The Minister for Rail, formerly the Minister of Railways, is a minister in the New Zealand Government. The minister is responsible for KiwiRail, the state-owned enterprise that operates the national rail network and the Interislander ferry service. The position was recreated in 2024 after a twenty-year period in abeyance.
The current Minister for Rail is Winston Peters.
History
The position of Minister of Railways was created in 1895 to oversee the New Zealand Railways Department fifteen years after the department was formed. The minister's purview shifted to the New Zealand Railways Corporation in 1981 and gained New Zealand Rail Limited in 1990. The railway network was privatised in 1993 and the portfolio was disestablished.
The rail network came back into public ownership in 2008 (see KiwiRail) but separate ministerial responsibility for rail was not restored until 2024. Until that time, the Minister of State Owned Enterprises and Minister of Transport were the shareholding ministers for KiwiRail.
Office-holders
The following MPs have held the office of Minister for Rail:
- Key
Liberal Reform United Labour National New Zealand First
See also
- Rail transport in New Zealand
References
Further reading
