Minister for Digitising Government

The Minister for Digitising Government is a minister in the New Zealand Government with responsibilities including the delivery of the government's digital strategy, digital services delivery, and digital modernisation. The portfolio is supported by the Department of Internal Affairs and the Public Service Commission.^[1]

Minister for Digitising Government
Coat of arms of New Zealand
Flag of New Zealand
Incumbent Judith Collins since 27 November 2023
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Department of Internal Affairs 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	6 November 2020
First holder	David Clark
Website	Official website

The present minister is Judith Collins.^[2]

History

Standalone ministerial responsibility for government digital services was created in October 2017 under the Sixth Labour Government. Clare Curran, the inaugural Minister for Government Digital Services, was also appointed Minister of Broadcasting, Communications, and Digital Media and Associate Minister of State Services. The portfolio's responsibilities then included the delivery of the government's digital strategy and digital government services, including the Digital Inclusion Blueprint and work relating to digital identity, and the Government Chief Digital Officer (previously the Government Chief Information Officer).^[3] Oversight of Government information technology was previously a responsibility of the Minister of Internal Affairs.^[4]

In November 2020, the beginning of the Labour government's second term, the position was combined with aspects of the Broadcasting, Communications, and Digital Media portfolio and retitled as the Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications (the remainder of that portfolio became the Minister of Broadcasting and Media).^[5] The purpose of the Digital Economy and Communications portfolio was to simplify and streamline digital workstreams across the New Zealand government, as well as to regulate the telecommunications and postal sectors, broadband infrastructure, and the radio spectrum.^[6][7] Those regulatory functions had previously been under the Minister of Communications and Information Technology. In this version of the role, the minister shared responsibility for cyber security matters with the minister responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau.^[8] Former Minister of Internal Affairs Peter Dunne said the position was "extremely important... given New Zealand’s position as one of the world's most digitally advanced governments."^[5]

The portfolio was retitled with a refocused set of responsibilities for a third time after the 2023 general election. The communications-related responsibilities were assigned to the Minister for Media and Communications. Today, the portfolio's focus is digital strategy and service delivery. The minister is responsible for the Digital Executive Board, which "leads a whole-of-system approach to transform digital public services for New Zealand."^[9]

List of ministers

Key

  Labour   National

No.		Name	Portrait	Term of Office		Prime Minister
Minister for Government Digital Services
	1	Clare Curran		26 October 2017	24 August 2018		Ardern
	2	Megan Woods		24 August 2018	28 June 2019
	3	Kris Faafoi		28 June 2019	6 November 2020
Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications
	3	David Clark		6 November 2020	1 February 2023		Ardern
							Hipkins
	4	Ginny Andersen		1 February 2023	27 November 2023
Minister for Digitising Government
	5	Judith Collins		27 November 2023	present		Luxon