Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage


The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for arts, culture, heritage, and broadcasting, and is in charge of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. The position was established in 1975 as Minister for the Arts.
The present Minister is Jacinda Ardern, the current Prime Minister and leader the Labour Party.

History

The Third National Government of New Zealand established a ministerial portfolio with responsibility for the arts at its election in 1975. This reflected a growing interest of the Government in the cultural sector. The name of the portfolio changed to "Minister for Arts and Culture" in 1987. During this period, the portfolio was serviced by the Department of Internal Affairs.
A separate portfolio, Minister responsible for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, was established in 1987. This was held first by Jonathan Hunt and subsequently by Margaret Austin before being subsumed back into the responsibilities of the Minister for Arts and Culture.
A standalone agency, the Ministry for Cultural Affairs, was established by the Fourth National Government in 1991, which necessitated the change of title to "Minister for Cultural Affairs." With the creation of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage in 1999, which brought together cultural and heritage responsibilities in the same agency, the portfolio title changed to match its department. The present name was adopted in November 1999 at the election of the Fifth Labour Government.

List of Ministers

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List of Associate Ministers

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appointed two Associate Ministers: