950	26 November 1954
19	Dean Eyre	26 November 1954	23 March 1956
20	Eric Halstead	23 March 1956	12 December 1957
20	Eric Halstead	23 March 1956	12 December 1957	Holyoake
21	Phil Holloway	12 December 1957	12 December 1960	Nash
22	Jack Marshall	12 December 1960	22 December 1969	Holyoake
23	Norman Shelton	22 December 1969	9 February 1972	Holyoake
24	Brian Talboys	9 February 1972	24 October 1972	Marshall

Notes

↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 89–97.

References

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

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[FOOTNOTEWilson198589–97-1] Wilson 1985, pp. 89–97.

[1]

v t e Ministerial portfolios of New Zealand
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Former portfolios	Civil Aviation Colonial Secretary Communications and Information Technology COVID-19 Response Disarmament and Arms Control Earthquake Commission Electricity Employment Industries and Commerce Island Territories Labour Lands Marine Marketing Mines Pike River Re-entry Postmaster-General Primary Industries Regulatory Reform Social Housing State Insurance Tertiary Education and Skills Trade and Industry Treasurer Works without portfolio
Current Government

Minister of Industries and Commerce

Contents

List of ministers

Notes

References