Minister of Local Government (New Zealand)

The Minister of Local Government is a minister in the New Zealand Government with responsibility for supporting and overseeing New Zealand's local government system.

Minister of Local Government
Coat of Arms of New Zealand
Flag of New Zealand
Incumbent Simon Watts since 24 January 2025
Local Government Commission
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	9 February 1972
First holder	Allan Highet
Salary	$288,900[1]
Website	www.beehive.govt.nz

The current minister is Simon Watts.

History

The position also has a role supporting the relationship between central government and local government, oversight of the Local Government Commission, and acts as the territorial authority for the 11 islands that are not part of a local authority's district and as the harbour authority for Lake Taupō.

The portfolio was established in 1972, prior to which, local government had been within the purview of the Minister of Internal Affairs. Notwithstanding the separation of those responsibilities, the offices of Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister of Local Government were held by the same person for the first twelve years that a separate local government portfolio existed. The Minister of Local Government is still supported by the Department of Internal Affairs.

List of ministers

The following ministers have held the office of Minister of Local Government.^[2]

Key

  Labour   National   Mauri Pacific   Alliance   ACT

No.		Name	Portrait	Term of office		Prime Minister
	1	Allan Highet		9 February 1972	8 December 1972		Marshall
	2	Henry May		25 November 1972	29 November 1975		Kirk
							Rowling
	(1)	Allan Highet		29 November 1975	26 July 1984		Muldoon
	3	Michael Bassett		26 July 1984	9 February 1990		Lange
							Palmer
	4	Philip Woollaston		9 February 1990	2 November 1990
							Moore
	5	Warren Cooper		2 November 1990	2 March 1994		Bolger
	5	John Banks		2 March 1994	16 December 1996
	6	Christine Fletcher		16 December 1996	12 September 1997
	7	Maurice Williamson		12 September 1997	31 August 1998
	8	Tony Ryall		31 August 1998	9 August 1999
							Shipley
	9	Jack Elder		9 August 1999	10 December 1999
	10	Sandra Lee		10 December 1999	15 August 2002		Clark
	11	Chris Carter		15 August 2002	19 October 2005
	12	Mark Burton		19 October 2005	5 November 2007
	13	Nanaia Mahuta		5 November 2007	19 November 2008
	14	Rodney Hide		19 November 2008	14 December 2011		Key
	15	Nick Smith		14 December 2011	3 August 2012
	16	David Carter		3 August 2012	31 January 2013
	17	Chris Tremain		31 January 2013	28 January 2014
	18	Paula Bennett		28 January 2014	14 December 2015
	19	Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga		14 December 2015	20 December 2016
	20	Anne Tolley		20 December 2016	26 October 2017		English
	(13)	Nanaia Mahuta		26 October 2017	1 February 2023		Ardern
							Hipkins
	21	Kieran McAnulty		1 February 2023	27 November 2023
	22	Simeon Brown		27 November 2023	24 January 2025		Luxon
	23	Simon Watts		24 January 2025	present

See also

• Minister of Internal Affairs (New Zealand)