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Story: Cabinet government

Secret cabinet agenda

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Secret cabinet agenda

In keeping with the convention of confidentiality which governs all cabinet discussions, this apparently innocuous cabinet agenda for one of the first meetings of a new National cabinet, on 22 December 1949, is marked 'secret'. Confidentiality allows ministers to speak freely and engage in robust debate until they reach a decision on a matter. It is one of the cornerstones of cabinet collective responsibility.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: AAFD 807 Box 2 item d record CM (1949) 4

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Chris Eichbaum, Cabinet government – Collective responsibility, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/34357/secret-cabinet-agenda (accessed 3 June 2026).

Story by Chris Eichbaum, published 23 March 2012.