Hon Paul Goldsmith
Minister of Justice

Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

“Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks.

“He is the currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020.

“Formerly, he worked as the Deputy Solicitor-General at Crown Law and was also the first national Director of the Public Defence Service.

“I am very grateful to Mr Horsley for his willingness to contribute his significant expertise to this task.”

The Inspector-General of Defence is a statutory office, established to provide independent oversight of the New Zealand Defence Force. The role was set up in response to a recommendation from the Inquiry into Operation Burnham.

The functions of the Inspector-General are to investigate incidents that occur in the course of activities of the Defence Force, and to assess and identify potential improvements to Defence Force policies and procedures.

Notes:

• Mr Horsley’s appointment will run from 26 January 2025 to 30 November 2025.
• Mr Horsley will hold the IGD role concurrently with his role as Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security as an interim measure.

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