Formats
CO (24) 1: Cabinet Committees: Terms of Reference and Membership#
This circular provides an updated membership list for Cabinet Committees following the ministerial change on 7 April 2026.
1 The Prime Minister has agreed to the updated terms of reference and membership of Cabinet committees. The Cabinet committees are:
1.1 the Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee (APH);
1.2 the Cabinet Business Committee (CBC);
1.3 the Cabinet Economic Policy Committee (ECO);
1.4 the Cabinet Expenditure and Regulatory Review Committee (EXP);
1.5 the Cabinet Foreign Policy and National Security Committee (FPS);
1.6 the Cabinet Legislation Committee (LEG);
1.6 the Cabinet Social Outcomes Committee (SOU);
1.8 the Cabinet Strategy Committee (STR), which will take over the Cabinet 100-Day Plan Committee (100) after the first 100 days of the National, ACT, and New Zealand First Coalition Government have passed.
2 The updated Cabinet committee terms of reference and membership are attached.
Rachel Hayward
Secretary of the Cabinet
Enquiries:
Diana Hawker
Deputy Secretary of the Cabinet
Ph: (04) 495 6725
[email protected]
Jenny Vickers
Senior Advisor
Ph: (04) 830 5018
[email protected]
Tom Kelly
Advisor
Ph: (04) 912 0580
[email protected]
Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee (APH)#
To consider appointments to statutory and other government agencies, chief executive appointments, nominations for New Zealand Royal Honours, and associated policy.
Membership#
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon (Chair)
Rt Hon Winston Peters
Hon Chris Bishop
Hon Brooke van Velden
Hon Erica Stanford
Hon Louise Upston
Hon Matt Doocey
Hon Nicola Grigg
Hon David Seymour (Deputy Chair)
Hon Nicola Willis
Hon Simeon Brown
Hon Shane Jones
Hon Paul Goldsmith
Hon Tama Potaka
Hon Karen Chhour
Hon James Meager
Relevant Portfolios#
All Portfolios
Timing#
Meets in the first and third (where applicable) week of each Parliamentary sitting block.
Cabinet Business Committee (CBC)#
To consider policy issues, appointments, bills, and legislation, and other matters that require decisions before the next scheduled applicable Cabinet committee meeting, when other committees are not meeting and the House of Representatives is adjourned. CBC meets only on a strictly if required basis.
Membership#
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon (Chair)
Rt Hon Winston Peters
Hon Chris Bishop
Hon Brooke van Velden
Hon Simeon Brown
Hon Louise Upston
Hon Todd McClay
Hon David Seymour (Deputy Chair)
Hon Nicola Willis
Hon Shane Jones
Hon Erica Stanford
Hon Paul Goldsmith
Hon Mark Mitchell
Relevant Portfolios#
All Portfolios
Timing#
Meets in recess weeks, if required
Cabinet Economic Policy Committee (ECO)#
To consider policy relating to New Zealand’s economy, including small business, agriculture, trade, environment, climate change, and workplace relations matters.
Membership#
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Rt Hon Winston Peters
Hon Chris Bishop (Deputy Chair)
Hon Shane Jones
Hon Erica Stanford
Hon Louise Upston
Hon Tama Potaka
Hon Chris Penk
Hon Nicola Grigg
Hon Scott Simpson
Hon Andrew Hoggard
Simon Court, MP
Hon David Seymour
Hon Nicola Willis (Chair)
Hon Brooke van Velden
Hon Simeon Brown
Hon Paul Goldsmith
Hon Todd McClay
Hon Simon Watts
Hon Penny Simmonds
Hon James Meager
Hon Cameron Brewer
Hon Mark Patterson
Jenny Marcroft, MP
Relevant Portfolios#
ACC
Agriculture
Auckland
Biosecurity
Building and Construction
Climate Change
Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Conservation
Customs
Economic Growth
Emergency Management and Recovery
Energy
Environment
Finance
Food Safety
Forestry
Housing
Hunting and Fishing
Immigration
Infrastructure
Internal Affairs
Local Government
Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti
Māori Development
Media and Communications
Oceans and Fisheries
Public Service and Digitising Government
Racing
Regional Development
Resources
Revenue
RMA Reform
Rural Communities
Science, Innovation and Technology
Small Business and Manufacturing
Social Development and Employment
South Island
Space
State Owned Enterprises
Statistics
Tertiary Education
Tourism and Hospitality
Trade and Investment
Transport
Workplace Relations and Safety
Timing#
Meets weekly in sitting weeks.
Cabinet Expenditure and Regulatory Review Committee (EXP)#
To:
- review significant expenditure, investment, and procurement proposals, including those with implications for the Budget.
- consider significant regulatory processes, systems, and proposals.
- consider strategic and policy matters relating to the public sector and government administration.
EXP will consider the outcomes of significant expenditure review and regulatory review programmes. Business as usual expenditure and regulatory issues will be considered at other relevant Cabinet committees.
Membership#
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Rt Hon Winston Peters
Hon Chris Bishop
Hon Shane Jones
Hon Erica Stanford
Hon Louise Upston
Hon Simon Watts
Hon Chris Penk
Hon Mike Butterick
Hon Mark Patterson
Hon David Seymour (Chair)
Hon Nicola Willis (Deputy Chair)
Hon Brooke van Velden
Hon Simeon Brown
Hon Paul Goldsmith
Hon Mark Mitchell
Hon Casey Costello
Hon Penny Simmonds
Hon Andrew Hoggard
Relevant Portfolios#
Corrections
Defence
Education
Finance
Health
Infrastructure
Internal Affairs
Land Information
Local Government
Police
Public Service and Digitising Government
Regulation
Revenue
RMA Reform
Social Development and Employment
Transport
Timing#
Meets in the first and third (where applicable) week of each Parliamentary sitting block.
Cabinet Foreign Policy and National Security Committee (FPS)#
- To consider matters relating to foreign policy and external relations.
- Oversight of the national security and intelligence sector, and to consider policy and legislative proposals relating to the sector, to significant hazards, and to defence (excluding defence procurement).
- To co-ordinate and direct national responses to major crises or circumstances affecting national security (either domestic or international).
FPS, or a subcommittee as determined by the Prime Minister, will have Power to Act where the need for urgent action and/or operational or security considerations require it.
Membership#
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Rt Hon Winston Peters (Chair)
Hon Todd McClay
Hon Chris Penk
Hon David Seymour
Hon Nicola Willis
Hon Mark Mitchell (Deputy Chair)
Hon Nicola Grigg
Relevant Portfolios#
Biosecurity
Climate Change
Customs
Defence
Emergency Management and Recovery
Foreign Affairs
GCSB and NZSIS
Health
Immigration
National Security and Intelligence
Police
Trade and Investment
Timing#
Meets in the second week of each Parliamentary sitting block, or as required.
Cabinet Legislation Committee (LEG)#
To consider the legislation programme, draft Bills and secondary legislation, and government responses to petitions, select committee reports, and Law Commission reports. LEG may also consider minor policy issues relating to these matters.
Government responses to significant select committee reports and Law Commission reports should be dealt with at a policy committee if they involve significant new policy or amendments to existing policy.
Membership#
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Rt Hon Winston Peters
Hon Brooke van Velden
Hon Louise Upston (Chair)
Hon Tama Potaka
Hon Casey Costello
Hon James Meager
Hon Cameron Brewer
Stuart Smith, MP (Senior National Whip)
Jamie Arbuckle, MP (New Zealand First Whip)
Hon David Seymour
Hon Chris Bishop
Hon Shane Jones
Hon Paul Goldsmith
Hon Simon Watts
Hon Nicole McKee
Hon Scott Simpson (Deputy Chair)
Hon Mike Butterick
Todd Stephenson, MP (ACT Whip)
Relevant Portfolios#
All Portfolios
Timing#
Meets weekly in sitting weeks.
Cabinet Social Outcomes Committee (SOU)#
To consider matters relating to improving social outcomes, including healthcare, social housing access, and law and order.
Membership#
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Rt Hon Winston Peters
Hon Chris Bishop
Hon Erica Stanford
Hon Louise Upston (Chair)
Hon Tama Potaka
Hon Casey Costello
Hon Penny Simmonds
Hon Scott Simpson
Hon David Seymour
Hon Nicola Willis
Hon Simeon Brown (Deputy Chair)
Hon Paul Goldsmith
Hon Mark Mitchell
Hon Nicole McKee
Hon Matt Doocey
Hon Nicola Grigg
Hon Karen Chhour
Relevant Portfolios#
ACC
Arts, Culture and Heritage
Child Poverty Reduction
Children
Community and Voluntary Sector
Corrections
Courts
Disability Issues
Education
Ethnic Communities
Health
Housing
Justice
Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti
Māori Development
Mental Health
Pacific Peoples
Police
Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence
Rural Communities
Seniors
Social Development and Employment
Social Investment
Sport and Recreation
Tertiary Education
Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
Veterans
Whānau Ora
Women
Youth
Timing#
Meets weekly in sitting weeks.
Cabinet Strategy Committee (STR)#
To:
- consider overall Government priorities and strategic issues;
- monitor the delivery and implementation of the Government’s work programme;
- consider significant issues and policy areas as determined by the Prime Minister or Cabinet. Detailed policy development and implementation aspects of these issues will be considered by the relevant policy committee once the strategic direction has been set.
Membership#
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon (Chair)
Rt Hon Winston Peters
Hon Chris Bishop
Hon Shane Jones
Hon Simeon Brown
Hon Louise Upston
Hon Todd McClay
Hon David Seymour (Deputy Chair)
Hon Nicola Willis
Hon Brooke van Velden
Hon Erica Stanford
Hon Paul Goldsmith
Hon Mark Mitchell
Hon Tama Potaka
Relevant Portfolios#
All portfolios
Timing#
Meets in the second week of each Parliamentary sitting block.