The Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT) is a public service department of New Zealand. It was established on 1 July 2026 through an amalgamation of the Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Ministry of Transport, and the local government functions of the Department of Internal Affairs.
History The Ministry was announced in December 2025 as a new agency that replaces the Ministry for the Environment, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, and the Ministry of Transport, and takes the local government functions from the Department of Internal Affairs. A paper taken to Cabinet by public service minister Judith Collins and RMA reform minister Chris Bishop that month noted that the new agency will reduce fragmentation, "provide joined-up advice to solve problems, with a regional focus" and "strengthen performance monitoring across interdependent systems."
Jeremy Lightfoot was named the inaugural chief executive on 1 April 2026, the same day that the Ministry was formally created by an amendment to the schedule of agencies in the Public Service Act 2020. The Ministry became fully operational on 1 July 2026.
Ministers The Ministry was formed through an amalgamation of these current ministerial portfolios. Officeholder Portfolios Other responsibilities Hon Chris Bishop Minister for HousingMinister for TransportMinister Responsible for RMA Reform Hon Tama Potaka Associate Minister for Housing Hon Simon Watts Minister for Local Government Minister for Climate Change Hon Nicola Grigg Minister for the Environment Hon Andrew Hoggard Associate Minister for the Environment Hon James Meager Associate Minister for Transport
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