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Thursday, September 18, 2025

David Farrar: A blueprint for better Government


The NZ Initiative has put out a great report proposing a much more efficient structure for both Cabinet and the wider Executive.

NZ currently has 81 ministerial portfolios, 28 ministers and 43 executive agencies. By comparison Ireland has 15 Ministers and 18 departments.

The Initiative propose a Cabinet of 15 Ministers, being:
  1. Prime Minister
  2. Finance
  3. Defence and Security
  4. Foreign Affairs and Trade
  5. Home Affairs
  6. Māori Development and Crown Relations
  7. Public Service
  8. Environment and Conservation
  9. Justice and Law
  10. Health and Wellbeing
  11. Education and Skills
  12. Social Development
  13. Built Environment
  14. Commerce
  15. Primary Industries
Incidentally I proposed a similar structure of 12 Ministers back in 2011. Fairly similar groupings but I couldn’t resist Department of Administrative Affairs instead of Home Affairs. Yes Minister fans will know why.

They also propose a rationalisation of the 43 agencies to 20 departments, being:
  1. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
  2. Ministry of Finance
  3. New Zealand Revenue and Customs
  4. Ministry of Defence and Security
  5. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  6. Department of Home Affairs
  7. Ministry for Communities
  8. Ministry of Māori Development and Crown Relations
  9. Public Service Commission
  10. Ministry of Environment and Conservation
  11. Ministry of Justice and Law
  12. Department of the Attorney General
  13. Ministry of Health and Wellbeing
  14. Ministry of Education and Skills
  15. Ministry of Social Development
  16. Ministry of Local Government, Housing and Regional Development
  17. Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport
  18. Ministry of Commerce
  19. Ministry of Energy and Resources
  20. Ministry for Primary Industries
15 Cabinet Ministers, 20 portfolios and 20 departments or ministries. It would not just be more efficient, but it would be far far more effective.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Sounds good, expect for Ministry of māori Development and Crown Relations.
You want a beater Government yet want to keep a race based ministry?

September 18, 2025 at 8:37 AM

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