# 2026 Cabinet Committee Profile — Cabinet Foreign Policy and National Security Committee

| Field              | Detail                                 |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------- |
| **Type**           | Cabinet Committee Profile              |
| **Status**         | Final                                  |
| **Date**           | June 2026                              |
| **Classification** | Neutral business/campaign intelligence |

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## Committee Details

| Attribute     | Detail                                                       |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Full Name** | Cabinet Foreign Policy and National Security Committee (FNC) |
| **Chair**     | Rt Hon Christopher Luxon (National) — Prime Minister         |
| **Status**    | Standing Cabinet Committee                                   |
| **Source**    | DPMC — cabinet committees page                               |

## Purpose and Terms of Reference

The Cabinet Foreign Policy and National Security Committee considers:

- Foreign policy and diplomatic strategy
- National security and intelligence
- Defence policy and military deployments
- Trade negotiations and international treaties
- Counter-terrorism and cyber security
- Emergency management and civil defence
- Border security and immigration
- International development assistance
- Pacific partnerships

## Members (Where Known)

| Member                           | Role                                 | Party    |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ | -------- |
| Rt Hon Christopher Luxon (Chair) | Prime Minister                       | National |
| Hon Winston Peters               | Minister of Foreign Affairs          | NZ First |
| Hon Nicola Willis                | Minister of Finance                  | National |
| Hon Chris Bishop                 | Leader of the House                  | National |
| Hon Judith Collins               | Attorney-General                     | National |
| Hon Mark Mitchell                | Minister of Defence                  | National |
| Hon Dr Simeon Brown              | Minister of Health (health security) | National |
| Hon Chris Penk                   | Minister for Emergency Management    | National |

_(Note: Full membership includes intelligence and defence leadership.)_

## Why This Committee Matters to Seniors

While primarily about foreign affairs and security, this committee makes decisions that affect seniors:

| Policy Area                          | Senior Impact                                                          |
| ------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Emergency management**             | Seniors are most vulnerable in natural disasters, pandemics            |
| **Pandemic preparedness**            | Seniors disproportionately affected by COVID-19-type events            |
| **Health security**                  | Border health measures affecting seniors                               |
| **Cyber security**                   | Seniors are targets of online scams, financial fraud                   |
| **Immigration policy**               | Family reunification affecting seniors wanting to join family overseas |
| **Pacific health**                   | Health support for Pacific nations with ageing populations             |
| **Veterans' affairs**                | Foreign policy affecting veteran health and support                    |
| **International seniors agreements** | Reciprocal health and superannuation agreements                        |

## Decisions It Shapes

| Decision Type                       | Description                                           | Example                                  |
| ----------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| **Emergency response plans**        | Civil defence arrangements for vulnerable populations | Evacuation plans for retirement villages |
| **Pandemic health measures**        | Border controls, vaccine strategy                     | COVID-19 response affecting aged care    |
| **Cyber security strategy**         | Scam prevention, online safety for seniors            | CERT NZ elder fraud initiatives          |
| **Immigration settings**            | Visa policies for seniors                             | Parent visa category changes             |
| **International health agreements** | Reciprocal health with other countries                | UK/NZ Reciprocal Health Agreement        |
| **NZ superannuation portability**   | Payment of Super to NZers living overseas             | SuperGold Card overseas recognition      |

## Documents to Monitor

| Document                                 | Source              | Frequency    |
| ---------------------------------------- | ------------------- | ------------ |
| National Security Strategy               | DPMC                | Periodic     |
| Civil Defence Emergency Management plans | NEMA                | As updated   |
| Intelligence and Security reports        | Various             | As released  |
| Defence White Paper                      | Ministry of Defence | Periodic     |
| Immigration policy statements            | MBIE                | As announced |
| International treaties                   | MFAT                | As signed    |

## Business Implications

| Factor                         | Implication                                                                    |
| ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Cyber security regulation      | May impose new requirements on aged care/village operators for data protection |
| Emergency management standards | Retirement villages may face new civil defence requirements                    |
| Immigration policy             | Access to overseas care workers; visa costs for aged care workforce            |
| Trade agreements               | May affect aged care equipment imports, pharmaceuticals                        |
| Pandemic planning              | Business continuity requirements for aged care providers                       |

## Search Terms for Monitoring

```
"FNC" site:dpmc.govt.nz
"national security" site:dpmc.govt.nz
"emergency management" seniors site:beehive.govt.nz
"cyber" seniors site:beehive.govt.nz
"civil defence" "retirement village" site:beehive.govt.nz
"pandemic" "aged care" site:beehive.govt.nz
```

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_Part of the NZ Seniors Knowledge Base — Political & Campaign Intelligence layer_
_Last updated: June 2026_