Chris Carter is a New Zealand politician and a member of Cabinet. He currently serves as Minister of Conservation, Minister of Local Government, and Minister of Ethnic Affairs. He is the member of parliament for the Te Atatu electorate.

Before becoming a Member of Parliament, Chris worked as a secondary school teacher. He holds a Masters Degree in History (with Honours) and a teaching qualification.

Chris was a very successful poultry farmer for many years before entering Parliament. He and his partner bred and sold pedigree chicken. His efforts in this area were recognised when he was appointed as the Government Representative to the New Zealand Poultry Board and a Director of the New Zealand Egg Marketing Corporation between 1986-1990. He was also a Member of the Film and Video Board of Review between 1990 and 1993. He is a Justice of the Peace.

Chris Carter was elected as the Labour MP for Te Atatu in 1993. During his first term, he served as the Labour Spokesperson on Ethnic Affairs and a Member of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee. In the 1999 General Election, Chris contested the newly re-formed seat of Te Atatu and won with a 9,262 majority.

In 2002 Chris won in Te Atatu and was honoured to be elected by the Labour caucus into Cabinet. He is currently the Minister for Conservation; Local Government; and Ethnic Affairs. During the first term of the 5th Labour led Government, he was the Junior Labour Whip and Deputy Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee. He also chaired the Labour Caucus Foreign Affairs and Immigration Committees. As a Member of Parliament from a very diverse urban constituency, Chris maintains a keen interest in ethnic affairs, immigration, international relations, and global security issues.

He was notable in for being the first openly homosexual person ever appointed as a New Zealand cabinet minister. He has been a strong advocate of homosexual rights since the early 1970s and was instrumental in the formation of Rainbow Labour, the Labour Party's gay, lesbian and transgender branch, and has continued this role since entering parliament. Chris lives in Te Atatu South with his partner of 29 years, Peter Kaiser, who is a school principal.