Minister of Electricity (New Zealand)

The Minister of Electricity was a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the New Zealand Electricity Department.

History edit

The First Labour Government enacted the Electricity Act 1945 which split the hydro-electric branch of the Works Department would be constituted as a separate organisation. Additionally a Minister-in-Charge was to be made responsible for the administration of both the Act and the newly established State Hydro-electric Department.[1] In 1958 the Second Labour Government passed the Electricity Amendment Act which established a dedicated Electricity portfolio as a full cabinet level role, whose minister was responsible for the administration of the Electricity Act and accountability for the New Zealand Electricity Department (superseding the State Hydro-electric Department). In 1978 the Electricity portfolio was abolished and its responsibilities were transferred to the Minister of Energy after the Third National Government passed the Ministry of Energy Act 1977.

List of ministers edit

The following ministers held the office of Minister of Electricity.[2]

Key

  Labour   National

No. Name Portrait Term of Office Prime Minister
1 Bob Semple   7 December 1945 13 December 1949 Fraser
2 Stan Goosman   13 December 1949 12 December 1957 Holland
Holyoake
3 Hugh Watt   12 December 1957 12 December 1960 Nash
(2) Stan Goosman   12 December 1960 20 December 1963 Holyoake
4 Tom Shand   20 December 1963 11 December 1969
5 Percy Allen   11 December 1969 9 February 1972
6 Les Gandar   9 February 1972 8 December 1972 Marshall
7 Tom McGuigan   8 December 1972 10 September 1974 Kirk
8 Ron Bailey   10 September 1974 12 December 1975 Rowling
9 Eric Holland   12 December 1975 8 March 1977 Muldoon
10 George Gair   8 March 1977 6 October 1977

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ "New Department - Hydro-Electricity". Auckland Star. Vol. LXXVI, no. 284. 30 November 1945. p. 8. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  2. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 89–95.

References edit

  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.