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The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (abbr. MBIE; Māori: Hīkina Whakatutuki) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with "delivering policy, services, advice and regulation" which contribute to New Zealand's economic productivity and business growth.[6]

Quick Facts Agency overview, Formed ...
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Hīkina Whakatutuki (Māori)
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Agency overview
Formed2012
Preceding agencies
JurisdictionNew Zealand
HeadquartersDefence House, 15 Stout St,
Wellington
WELLINGTON 6011
Annual budgetTotal budgets for 2019/20[1]
Vote Business, Science and Innovation
Increase$3,851,912,000
Vote Building and Construction
Decrease$112,438,000
Vote Labour Market
Increase$2,040,966,000
Minister responsible
Agency executive
  • Carolyn Tremain
    Secretary for Business, Innovation and Employment[3]
Child agencies
Websitembie.govt.nz
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The MBIE head office on Stout Street, Wellington (the former Defence House)

History

Formed on 1 July 2012, MBIE is a merger of the Department of Building and Housing (DBH), the Department of Labour (DoL), the Ministry of Economic Development (MED), and the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI).[7]

The Ministry was responsible for the Pike River Recovery Agency from 31 January 2018 to 1 July 2022.[8]

In October 2018, the newly created Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assumed several of MBIE's housing policy, funding and regulatory functions including the KiwiBuild programme, the Community Housing Regulatory Authority, and administration of funding for the HomeStart, Welcome Home Loans, the legacy Social Housing Fund and Community Group Housing programmes.[9]

On 14 July 2020, the Ministry assumed responsibility for running the New Zealand Government's COVID-19 managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) programme.[10] The last four MIQ facilities closed in June 2022.[11][12]

In October 2023, RNZ reported that MBIE had a secret intelligence unit focusing on immigration, intelligence and operational matters. It drew criticism from the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand for using tools from Israeli surveillance firm Cobwebs Technologies to scour the social media accounts of prospective immigrants.[13] In April 2024, the Ministry chose not to renew its contract with Cobwebs for undisclosed reasons.[14]

By April 2024, MBIE had laid off 286 employees as part of Government cost cutting measures in the public sector. 111 resigned in the first wave of voluntary redundancies while 175 full-time roles were disestablished between December 2023 and March 2024.[15]

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Structure

Senior Leadership[16]

  • Chief Executive and Secretary (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment)
    • Deputy Secretary – Immigration
    • Deputy Secretary – Digital, Data and Insights
    • Deputy Secretary – Building, Resources and Markets
    • Deputy Secretary – Labour, Science and Enterprise
    • Deputy Secretary – Te Waka Pūtahitanga
    • Deputy Secretary – Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
    • Deputy Secretary – Corporate Services, Finance and Enablement
    • Head of Kānoa – Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit
    • Chief Advisor to the Secretary
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Operational functions

The Ministry manages a number of operational services, including:[6]

  • Building Practitioners Board
  • Building Systems Performance
  • Business.govt.nz
  • CERT NZ
  • Companies Office, which also manages registers for:
  • Consumer Protection (formerly the Ministry of Consumer Affairs)
  • Electrical Workers Registration Board
  • Employment New Zealand
  • Government procurement[17]
  • Immigration Advisers Authority
  • Immigration New Zealand
  • Insolvency and Trustee Service
  • Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand[4]
  • Major events
  • Māori Economic Development, including partnership with the independent Māori Economic Development Panel and partnering in He kai kei aku ringa (HKKAR[18] – providing the food you need with your own hands) – the Māori Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan[19]
  • "MI": a secret intelligence unit focusing on immigration, intelligence and operational matters.[13]
  • Motor Vehicle Traders Register
  • New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals
  • Natural Hazards Research Platform (NHRP)[20]
  • New Zealand Cycle Trail
  • New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals
  • New Zealand Space Agency[5]
  • Personal Property Securities Register
  • Provincial Growth Fund
  • Radio Spectrum Management
  • Registrar of Unions
  • Resolution Services
  • Standards New Zealand
  • State Housing Appeals Authority
  • Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF)[21]
  • Tenancy Services
  • Trading Services
  • Vision Mātauranga (indigenous knowledge policy)[22]
  • Weathertight Services
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Monitoring functions

The ministry is the monitor of the following Crown entities, Crown research institutes, statutory boards and non-listed companies.[23]

More information Name, Entity type ...
Name Entity type
Accident Compensation Corporation Crown entity
Accreditation Council Crown entity
AgResearch Limited Crown research institute
Building Practitioners Board Statutory body
Callaghan Innovation Crown entity
Chartered Professional Engineers Council Statutory body
Commerce Commission Independent Crown entity
Crown Infrastructure Partners Limited Public Finance Act 1989 Schedule 4A non-listed company
Education New Zealand Crown entity
Electrical Workers Registration Board Statutory body
Electricity Authority Independent Crown entity
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Crown entity
Engineering Associates Registration Board Statutory body
Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited Crown research institute
External Reporting Board Independent Crown entity
Financial Markets Authority Crown entity
Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science Limited (GNS Science) Crown research institute
Landcare Research New Zealand Limited (Manaaki Whenua) Crown research institute
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Limited (NIWA) Crown research institute
New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited Crown research institute
New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited (Scion) Crown research institute
New Zealand Registered Architects Board Statutory body
New Zealand Tourism Board Crown entity
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Crown entity
New Zealand Growth Capital Partners (formerly New Zealand Venture Investment Fund) Crown entity company
Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board Statutory body
REANNZ (Research & Education Advanced Network NZ Ltd) Crown entity
Takeovers Panel Independent Crown entity
Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission Crown entity
Tertiary Education Commission Crown entity
WorkSafe New Zealand Crown entity
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Ministers

The Ministry serves 19 portfolios, 16 ministers and 2 parliamentary under-secretaries.[24]

More information Officeholder, Portfolios ...
OfficeholderPortfoliosOther responsibilities
Hon Melissa LeeLead Minister (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment)
Minister for Economic Development
Associate Minister for ACC
Hon Nicola WillisMinister for the Public Service
Hon Chris BishopMinister of Housing
Minister for Infrastructure
Hon Simeon BrownMinister for Energy
Minister for Auckland
Hon Erica StanfordMinister of Immigration
Hon Paul Goldsmith Minister for Media and Communications
Hon Louise UpstonMinister for Social Development and Employment
Hon Judith CollinsMinister of Science, Innovation and Technology
Minister for Space
Hon Matt Doocey Minister for ACC
Minister for Tourism and Hospitality
Hon Penny Simmonds Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
Hon Chris PenkMinister for Building and Construction Associate Minister of Immigration
Hon Andrew Bayly Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing
Hon Brooke van VeldenMinister for Workplace Relations and Safety
Hon Shane Jones Minister for Regional Development
Minister for Resources
Associate Minister for Energy
Hon Casey CostelloAssociate Minister of Immigration
Hon Mark Patterson Associate Minister for Regional Development
Simon Court Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Infrastructure
Jenny Marcroft Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Media and Communications
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References

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