# Portfolio Profile — Commerce and Consumer Affairs **Portfolio:** Commerce and Consumer Affairs **Current Minister:** Hon Cameron Brewer (National) **File location:** `04_Ministers_and_Portfolios/2026 Portfolio Profile - Commerce and Consumer Affairs.md` **Last updated:** 7 June 2026 --- ## Current Minister - **Name:** Hon Cameron Brewer - **Party:** National - **Electorate:** List MP (based in Auckland/Canterbury) - **Ministerial title:** Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs - **Additional portfolios:** Nil specific — Commerce and Consumer Affairs is a stand-alone portfolio - **Political alignment:** National Party. Commerce portfolio covers market regulation, consumer protection, and business oversight. - **Background:** First elected 2023. Former business owner and local government politician (Auckland Council). Known for expertise in commerce and consumer issues. Also serves as Chair of the Finance and Expenditure Committee (as a backbencher — in NZ parliamentary practice, chairs are often not ministers). ## Associate Ministers No dedicated Associate Minister for Commerce and Consumer Affairs. ## Departments and Agencies Involved | Agency | Role | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)** — Commerce and Consumer branches | Policy advice, regulation, enforcement | | **Consumer NZ** | Independent consumer advocacy and testing — statutory role | | **Commerce Commission** | Competition law enforcement, consumer protection, market regulation | | **Financial Markets Authority (FMA)** | Financial services regulation, KiwiSaver oversight | | **Retirement Commissioner** | Retirement village regulation oversight, financial capability | | **Takeovers Panel** | Corporate takeovers regulation | | **NZ Companies Office** | Business registration and compliance | | **Insolvency and Trustee Service** | Personal bankruptcy, No Asset Procedure — affected older people | | **Financial Services Complaints Ltd** | Banking and insurance dispute resolution | | **Banking Ombudsman Scheme** | Banking complaints — older people affected | --- ## Why This Portfolio Matters to Older New Zealanders Commerce and Consumer Affairs is **directly relevant to older people's financial security and consumer rights**: - **Retirement village regulation** — The Retirement Villages Act 2003 sits within this portfolio. Consumer protections for older people in retirement villages are a key concern - **Consumer NZ oversight** — Consumer NZ provides independent testing, advocacy, and information — important for older people making purchasing decisions - **Fair Trading Act 1986** — Protects against misleading conduct, scams targeting older people, false advertising of products for seniors - **ORA consumer protections** — "Older persons' rights and advice" consumer protections in financial products - **Financial services regulation** — Banking, insurance, and KiwiSaver products used by older people - **Scams and fraud** — Older people disproportionately targeted by scams; consumer protections critical - **Funeral and cremation services regulation** — Consumer protections for end-of-life services - **Financial capability** — Retirement Commissioner promotes financial literacy for older people - **Product safety** — Safety regulations for products used by older people (walking aids, mobility scooters, home care products) - **Insurance contracts** — Older people face age-related insurance issues (travel insurance, health insurance, life insurance) --- ## Portfolio Responsibilities 1. **Retirement Villages Act 2003** — Oversight of RV regulation, statutory supervision, complaints 2. **Consumer law** — Fair Trading Act, Consumer Guarantees Act — protection for older consumers 3. **Commerce Commission** — Competition, consumer enforcement, market studies 4. **Financial Markets Authority** — Financial services regulation, KiwiSaver oversight 5. **Retirement Commissioner** — Statutory independence, financial capability promotion 6. **Consumer NZ** — Statutory entity, funding and oversight 7. **Product safety** — Regulation of product standards, recalls 8. **Scams and financial fraud** — Consumer protection against scams targeting older people 9. **Insurance regulation** — Insurance contracts, consumer protections 10. **Banking regulation** — Bank conduct, complaints, access to banking for older people 11. **Insolvency and bankruptcy** — Personal insolvency affecting older people 12. **Funeral industry regulation** — Consumer protections for funeral services --- ## Related Legislation | Legislation | Relevance | | -------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Retirement Villages Act 2003** | Key statute for retirement village consumer protections | | **Fair Trading Act 1986** | Misleading conduct, scams, false advertising — protects older consumers | | **Consumer Guarantees Act 1993** | Product quality, repairs, refunds for goods and services | | **Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013** | KiwiSaver, financial products, managed funds | | **Insurance Contracts Act** (proposed) | Insurance law reform — age-related insurance issues | | **Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003** | Lending, loan protections — older people targeted by predatory lending | | **Personal Property Securities Act 1999** | Secured transactions — affects reverse mortgages, equity release | | **Insolvency Act 2006** | Bankruptcy/No Asset Procedure — affects older people | | **Commerce Act 1986** | Competition law — market power affecting prices for older consumers | | **Privacy Act 2020** | Data protection — scams and identity theft affecting older people | | **Building Act 2004** (linked) | Product safety for building products used in homes | --- ## Related Agencies | Agency | Role in Seniors Ecosystem | | ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | | **MBIE** | Commerce policy, RV regulation, consumer protection | | **Commerce Commission** | Enforcement of consumer law, market studies (RVs, insurance) | | **Financial Markets Authority** | KiwiSaver oversight, financial product regulation | | **Consumer NZ** | Testing, advocacy, information for older consumers | | **Retirement Commission** | RV complaints, resident information, financial capability | | **Banking Ombudsman** | Banking complaints from older people | | **Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman** | Insurance complaints | | **NZ Police (Financial Crime)** | Scams and fraud against older people | | **Age Concern NZ** | Advocacy for older consumers, scam awareness | | **Citizens Advice Bureau** | Consumer advice for older people | | **Community Law** | Consumer legal advice for older people | --- ## Current Policy Activity (as of June 2026) | Activity | Status | Notes | | ------------------------------ | -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | | Retirement Villages Act reform | Active — legislative | RV Act review and amendment — major reform | | Consumer law review | Ongoing | Fair Trading Act and Consumer Guarantees Act modernisation | | Insurance contract law reform | In progress | Law Commission proposals — unfair terms, age discrimination | | Scam awareness programme | Active | Government campaign targeting older people | | Financial capability strategy | Ongoing | Retirement Commissioner's financial literacy programme | | KiwiSaver settings review | Underway | Default funds, fees, contribution rates | | Banking conduct review | Active | Bank treatment of vulnerable customers (including older people) | | Reverse mortgage regulation | Under review | Consumer protections for equity release products | | Funeral costs transparency | Being developed | Consumer information for funeral services | | Product safety | Ongoing | Standards for products used by older and disabled people | --- ## Political Risk / Opportunity ### Opportunities - **Retirement Villages Act reform** — A landmark reform that directly benefits older people — high political impact - **Scam prevention** — Visible, popular campaign that protects older people - **Financial capability** — Promoting financial literacy for older people is low-cost, high-value - **Insurance discrimination** — Banning age-related insurance discrimination is popular - **Consumer protection** — Strengthening Fair Trading Act for vulnerable consumers helps older people - **Banking access** — Ensuring older people can access banking services (branches, digital, telephone) ### Risks - **RV Act reform complexity** — Getting reform wrong could leave gaps in older resident protections - **Consumer law enforcement** — If Commerce Commission under-resourced, older people unprotected - **Scams increasing** — If scam rates rise despite campaigns, government criticised for inaction - **Financial advice quality** — Older people receiving poor financial advice - **Bank branch closures** — Older people losing access to local banking services - **Insurance affordability** — Older people's insurance premiums rising significantly - **Funeral industry complaints** — Consumer complaints about funeral pricing and practices --- ## Cross-Links to KB Folders | KB Folder | Link | | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `03_Retirement_Villages` | ALL files — RV Act, complaints, consumer protections for RV residents | | `13_Consumer_Guides` | Consumer NZ information, buying guides for older people | | `06_Legal_and_Financial_Planning` | Consumer law, banking, insurance, financial capability | | `05_Funding_and_Subsidies` | KiwiSaver, financial products for older people | | `08_Elder_Abuse_and_Advocacy` | Financial abuse, scams — consumer protections | | `11_Market_and_Industry_Reports` | RV sector reports, insurance market | | `07_Dementia_and_Health` | Product safety for mobility aids, home health products | | `01_Government_Policy` | Consumer policy, RV Act reform | --- ## Key Sources to Monitor - **beehive.govt.nz** — Minister Brewer's commerce and consumer press releases - **mbie.govt.nz** — Commerce policy, retirement village regulation - **comcom.govt.nz** — Commerce Commission enforcement, market studies - **fma.govt.nz** — Financial markets regulation - **consumernz.org** — Consumer advocacy, product testing - **retirement.govt.nz** — Retirement Commission, RV information - **bankomb.org.nz** — Banking complaints - **parliament.nz** — Commerce and consumer select committee inquiries - **ageconcern.org.nz** — Older consumer advocacy --- _Part of the NZ Seniors Knowledge Base — Political & Campaign Intelligence layer_ _Next review: September 2026 (or after Cabinet reshuffle)_