The Minister of Health, formerly styled Minister of Public Health, is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the

New Zealand Ministry of Health The Ministry of Health ( Māori: ''Manatū Hauora'') is the public service department of New Zealand responsible for healthcare in New Zealand. It came into existence in its current form in 1993. History Origins The Ministry of Health's orig ...

and Te Whatu Ora—Health New Zealand. The current Minister of Health is Labour Party MP Andrew Little.

History

The first Minister of Public Health was appointed in 1900, during the premiership of

Richard Seddon Richard John Seddon (22 June 1845 – 10 June 1906) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 15th premier (prime minister) of New Zealand from 1893 until his death. In office for thirteen years, he is to date New Zealand's longest-se ...

. The word "Public" was dropped from the title when Sir

Māui Pōmare Sir Māui Wiremu Pita Naera Pōmare (1875 or 1876 – 27 June 1930) was a New Zealand doctor and politician, being counted among the more prominent Māori political figures. He is particularly known for his efforts to improve Māori health and ...

took over the portfolio from 27 June 1923, as simply "Minister of Health". In the health system reforms of the 1980s, the Department of Health lost responsibility for both the provision and funding of healthcare – these roles were transferred to separate Crown Health Enterprises (the precursors to today's District Health Boards) and the

Health Funding Authority The Health Funding Authority, now defunct, was a New Zealand government entity responsible for funding of public health care in New Zealand between 1997 and 2001. It was formed from the merger of the four Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) as part ...

, respectively. The only function remaining was policy-making (resulting in the department being renamed a Ministry). For a time, there was a separate Minister in Charge of Crown Health Enterprises, who was not necessarily the same as the Minister of Health. Further reforms have changed this, however – the Health Funding Authority has been re-absorbed into the Ministry of Health, and the modern District Health Boards, while not part of the Ministry, are considered a responsibility of the Minister of Health. In July 2022, on the passing of the

Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 The Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 is a New Zealand Act of Parliament that replaces the district health board system with a national public health service called Health New Zealand. It also establishes a separate Māori Health Authority (M ...

, District Health Boards were disestablished and the provision and funding of healthcare was centralised under Health New Zealand.

List of Health Ministers

;Key

References

External links

New Zealand Ministry of Health
{{DEFAULTSORT:Minister of Health (New Zealand)

Health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organ ...

Political office-holders in New Zealand New Zeal