| Agency Name: | Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
| Formed: | 2012 |
| Preceding1: | Department of Building and Housing |
| Preceding2: | Department of Labour |
| Preceding3: | Ministry of Economic Development |
| Preceding4: | Ministry of Science and Innovation |
| Jurisdiction: | New Zealand |
| Headquarters: | Defence House, 15 Stout St, Wellington WELLINGTON 6011 |
| Budget: | Total budgets for 2019/20[1] Vote Business, Science and Innovation $3,851,912,000 Vote Building and Construction $112,438,000 Vote Labour Market $2,040,966,000 |
| Minister1 Name: | Hon Melissa Lee Minister for Economic Development[2] |
| Child1 Agency: | Immigration New Zealand[3] |
| Child2 Agency: | New Zealand Space Agency[4] |
| Chief1 Name: | Carolyn Tremain Secretary for Business, Innovation and Employment[5] |
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE; Maori: Hīkina Whakatutuki) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with "delivering policy, services, advice and regulation" which contribute to New Zealand's economic productivity and business growth.[6]
Formed on 1 July 2012, MBIE is a merger of the Department of Building and Housing (DBH), the Department of Labour (DoL), the Ministry of Economic Development (MED), and the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI).[7]
The Ministry was responsible for the Pike River Recovery Agency from 31 January 2018 to 1 July 2022.[8]
In October 2018, the newly created Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assumed several of MBIE's housing policy, funding and regulatory functions including the KiwiBuild programme, the Community Housing Regulatory Authority, and administration of funding for the HomeStart, Welcome Home Loans, the legacy Social Housing Fund and Community Group Housing programmes.[9]
On 14 July 2020, the Ministry assumed responsibility for running the New Zealand Government's COVID-19 managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) programme.[10] The last four MIQ facilities closed in June 2022.[11] [12]
In October 2023, RNZ reported that MBIE had a secret intelligence unit focusing on immigration, intelligence and operational matters. It drew criticism from the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand for using tools from Israeli surveillance firm Cobwebs Technologies to scour the social media accounts of prospective immigrants.[13] In April 2024, the Ministry chose not to renew its contract with Cobwebs for undisclosed reasons.[14]
By April 2024, MBIE had laid off 286 employees as part of Government cost cutting measures in the public sector. 111 resigned in the first wave of voluntary redundancies while 175 full-time roles were disestablished between December 2023 and March 2024.[15]
Senior Leadership[16]
The Ministry manages a number of operational services, including:
The ministry is the monitor of the following Crown entities, Crown research institutes, statutory boards and non-listed companies.[23]
| Accident Compensation Corporation | Crown entity | |
| Accreditation Council | Crown entity | |
| AgResearch Limited | Crown research institute | |
| Building Practitioners Board | Statutory body | |
| Callaghan Innovation | Crown entity | |
| Chartered Professional Engineers Council | Statutory body | |
| Commerce Commission | Independent Crown entity | |
| Crown Infrastructure Partners Limited | Public Finance Act 1989 Schedule 4A non-listed company | |
| Education New Zealand | Crown entity | |
| Electrical Workers Registration Board | Statutory body | |
| Electricity Authority | Independent Crown entity | |
| Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority | Crown entity | |
| Engineering Associates Registration Board | Statutory body | |
| Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited | Crown research institute | |
| External Reporting Board | Independent Crown entity | |
| Financial Markets Authority | Crown entity | |
| Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science Limited (GNS Science) | Crown research institute | |
| Landcare Research New Zealand Limited (Manaaki Whenua) | Crown research institute | |
| National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Limited (NIWA) | Crown research institute | |
| New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited | Crown research institute | |
| New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited (Scion) | Crown research institute | |
| New Zealand Registered Architects Board | Statutory body | |
| New Zealand Tourism Board | Crown entity | |
| New Zealand Trade and Enterprise | Crown entity | |
| New Zealand Growth Capital Partners (formerly New Zealand Venture Investment Fund) | Crown entity company | |
| Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board | Statutory body | |
| REANNZ (Research & Education Advanced Network NZ Ltd) | Crown entity | |
| Takeovers Panel | Independent Crown entity | |
| Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission | Crown entity | |
| Tertiary Education Commission | Crown entity | |
| WorkSafe New Zealand | Crown entity |
The Ministry serves 20 portfolios and 15 ministers.[24]
| Officeholder | Portfolios | Other responsibilities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead Minister (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) Minister for Economic Development | Associate Minister for ACC | ||
| Minister for the Public Service | |||
| Minister of Housing Minister for Infrastructure | |||
| Minister for Energy Minister for Auckland | |||
| Minister of Immigration | |||
| Minister for Social Development and Employment | |||
| Hon Judith Collins | Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Minister for Space | ||
| Hon Matt Doocey | Minister for ACC Minister for Tourism and Hospitality | ||
| Hon Penny Simmonds | Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment | ||
| Hon Chris Penk | Minister for Building and Construction Minister of Tourism | Associate Minister of Immigration | |
| Hon Andrew Bayly | Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing | ||
| Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety | |||
| Hon Mark Mitchell | Minister for Emergency Management | ||
| Hon Shane Jones | Minister for Regional Development Minister for Resources | Associate Minister for Energy | |
| Associate Minister of Immigration |