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4.1 This chapter covers: the role of the Attorney-General, including the law officer role; the relationship between Ministers and the judiciary; litigation involving Ministers, including judicial review and proceedings taken by or against a Minister…

General 4.2 The Attorney-General is the principal legal adviser (the “senior law officer”) to the government. The Attorney-General is a Minister and almost always a member of Cabinet. In Cabinet and Cabinet committee meetings, the Attorney-General gives…

4.12 The separation of the Executive and the judiciary under New Zealand's system of government means that Ministers must exercise judgement before commenting on matters before the courts or judicial decisions, whether generally, or in relation to the…

4.17 Cabinet Office Circular CO (16) 2 Cabinet Directions for the Conduct of Crown Legal Business is available on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet's website . These directions set out the processes to be followed when: Ministers seek legal…

Judicial review 4.19 “Judicial review” is the review by a Judge of the High Court of any exercise of, or non-exercise of, a decision-making power in order to determine whether or not the decision was lawful or valid. Most formal decisions taken by the…

General 4.62 Legal advice in departmental documents and Cabinet papers should be protected from disclosure in a manner consistent with the law. The guidance in paragraphs 4.63 - 4.72 sets out the required approach to the release of legal advice. Guidance…

General 4.74 This guidance provides information on the different types of inquiry, and the principles that apply to their establishment. 4.75 Statutory inquiries, non-statutory ministerial inquiries, and standing statutory bodies with powers of inquiry…

5.1 This chapter covers: Cabinet and Cabinet committees; the main principles and procedures governing decision-making by Ministers in the Cabinet and Cabinet committee system; the roles of the Secretary of the Cabinet and the Cabinet Office.

5.2 Cabinet is the central decision-making body of executive government. It is a collective forum for Ministers to decide significant government issues and to keep colleagues informed of matters of public interest and controversy. 5.3 Cabinet is central…

5.6 Cabinet committees provide the forum for detailed consideration and discussion of issues before their reference to Cabinet, with officials available to assist Ministers if the committee wishes. Almost all matters are considered first by one or more…

Information about the membership and terms of reference of Cabinet committees, any coalition or other agreements between political parties, and Cabinet Office circulars is available on the website of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, dpmc.…

Speeches concerning the Governor-General's role during transitions and government formation are available on the Governor-General's website, gg.govt.nz . Detailed guidance for public servants during elections can be found on the Public Service Commission…

7.146 A senior court may declare that an Act is inconsistent with rights set out in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 in a way that has not been justified in a free and democratic society. The Human Rights Review Tribunal may issue an equivalent…

The Protective Security Requirements set out the Government's expectations for managing personnel, physical, and information security. They set out what agencies must consider to ensure that they are managing protective security effectively. They are…

Published in 2023 by the Cabinet Office, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand © Crown Copyright This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. In essence, you…

This page contains the text of a speech given by Michael Webster, former Secretary of the Cabinet and Clerk of the Executive Council, to the Institute of Public Administration New Zealand   in August 2017. It provides a history of the New Zealand Cabinet…

General 6.21 On occasion, it is necessary for a government to remain in office on an interim basis, when it has lost the confidence of the House or, after an election, until a new ministry is appointed following the government formation process. During…

The Kāpuia Pānui newsletter was a regular digest of information of interest to Kāpuia members. Kāpuia members typically received these Pānui via email in between their scheduled hui meetings. Kāpuia Pānui 2023 30 June 2023   16 June 2023   30 May 2023  …

The Cabinet Office is a ‘government secretariat’ that provides impartial support to central government decision-making processes. This section includes: the role of Cabinet and the Executive Council Ministerial portfolios the functions of the Cabinet…

The Health and Disability Review Transition Unit (Transition Unit) was established by Cabinet in September 2020 following consideration of the Health and Disability System Review / Hauora Manaaki Ki Aotearoa Whānui (the Review). The Transition Unit led…

The New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration:, Captain Matthew Gordon Carey, (For security reasons relating to the New Zealand Defence Force the identity of the recipient was not made public until 8 March 2023.) For services to the New Zealand Defence…

The aim of the RCOI response is for a diverse, inclusive, and safe Aotearoa New Zealand. The Government has agreed to a set of principles to guide the response to the report, ko to tatau kainga tenei. The principles of the response are: Te Tiriti o…

The COVID-19 Group in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet played an important role in ensuring a coordinated all of government response to COVID-19. You can find more information about the history of the COVID-19 Group in DPMC here . The…

To be a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:, HARCOURT, Ms Miranda Catherine Millais, ONZM, For services to the screen industry and theatre Ms Miranda Harcourt has made award-winning contributions to the theatre and screen industries as an…

To be a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:, BLOOMFIELD, Dr Ashley Robin, For services to public health Dr Ashley Bloomfield was the Director-General of Health from 2018 until 2022 and led the health sector and the successful management of…

To be a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:, BARNETT, Mr Michael Francis, ONZM, For services to business Mr Michael Barnett has been Chief Executive of the Auckland Business Chamber since 1988 and is Director of the 30 New Zealand Chambers of…

To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:, A'COURT, Ms Michèle Edith, For services to the entertainment and comedy industries Ms Michèle A’Court is a multi-award-winning New Zealand comedian who has performed for 30 years nationally and…

To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:, AHMED, Dr Hafsa, For services to ethnic communities and women Dr Hafsa Ahmed has held board positions in different organisations in the not-for-profit sector over the past decade and is co-founder and…

To be a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order:, DOBSON, Mr John Robert, For services to people with disabilities Mr John Dobson has been a driving force behind Life Unlimited, originally the Disabled Living Centre (Waikato) Trust, as a founding Trustee…

The Queen’s Service Medal:, BAKER-WENLEY, Mrs Naomi Ruth, For services to opera Mrs Naomi Baker-Wenley has been contributing to opera in New Zealand for several decades. Mrs Baker-Wenley founded the Hawke’s Bay Opera in 1986, holding positions of…