Minister for Infrastructure (New Zealand)

The Minister for Infrastructure is a ministerial post created in November 2008 by the New Zealand Government, in accordance with the National party's pre-election policy.^[1]

Minister for Infrastructure
Incumbent Chris Bishop since 27 November 2023
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	19 November 2008
First holder	Bill English

Conception

National leader Don Brash announced his intention to create the office on 18 August 2005 in the campaign for the 2005 New Zealand general election. He cited the rewriting of the Resource Management Act 1991–which he described as a "major impediment" to fast decisions– as a major task for the future minister,^[2] who would also work with ministers in the areas of transport, energy, communications, building and the environment.^[3] The creation of the portfolio was one of the National Party's election pledges for the 2005 general election.^[4]

History

The Minister of Infrastructure post was tipped by some media for Steven Joyce but was given to Bill English,^[5][6] who held the position for the first term of the Fifth National Government of New Zealand, and was sworn in on 19 November 2008.^[7] Joyce was appointed Associate Minister.^[8] The portfolio was absorbed into the Minister of Finance portfolio on 14 December 2011 ^[9] as Key formed his Cabinet after the 2011 New Zealand general election.^[10][11]

The position was re-created on 20 December 2016, when Prime Minister Bill English named his Cabinet on 18 December 2016. Steven Joyce was named to the post, as well as Minister of Finance.^[12]

List of ministers

Key

  National   NZ First   Labour

No.		Name	Portrait	Term of office		Prime Minister
	1	Bill English		19 November 2008	14 December 2011		Key
Absorbed into the Minister of Finance portfolio
	2	Steven Joyce		20 December 2016	26 October 2017		English
	3	Shane Jones		26 October 2017	6 November 2020		Ardern
	4	Grant Robertson		6 November 2020	1 February 2023
							Hipkins
	5	Megan Woods		1 February 2023	27 November 2023
	6	Chris Bishop		27 November 2023	present		Luxon

References

• Infrastructure Briefing for the Incoming Minister, 2008

1. Withers, Tracy (16 November 2008). "Key Names English to New Zealand Infrastructure Role". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
2. "Government all talk on climate change, Brash says". The New Zealand Herald. 5 July 2006. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
3. New Zealand Press Association (18 August 2005). "Nats plan 'infrastructure minister'". The New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
4. New Zealand Press Association (5 September 2005). "Nats confirm Auckland roading pledge". The New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
5. "Major reforms in first 100 days". The Press. Fairfax New Zealand. 9 November 2008. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012.
6. "Fibre-to-the-home still on agenda". Fairfax New Zealand. 24 November 2008. Archived from the original on 26 November 2013.
7. New Zealand Press Association (19 November 2008). "John Key and ministers sworn in". 3 News. MediaWorks New Zealand. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
8. Dann, Liam (9 August 2011). "Private capital needed to bridge the infrastructure gap". The New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
9. Hartevelt, John (15 December 2011). "Ministers sworn in, a cuppa, then back to work". Fairfax New Zealand. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012.
10. Romanos, Amelia (12 December 2011). "Boost for women in new Cabinet". The New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
11. "Parata big winner in Cabinet reshuffle". The Dominion Post. Fairfax New Zealand. 12 December 2011. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012.
12. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)