New Zealand’s CAG Begins Seven-Year Term

Martin Matthews began his seven-year term as New Zealand’s Controller and Auditor-General on February 1, 2017. Matthews, who has worked in public service for more than 36 years, joined the Audit Office in 1979, where he spent his first 18 years holding various portfolios and reaching the role of Assistant Auditor-General from 1990 to 1998.

He has also held the positions of Chief Executive of the Ministry of Culture and Heritage; Secretary for Transport; and Chief Executive of the Ministry of Transport. Matthews was the select committee’s advisor on the Public Finance Act 1989 and led much of the policy design work for the Public Audit Act 2001, which establish the principal functions and duties of the Controller and Auditor-General and include (1) ensuring the office carries out its obligation to conduct audits of public sector bodies, and report to Parliament on the results of those audits; and (2) ensuring the efficient, effective and economical management of the Office of the Auditor-General.

Matthews is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, New Zealand Institute of Management, New Zealand Institute of Chartered Logistics and Transport, and Companion of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Engineers.