OIA22-0256
30 June 2022
John Luke
[FYI request #18736 email]
Dear John Luke
Thank you for your email of 1 March 2022 requesting information relating to vacant
ministerial appointments. Your request has been considered under the Of icial Information
Act 1982 (OIA).
On 29 March 2022 the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) extended the time limit to
respond to your request to 27 April 2022. I recognise that MPI did not respond to your
request by this date and we should have done a better job of keeping you updated on the
status of your request. Requests such as yours require consultation with a wide range of
teams across MPI and our extension underestimated the time it would take to carry out the
consultation for your request. I apologise for any inconvenience caused by the delay.
I wil address each part of your request in turn:
I would like to request a list of vacancy (ministerial appointment only, e.g. board member,
Lay member, Trustee etc) that the nomination period has been closed but stil under
consideration by the MPI or relevant Minister.
In your list, can you please include the date that vacancy been advertised, what method you
have used to publicly advertise the position and when the vacancy been closed as well.
The Chair role for the National Animal Welfare Advisory Commit ee (NAWAC) is currently under
consideration. This appointment was advertised on the MPI Careers Website,
Careers at MPI | NZ
Government, on 19 April 2022. The nomination period closed on 29 April 2022.
In addition to the Chair, one regular commit ee member role on NAWAC requiring expertise in
environmental and conservation management, is currently under consideration. This appointment
was advertised on the MPI Careers Website,
Careers at MPI | NZ Government, on 23 March 2022.
The nomination period closed on 6 April 2022.
Two roles on the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) are currently under
consideration. One requires expertise in animal welfare advocacy, and the other requires expertise
in the commercial use of animals in research, testing and teaching. These appointments were
advertised on the MPI Careers Website,
Careers at MPI | NZ Government, on 23 March 2022. The
nomination period closed on 6 April 2022.
As of 28 June 2022, there are no other positions currently under consideration by MPI’s ministers
or MPI.
Charles Fergusson Building, 34-38 Bowen Street
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140, New Zealand
mpi.govt.nz
Also, I would like to know if you have any future opening in 2022. e.g. the position that wil call for
nomination in the year of 2022 or in the process of obtaining Minster approval to start the
recruitment process.
There are two Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust roles, one New
Zealand Dairy Core Database Access Panel role and one Veterinary Council of New Zealand role
up for reappointment in the second half of 2022. The recruitment processes for these positions
have not yet been initiated. For the New Zealand Walking Access Commission, the terms of two
Board members and the Chair are finishing towards the end of this year. MPI will seek ministerial
approval on a recruitment approach soon.
Assuming there are no resignations, MPI expects no additional vacancies on the other boards or
committees where it supports Ministers with appointments for the remainder of 2022.
In terms of 2022 recruitment, MPI wil start the recruitment process for two positions on the New
Zealand Horticulture Export Authority Board in August 2022. This process will identify candidates
to fill two positions which are coming up for reappointment in 2023.
Many of the boards to which Ministers make appointments are governed by primary legislation.
The recruitment process for each board differs depending on the requirements of the relevant act.
For example, section 13 of the Pork Industry Board Act 1997 requires the New Zealand Pork Board
(NZPB) to provide a list of suitably qualified candidates to the appointing Minister. The list must
include female candidates among other requirements. The Minister may only appoint a candidate
to the NZPB that has been provided in that list.
Many ministerial appointments require industry specific technical knowledge and vacancies are not
always listed publicly. Where applicable, MPI initiates the recruitment process when an appointee’s
term is due to expire. MPI consults with a wide range of bodies including the Ministry for Women,
Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry for Ethnic Communities and the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, to ensure
there is a diverse range of suitably qualified candidates. MPI also consults with and sources
candidates from appropriate private sector bodies. As part of the recruitment process, MPI
undertakes background checks on candidates to ensure they are suitably qualified and that
conflicts of interest are identified and appropriately managed. The Minister is then provided with
appropriate information on a range of candidates to inform the decision on the appointment.
I trust the information provided is of assistance. Should you have any concerns with this
response, I would encourage you to raise these with the Ministry for Primary Industries at
[email address]. Alternatively, you are advised of your right to also raise
any concerns with the Of ice of the Ombudsman. Contact details are: Office of the
Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143 or at
[email address].
Yours sincerely
Alastair Cameron
Director Primary Sector Policy
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