UNCLASSIFIED
New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
195 Lambton Quay
18 February 2025
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
T +64 4 439 8000
F +64 4 472 9596
John Luke
OIA 29919
[FYI request #29934 email]
Tēnā koe John Luke
Thank you for your email of 30 January 2025 in which you request the following under
the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA):
“I noted Gazette notice 2024-go6586 and that the terms and conditions on the
Gazette website state "All notices submitted must have a legislative requirement to
be published in the New Zealand Gazette".
Could you please provide me with the legislative requirements relating to
publishing Gazette notices for the appointment of Officers of the Government of the
Ross Dependency. If there are none, please provide me with any advice given to
the Minister of Foreign Affairs or the Governor-General relating to publishing
Gazette notices for the appointment of Officers of the Government of the Ross
Dependency.”
Background
Officers of the Ross Dependency are appointed by the Governor-General (who is also the
Governor of the Ross Dependency), pursuant to the Ross Dependency Regulations 1923.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs advises the Governor-General to sign a warrant
appointing specific persons as Officers.
Response to your request
The Cabinet Office sets out guidance on appointments made by the Governor-General
outside Executive Council here:
https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/appointments-
made-governor-general. This describes that once the appointment has been signed by
the Governor-General and counter-signed by the Minister, a Gazette notice (if required)
must be published, and a letter of appointment must be sent to the appointee.
This is a unique process and therefore is not described in the Cabinet Manual 1.50 linked
below, however this is consistent with Cabinet Manual direction for transparency and
public interest reasons
: https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-business-units/cabinet-
office/supporting-work-cabinet/cabinet-manual/1-sovereign-governor-general-and-
executive-council/gazetting-and-entry-
UNCLASSIFIED
Page 2 of 2
force#:~:text=Accordingly%2C%20Orders%20in%20Council%20must,official%20journa
l%20of%20the%20government.
Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official
information requests where possible. Therefore, our response to your request (with your
personal information removed) may be published on the Ministry website:
www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/contact-us/official-information-act-responses/
If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at:
[email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman of this decision by contacting
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone
0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Sarah Corbett
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Document Outline