Short answers, pulled from the story.
James Allen became the first New Zealand foreign minister when he was appointed to the post of Minister of External Affairs by William Massey in 1919. Before this time there was no dedicated ministerial portfolio for foreign relations.
The title changed to Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1970 after the Department was renamed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The portfolio was called External Affairs until that year due to deference to British Government responsibility for conducting foreign policy on behalf of the British Empire and later the Commonwealth of Nations.
Thirteen prime ministers have held the portfolio including Peter Fraser Walter Nash Keith Holyoake David Lange and Mike Moore. These transitions demonstrate how the foreign affairs portfolio serves as a training ground for national leadership.
Keith Holyoake held the post for the duration of his 11-year premiership making him the longest-serving official. Don McKinnon served from the 2nd of November 1990 to the 10th of December 1999 spanning nearly nine years and holds the record for the longest-serving who was not also prime minister.
Winston Peters has held multiple terms including periods between 2005 and 2008 and again starting in 2017. He also served briefly in late 2023 alongside other ministers like Nanaia Mahuta who held office from the 6th of November 2020 to the 11th of November 2023.