Prime Minister of New Zealand

The Prime Minister of New Zealand is most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand.

The role of the Prime Minister is not formally defined, being based on constitutional convention rather than specific legislation. According to these conventions, the Prime Minister is leader of Cabinet (itself a body existing by convention), and takes a coordinating role.

The Prime Minister is regarded by convention as "first among equals" - he or she does indeed hold the most senior post in the administration, but is also required to adhere to any decisions taken by Cabinet. The actual ability of a Prime Minister to give direct orders is surprisingly limited - most of the position's power comes about through other means, such as:

The ability to set the Cabinet agenda, thereby controlling what issues will be discussed.
The ability to appoint and dismiss ministers. The extent to which this power can be exercised varies between different parties - for example, the Labour Party places most of this responsibility in the hands of the Caucus, leaving the Prime Minister only with the power to choose which portfolios a minister is given.
The influence a Prime Minister is likely to have as leader of the dominant party - these powers may give him or her more direct control over subordinates than is attached to the Prime Minister's role itself.
The power gained simply from being central to most significant decision-making, and from being able to comment and criticise any decisions taken by other ministers.

The Prime Minister also has the ability to call elections by notifying the Governor-General.

By convention, the Prime Minister is the leader of the party or coalition of parties which has the most seats in the houses of the Parliament. There is also a Deputy Prime Minister, who may or may not be from the same party.

Prime Minister became the official term for the leader of the New Zealand Government in 1893. Before 1893 leaders were called Premier of New Zealand.

Thirty-seven people have held the office since it was established. Some of these people have held it on several different occasions, with the record for maximum number of times being shared between William Fox and Harry Atkinson (both of whom served four times). The longest that anyone has served in the office is thirteen years, a record set by Richard Seddon. The first holder of the office, Henry Sewell, led the country for the shortest total time; his only term lasted only thirteen days (the shortest term actually belonged to Harry Atkinson, whose third term lasted only seven days, but Atkinson served longer than Sewell in total).

Name Took Office Left Office Party

1 Henry Sewell 7 May 1856 20 May 1856 None

2 William Fox 20 May 1856 2 June 1856 None

3 Edward Stafford 2 June 1856 12 July 1861 None

William Fox, 2nd time 12 July 1861 6 August 1862 None

4 Alfred Domett 6 August 1862 30 October 1863 None

5 Frederick Whitaker 30 October 1863 24 November 1864 None

6 Frederick Weld 24 November 1864 16 October 1865 None

Edward Stafford, 2nd time 16 October 1865 28 June 1869 None

William Fox, 3rd time 28 June 1869 10 September 1872 None

Edward Stafford, 3rd time 10 September 1872 11 October 1872 None

7 George Waterhouse 11 October 1872 3 March 1873 None

William Fox, 4th time 3 March 1873 8 April 1873 None

8 Julius Vogel 8 April 1873 6 July 1875 None

9 Daniel Pollen 6 July 1875 15 February 1876 None

Julius Vogel, 2nd time 15 February 1876 1 September 1876 None

10 Harry Atkinson 1 September 1876 13 October 1877 None

11 George Grey 13 October 1877 8 October 1879 None

12 John Hall 8 October 1879 21 April 1882 None

Frederick Whitaker, 2nd time 21 April 1882 25 September 1883 None

Harry Atkinson, 2nd time 25 September 1883 16 August 1884 None

13 Robert Stout 16 August 1884 28 August 1884 None

Harry Atkinson, 3rd time 28 August 1884 3 September 1884 None

Robert Stout, 2nd time 3 September 1884 8 October 1887 None

Harry Atkinson, 4th time 8 October 1887 24 January 1891 None

14 John Ballance 24 January 1891 27 April 1893 Liberal

15 Richard Seddon 27 April 1893 10 June 1906 Liberal

16 William Hall-Jones 10 June 1906 6 August 1906 Liberal

17 Joseph Ward 6 August 1906 28 March 1912 Liberal

18 Thomas MacKenzie 28 March 1912 10 July 1912 Liberal

19 William Massey 10 July 1912 10 May 1925 Reform

20 Francis Bell 10 May 1925 30 May 1925 Reform

21 Gordon Coates 30 May 1925 10 December 1928 Reform

Joseph Ward, 2nd time 10 December 1928 28 May 1930 United (Liberal)

22 George William Forbes 28 May 1930 6 December 1935 United (Liberal)

23 Michael Joseph Savage 6 December 1935 27 March 1940 Labour

24 Peter Fraser 27 March 1940 13 December 1949 Labour

25 Sidney Holland 13 December 1949 20 September 1957 National

26 Keith Holyoake 20 September 1957 12 December 1957 National

27 Walter Nash 12 December 1957 12 December 1960 Labour

Keith Holyoake, 2nd time 12 December 1960 7 February 1972 National

28 Jack Marshall 7 February 1972 8 December 1972 National

29 Norman Kirk 8 December 1972 31 August 1974 Labour

30 Bill Rowling 31 August 1974 12 December 1975 Labour

31 Robert Muldoon 12 December 1975 26 July 1984 National

32 David Lange 26 July 1984 8 August 1989 Labour

33 Geoffrey Palmer 8 August 1989 4 September 1990 Labour

34 Mike Moore 4 September 1990 2 November 1990 Labour

35 Jim Bolger 2 November 1990 8 December 1997 National

36 Jenny Shipley 8 December 1997 5 December 1999 National

37 Helen Clark 5 December 1999 (present) Labour

	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1	Henry Sewell	7 May 1856	20 May 1856	None
2	William Fox	20 May 1856	2 June 1856	None
3	Edward Stafford	2 June 1856	12 July 1861	None
	William Fox, 2nd time	12 July 1861	6 August 1862	None
4	Alfred Domett	6 August 1862	30 October 1863	None
5	Frederick Whitaker	30 October 1863	24 November 1864	None
6	Frederick Weld	24 November 1864	16 October 1865	None
	Edward Stafford, 2nd time	16 October 1865	28 June 1869	None
	William Fox, 3rd time	28 June 1869	10 September 1872	None
	Edward Stafford, 3rd time	10 September 1872	11 October 1872	None
7	George Waterhouse	11 October 1872	3 March 1873	None
	William Fox, 4th time	3 March 1873	8 April 1873	None
8	Julius Vogel	8 April 1873	6 July 1875	None
9	Daniel Pollen	6 July 1875	15 February 1876	None
	Julius Vogel, 2nd time	15 February 1876	1 September 1876	None
10	Harry Atkinson	1 September 1876	13 October 1877	None
11	George Grey	13 October 1877	8 October 1879	None
12	John Hall	8 October 1879	21 April 1882	None
	Frederick Whitaker, 2nd time	21 April 1882	25 September 1883	None
	Harry Atkinson, 2nd time	25 September 1883	16 August 1884	None
13	Robert Stout	16 August 1884	28 August 1884	None
	Harry Atkinson, 3rd time	28 August 1884	3 September 1884	None
	Robert Stout, 2nd time	3 September 1884	8 October 1887	None
	Harry Atkinson, 4th time	8 October 1887	24 January 1891	None
14	John Ballance	24 January 1891	27 April 1893	Liberal
15	Richard Seddon	27 April 1893	10 June 1906	Liberal
16	William Hall-Jones	10 June 1906	6 August 1906	Liberal
17	Joseph Ward	6 August 1906	28 March 1912	Liberal
18	Thomas MacKenzie	28 March 1912	10 July 1912	Liberal
19	William Massey	10 July 1912	10 May 1925	Reform
20	Francis Bell	10 May 1925	30 May 1925	Reform
21	Gordon Coates	30 May 1925	10 December 1928	Reform
	Joseph Ward, 2nd time	10 December 1928	28 May 1930	United (Liberal)
22	George William Forbes	28 May 1930	6 December 1935	United (Liberal)
23	Michael Joseph Savage	6 December 1935	27 March 1940	Labour
24	Peter Fraser	27 March 1940	13 December 1949	Labour
25	Sidney Holland	13 December 1949	20 September 1957	National
26	Keith Holyoake	20 September 1957	12 December 1957	National
27	Walter Nash	12 December 1957	12 December 1960	Labour
	Keith Holyoake, 2nd time	12 December 1960	7 February 1972	National
28	Jack Marshall	7 February 1972	8 December 1972	National
29	Norman Kirk	8 December 1972	31 August 1974	Labour
30	Bill Rowling	31 August 1974	12 December 1975	Labour
31	Robert Muldoon	12 December 1975	26 July 1984	National
32	David Lange	26 July 1984	8 August 1989	Labour
33	Geoffrey Palmer	8 August 1989	4 September 1990	Labour
34	Mike Moore	4 September 1990	2 November 1990	Labour
35	Jim Bolger	2 November 1990	8 December 1997	National
36	Jenny Shipley	8 December 1997	5 December 1999	National
37	Helen Clark	5 December 1999	(present)	Labour

External link

New Zealand Prime Minister's official website