Independent ministerial oversight of accident rehabilitation and compensation began late in 1991. Prior to this accident and workers compensation was a non portfolio responsibility of the Minister of Labour from the inception of workers compensation in 1922 and for accident compensation from 1974.

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Specific ministerial oversight of adult and community education followed Labours 1999 election commitments to foster lifelong learning. Prior to this adult and community education fell under a mixture of other jurisdictions - Education, Social Welfare, Internal affairs and this form of education was undertaken by schools and community agencies.

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Advertising and promoting immigration to New Zealand formed part of the portfolio responsibilities of the Prime Minister between 1909 and 1912 . Prior to 1909 advertising was the preserve of the Tourist and Health Resorts department and formed part of that portfolio but when the Tourist and Health Resorts Department joined with the Department of Agriculture in 1909, it confined its advertising to matters of tourism and the advertising responsibility was passed to the Prime Minister. After 1912, the ministerial responsibility for advertising was held by the Minister also filling the Internal Affairs portfolio. In 1940 when the advertising function passed wholly to the Department of Internal Affairs, the responsibility became part of the Minister of Internal affairs portfolio responsibilities.

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This ministerial responsibility was to protect and provide oversight for the government's investment in the defence and retention of the America's Cup in New Zealand and the foreign investment which it attracted to New Zealand.

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Archives New Zealand reported to its own minister from its establishment as a freestanding department in 2000 - prior to that it formed part of the ministerial responsibility of the Minister of Internal Affairs.

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Ministerial oversight began with the passing of the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council Act 1974.

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The Attorney General was a ministerial post as well as a jurisdiction.

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Increasing transport, power and communication issues led to this portfolio responsibility to highlight any areas where Auckland issues differed in scale or content from issues for other areas of New Zealand.

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Following the 1912 Public Service Commission it was decided their should be ministerial oversight over the government audit service. However as the Auditor General was an independent officer of government who reported directly to the Governor General there would be no actual ministerial control over the decisions and findings of the auditors.

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Separate ministerial oversight for biosecurity arose from an increase in major biosecurity incursions into the New Zealand environment which required large scale outlay of resources and cooperation between all 4 affected government agencies.

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Oversight of the Board of Trade was part of the Minister of Industries and Commerce role apart from this brief period in the 1920's. It is unknown why this ministerial role was separated out for this period. It followed the provisions of the Board of Trade Act 1923 being ascribed directly to the Minister of Industries and Commerce.

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A porfolio responsibility for Building issues was established in 2005 following reform of the Housing and Building sector. These reforms, at least partially, were initiated in response to various housing issues that arisen over the proceeding decade including the "leaky homes" contoversy. The portfolio was renamed Building and Construction in December 2006.

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This portfolio was focussed on encouraging investment in business and the development of a wider base of successful business ventures through training and mentoring of business people.

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Although the administrative structure placed Child Welfare under Education for this period, a separate non portfolio ministerial responsibility for child welfare existed throughout this whole period.

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New Zealand was invited by the United States to participate in the Chicago Convention of 1944 which established the manner in which International Aviation was conducted in the postwar period.

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The portfolio responsibilty for Civil Defence dates from the Muldoon government of 1975 following the passing of the Civil Defence Act 1975 which made civil defence a mandatory function of both regional and united councils.

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New Zealand became a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change on 22 May 1998. The protocol was ratified by Parliament on 19 December 2002 and subsequently a Minister appointed to be responsible for Climate Change issues.

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This portfolio dates from the start of responsible government in 1854 although an elected Colonial Treasurer did not take up the position until 1856 due to Governor Wynyard awaiting instructions from the Colonial Secretary agreeing to the granting of ministerial responsibility outside of the Executive Council

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The Commerce portfolio was responsible for the formulation of policy and regulations related to commerce and economic development, as well as administration and enforcement responsibilities of various related Acts. It was also responsible for six crown entities.

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With the sale of Telecom New Zealand Ltd (a state owned enterprise) to private hands in 1990, a separate portfolio was needed to oversee the new companies use of the communication resource and the continued service requirements of the public ( known as the Kiwishare)

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The convergence of the communications and information technology disciplines with the advent of the digital age resulted in a combination of the two portfolios.

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A change in the direction of government thinking about its relationship to the community and voluntary sector led to the introduction of this portfolio. This coincided with the advent of the International Year of Volunteers.

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As a safeguard for the public, following a general move to removing tariffs and subsidies throughout the New Zealand economy, a separate portfolio for Consumer Affairs was established.

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The Contact Energy responsibility resulted from the division of the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand( ECNZ) into ECNZ and Contact Energy Ltd (a state owned enterprise) in 1996.

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This portfolio was established as a result of the dissolution of the Department of Justice in October 1995 and the establishment of the Department of Corrections as a separate entity. Increased and appropriate ministerial oversight of this government function was given as a major reason for the change.

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This portfolio was established as a result of the dissolution of the Department of Justice and the establishment of the Department for Courts as a separate entity in July 1995. Following a review of the entire justice function, closer ministerial oversight of courts administration was felt to be necessary

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The portfolio responsibility for Crown Health Enterprises developed from the establishment of 23 Crown Health Enterprises as Limited Liability Companies under the Health and Disability Services Act 1993.

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It is unclear why the portfolio of Crown Law was separated out from Attorney General for this period.

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The governments approach to public sector science was radically reformed in the early 1990's and on 1 July 1992 10 Crown Research Institutes were established. This ministerial responsibility developed from this reform.

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Ministerial responsibility was established with the appointment of a Commissioner of Customs by the Governor under the Customs Regulations Act 1858. The first commissioner was appoointed in 1859. This followed the release of Customs from control by the English Treasury with the beginning of responsible government in 1856.

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The Economic Development portfolio was responsible for matters relating to the economic development of New Zealand, covering areas such as tourism, energy, information and communications technologies, business and consumer law, and the business sector generally. It was also responsible for the activities of the Ministry of Economic Development.

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This jurisdiction consists of schools, colleges, polytechnics, universities, wananga and other institutions that have been responsible for the delivery of education in New Zealand.

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A Minister-in-Charge was made accountable for the newly established State Hydro-electric Department in 1946, and the administration of the Electricity Act. In 1958, the Electricity Amendment Act established the Electricity portfolio, with a minister being charged with the administration of the Act and the Electricity Department.

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The portfolio formerly known as Colonial Treasurer was renamed Minister of Finance in 1907 showing the evolving relationship of the New Zealand government to the British Colonial office.

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A Minister was responsible for the administration of the Government Life Insurance Department/Office/Corporation from 1902 to 1987.

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This portfolio responsibility largely resulted from the amalgamation of the responsibilties of Public Health and Hospitals and Charitable Aid which occurred in 1907. Reflecting the change in focus to a more all encompassing portfolio of Health did not occur until 1925 although the Department of Health was formed five years earlier.

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This portfolio arose at a time when the government was becoming increasingly involved in the care of the indigent poor. Hospitals and charitable aid institutions were run by Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards regulated by the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act 1885 but by 1896 it was decided more formal government oversight was required through the establishment of this portfolio.

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In 1994 control of government computer development and investment moved from the public to the private sector with the sale of Government Computing Services Ltd. A separate portfolio responsibility was established to watch over government expenditure in this area.

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With the amalgamation of the Land and Income Tax Departments and the Stamp Duties Office under the auspices of the Inland Revenue Department Act 1952, the title of the portfolio and its responsibilities were changed.

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Those areas of Government that were the responsibility of the Colonial Secretary or, from 1907, the Minister of Internal Affairs.

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