# 2026 Cabinet Committee Profile — Cabinet Strategy 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 Strategy Committee (STR)                   |
| **Chair**     | Hon Nicola Willis (National) — Minister of Finance |
| **Status**    | Standing Cabinet Committee                         |
| **Source**    | DPMC — cabinet committees page                     |

## Purpose and Terms of Reference

The Cabinet Strategy Committee considers:

- Government's strategic priorities and direction
- Long-term policy challenges and opportunities
- Cross-portfolio strategic coordination
- Future-focused policy development (e.g. demographic change, technology)
- Treaty settlement strategy
- Government's relationship with Māori
- Communications strategy and government messaging
- Major cross-government initiatives

## Members (Where Known)

| Member                    | Role                                     | Party    |
| ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | -------- |
| Hon Nicola Willis (Chair) | Minister of Finance                      | National |
| Hon Chris Bishop          | Leader of the House, Minister of Housing | National |
| Hon David Seymour         | Deputy PM, Minister for Regulation       | ACT      |
| Hon Winston Peters        | Minister for Foreign Affairs             | NZ First |
| Hon Louise Upston         | Minister for Social Development          | National |
| Hon Dr Simeon Brown       | Minister of Health                       | National |

_(Note: Full membership may vary. Committee typically includes most senior ministers.)_

## Why This Committee Matters to Seniors

This committee sets the **long-term strategic direction** for the government, including how it addresses demographic ageing:

| Policy Area                    | Senior Impact                                                 |
| ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Ageing population strategy** | Long-term planning for NZ Super sustainability, health demand |
| **Intergenerational equity**   | Decisions on whether current or future generations bear costs |
| **Health system strategy**     | Long-term health investment strategy affecting aged care      |
| **Housing strategy**           | Future housing supply, age-friendly design standards          |
| **Fiscal strategy**            | Long-term fiscal sustainability including NZ Super cost       |
| **Better Later Life strategy** | Cross-government seniors strategy oversight                   |
| **Climate adaptation**         | Impact on seniors vulnerable to climate change                |
| **Digital inclusion**          | Seniors' access to digital government services                |

## Decisions It Shapes

| Decision Type                       | Description                                           | Example                             |
| ----------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| **Government priorities**           | Which issues get strategic focus and resources        | Ageing population as priority?      |
| **Long-term fiscal strategy**       | 30-40 year projections affecting Super sustainability | Treasury Long-term Fiscal Statement |
| **Cross-government strategies**     | Better Later Life, Disability, Dementia strategies    | Strategy development and resourcing |
| **Major policy reviews**            | Reviews with long-term implications                   | NZ Super age review                 |
| **Coalition agreement commitments** | Strategic progress of coalition programme             | Seniors plan delivery timeline      |

## Documents to Monitor

| Document                                                     | Source             | Frequency                |
| ------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------ | ------------------------ |
| Cabinet Strategy papers                                      | DPMC / agencies    | As released              |
| Government Priorities document                               | DPMC / PM's office | Annual                   |
| Treasury Long-term Fiscal Statement                          | Treasury           | Every 4 years (due 2026) |
| Better Later Life strategy                                   | Office for Seniors | Periodic updates         |
| Treasury He Tirohanga Mokopuna (intergenerational wellbeing) | Treasury           | Periodic                 |
| Demographic projections                                      | Stats NZ           | Periodic                 |
| Coalition agreement review documents                         | DPMC               | Quarterly                |

## Business Implications

| Factor                                  | Implication                                                   |
| --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Ageing population as strategic priority | Government attention and resources directed to seniors issues |
| NZ Super long-term settings             | Certainty for retirement planning, financial services         |
| Health system strategy                  | Investment in aged care infrastructure, workforce             |
| Housing strategy                        | Age-friendly housing development, universal design standards  |
| Digital inclusion strategy              | Seniors' ability to access online services, market impacts    |
| Intergenerational equity framing        | Potential shift in public spending balance                    |

## Search Terms for Monitoring

```
"STR" site:dpmc.govt.nz
"Strategy Committee" site:beehive.govt.nz
"strategic priorities" site:dpmc.govt.nz
"ageing population" site:beehive.govt.nz
"Better Later Life" site:officeforseniors.govt.nz
"intergenerational" site:treasury.govt.nz
"long-term fiscal" site:treasury.govt.nz
```

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