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Minister of Finance (New Zealand)

The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister.

The Minister of Finance is responsible for producing an annual Budget outlining the government's proposed expenditure. The Minister of Finance also supervises the Treasury, which is the government's primary advisor on matters of economic and financial policy. As such, the Minister of Finance has broad control of the government's spending, making the position quite powerful.

Some analysts, such as Jonathan Boston, claim that the Minister of Finance can sometimes hold more influence than the Prime Minister, if the conditions are right. Gordon Coates, Finance Minister in the early 1930s, was sometimes such a figure. Some political scientists, such as Boston, believe that in the government of David Lange, Minister of Finance Roger Douglas held more power than was proper, and that the Treasury was using its control of government finances to take a supervisory role across the whole administration. It was probably for this reason that Lange's successor, Geoffrey Palmer, established the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, which could offer the Prime Minister advice independent of that given by individual ministers.

Historically, the Minister of Finance has often also served as the Deputy Prime Minister. In the MMP environment, however, there is a much greater chance of coalition governments, and this may require the role of Deputy Prime Minister to be given instead to leader of the junior party. This was the case between 1999 and 2002 - Jim Anderton, the leader of the Alliance (Labour's junior coalition partner) served as Deputy Prime Minister, while Labour's Michael Cullen served as Finance Minister. The present Minister of Finance, however, does indeed serve as Deputy Prime Minister.

After the 1996 elections, the role of the Minister of Finance was split between two portfolios - that of Minister of Finance and that of Treasurer. The position of Treasurer was senior to that of the Minister of Finance, and was created as part of the coalition agreement between the National Party and New Zealand First. It was established especially for Winston Peters, leader of New Zealand First, who demanded it as part of the deal. When Peters ended the coalition, the position reverted to the National Party, and after the change of government in 1999, it was reincorporated into the old Minister of Finance portfolio.

The current Minister of Finance is Michael Cullen. There are also two Associate Minister roles. They are currently held by Trevor Mallard and David Cunliffe.

The following is a partial listing of New Zealand's past Finance Ministers. (Gaps still exist in this list, and it does not cover ministers serving before 1912. Also, some dates may be incorrect.)

Name PM served Took Office Left Office Party

William Hall-Jones (himself) June 1906 August 1906 Liberal

Joseph Ward (himself) August 1906 March 1912 Liberal

Thomas MacKenzie (himself) March 1912 July 1912 Liberal

James Allen Massey July 1912 August 1915 Reform

Joseph Ward, 2nd time Massey August 1915 August 1919 Liberal

James Allen, 2nd time Massey August 1919 April 1920 Reform

Incomplete

William Downie Stewart Coates 1926 December 1928 Reform

Joseph Ward, 3rd time (himself) December 1928 May 1930 Liberal

George William Forbes (himself) May 1930 September 1931 Liberal

William Downie Stewart, 2nd time Forbes September 1931 January 1933 Reform

Gordon Coates Forbes January 1933 December 1935 Reform

Walter Nash Savage, Fraser December 1935 December 1949 Labour

Sidney Holland (himself) December 1949 November 1954 National

Jack Watts Holland, Holyoake November 1954 December 1957 National

Arnold Nordmeyer Nash December 1957 December 1960 Labour

Harry Lake Holyoake December 1960 March 1967 National

Robert Muldoon Holyoake, Marshall March 1967 December 1972 National

Bill Rowling Kirk December 1972 August 1974 Labour

Bob Tizard Rowling August 1974 December 1975 Labour

Robert Muldoon, 2nd time (himself) December 1975 July 1984 National

Roger Douglas Lange July 1984 July 1989 Labour

David Caygill Lange, Palmer, Moore July 1989 November 1990 Labour

Ruth Richardson Bolger November 1990 November 1993 National

Bill Birch Bolger November 1993 December 1996 National

Bill Birch Treasurer: Winston Peters Bolger, Shipley December 1996 August 1998 National

Bill Birch Treasurer: (himself) Shipley August 1998 January 1999 National

Bill English Treasurer: Bill Birch Shipley January 1999 June 1999 National

Bill Birch Treasurer: Bill English Shipley June 1999 November 1999 National

Michael Cullen Clark November 1999 (present) Labour

External Link

New Zealand Treasury