| 53rd Parliament of New Zealand | |||||
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| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | New Zealand Parliament | ||||
| Term | 25 November 2020 – 8 September 2023 | ||||
| Election | 2020 general election | ||||
| Government | Sixth Labour Government | ||||
| Website | www.parliament.nz | ||||
| House of Representatives | |||||
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| Members | 120 | ||||
| Speaker of the House | Adrian Rurawhe —Trevor Mallard until 24 August 2022 | ||||
| Leader of the House | Grant Robertson —Chris Hipkins until 25 January 2023 | ||||
| Prime Minister | Chris Hipkins —Jacinda Ardern until 25 January 2023 | ||||
| Leader of the Opposition | Christopher Luxon from 30 November 2021 —Judith Collins until 25 November 2021 | ||||
| Sovereign | |||||
| Monarch | Charles III —Elizabeth II until 8 September 2022 | ||||
| Governor-General | Cindy Kiro from 21 October 2021 —Patsy Reddy until 28 September 2021 | ||||
| Terms of the New Zealand Parliament  |
| 1st |2nd |3rd |4th |5th 6th |7th |8th |9th |10th 11th |12th |13th |14th |15th 16th |17th |18th |19th |20th 21st |22nd |23rd |24th |25th 26th |27th |28th |29th |30th 31st |32nd |33rd |34th |35th 36th |37th |38th |39th |40th 41st |42nd |43rd |44th |45th 46th |47th |48th |49th |50th 51st |52nd |53rd |54th |
The53rd New Zealand Parliament was a meeting of the legislature inNew Zealand. It opened on 25 November 2020[1] following the17 October 2020 general election, and dissolved on 8 September 2023 to trigger thenext election. It consisted of 120members of Parliament (MPs)[2] with fiveparties represented: theLabour andGreen parties, ingovernment, and theNational,Māori andACT parties, inopposition. TheSixth Labour Government held a majority in this Parliament.Jacinda Ardern continued asprime minister until her resignation on 25 January 2023; she was succeeded byChris Hipkins.
The Parliament was elected using amixed-member proportional representation (MMP) voting system. MPs represented 72 geographical electorates: 16 in theSouth Island, 49 in theNorth Island and 7Māori electorates. This was an increase of one electorate seat from the previous election, as a result of population growth in the North Island. The remaining MPs were elected fromparty lists using theWebster/Sainte-Laguë method to realise proportionality.[3]
To achieve proportionality across electorates, there were a number of changes required to electorates based on population data determined through the2018 census and projected population growth.[4] As such, the number of geographical electorates increased by one compared to the2017 election to account for theNorth Island's higher population growth, creatingTakanini, and 30 general electorates and five Māori electorates had their boundaries adjusted so that each electorate contains roughly the same number of people.[5][6]
The 2020 general election was held on 17 October, after being delayed from 19 September due to a resurgence ofCOVID-19 cases during theCOVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand.[7][8] The dissolution of the 52nd Parliament was originally set for 12 August,[9] and was delayed first to 17 August[10] and finally to 6 September 2020.[11]
The 2020 election resulted in a majority for theLabour Party, winning 65 seats, allowing them to continue theSixth Labour Government unrestricted. Their coalition partner from the 52nd Parliament,New Zealand First, did not receive enough votes to pass the five percent threshold or win in anelectorate, kicking them out of Parliament.Confidence and supply partner theGreen Party received 10 seats, up two, becoming the first minor party ever to increase their share of the vote following their being in government. In the opposition, theNational Party lost 23 seats, giving them a total of 33, andACT New Zealand went from one seat to ten. TheMāori Party won theWaiariki electorate and gained an additional list seat after losing representation in the 2017 general election.[12]
Labour achieved a majority in the 2020 election, allowing them to form a government without anycoalition agreements having to be made. However, Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern entered talks with the Green Party about "potential areas of co-operation" in the formation of the new government.[13] After two weeks of discussions, the Green Party reached an agreement with Labour on 31 October to become part of the next Government, with co-leadersJames Shaw andMarama Davidson receiving ministerial positions outside of cabinet. Shaw remainedMinister for Climate Change and become Associate Minister for the Environment, while Davidson becameMinister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence and Associate Minister of Housing.[14] The new government was sworn in on 6 November 2020. Some ministerial positions changed in July 2021. Ardern was succeeded as prime minister byChris Hipkins on 25 January 2023, following her resignation.
The writ for the 2020 election was returned on 20 November 2020[15] after being delayed from its original set date of 12 November due to election recounts. Under section 19 ofConstitution Act 1986, Parliament must meet no later than six weeks after this date; on 6 November 2020, following the new government's first Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed that the Commission Opening and State Opening of Parliament would take place on 25 and 26 November 2020, respectively.
The 53rd Parliament is the first parliament since the44th New Zealand Parliament (and the introduction of an MMP electoral system) to have a single party hold an outright majority of seats. The Labour Party currently holds 64 seats, 3 more than the required 61 seats needed for a majority.[16]
On 1 March 2021, theLocal Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021 received royal assent after being introduced byNanaia Mahuta on 9 February. This Act eliminates mechanisms for holding publicreferendums on the establishment ofMāori wards and constituencies on local bodies, which allowed the public to veto a council's decision to introduce a Māori ward.[23]
On 30 September 2021, theCounter-Terrorism Legislation Act 2021 passed its third reading. This Act criminalised the planning of terror attacks and expanded Police powers to conduct warrantless searches. It was supported by the Labour and National parties but was opposed by the Green, ACT and Māori parties.[24]
On 24 November 2021, theCOVID-19 Response (Vaccinations) Legislation Act 2021 passed its third reading. This Act allows businesses to dismiss employees who refuse to take COVID-19 vaccines.[25]
On 15 December 2021, theResource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 passed its third and final reading with the support of all parties except ACT. The Act seeks to address the national housing shortage by easing the process for building houses in major cities.[26][27]
On 15 February 2022, theConversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022 passed its third reading, becoming law with broad cross-party support. The Act bannedconversion therapy in New Zealand.[28]
On 9 March 2022, Parliament unanimously passed theRussia Sanctions Act 2022, which established a sanctions-implementation regime targeting Russia in response to theRussian invasion of Ukraine.[29][30]
On 18 March 2022, theContraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion (Safe Areas) Amendment Act 2022 received royal assent. The Bill creates safe spaces of about 150 metres around abortion providers and also bans obstructing, filming, dissuading or protesting against individuals seeking abortion services in those zones.[31]
On 7 June 2022, the Government'sPae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 passed its third reading. The Bill replaced the country's existingdistrict health boards with a new Crown agency calledHealth New Zealand and established as separateMāori Health Authority. The Health Futures Act also established a newPublic Health Agency within theMinistry of Health while strengthening the Ministry's stewardship role.[32]
On 9 August 2022, the Government'sThree Strikes Legislation Repeal Act 2022 passed its third reading, repealing theSentencing and Parole Reform Act 2010. The Three Strikes Legislation Repeal Act removed thethree strikes law from New Zealand legislation. While the bill was supported by the Labour, Green, and Māori parties, it was opposed by the National and ACT parties.[33][34]
On 13 December, theSmokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022 passed its third reading and became law. The bill banned tobacco from being sold to anyone born after 1 January 2009, limited the number of retailers allowed to sell tobacco, and lowered the nicotine content in tobacco products.[35]
On 16 August 2023, the Water Services Entities Amendment Act 2023 passed its third reading. The bill increased the number of water services entities from four to ten, and delayed the start of the entities from 2024 to 2026.[36] That same day, the Government passed theNatural and Built Environment Act 2023 and theSpatial Planning Act 2023, the first two laws in its planned revamp of theResource Management Act 1991.[37]
On 23 August, the Government passed two final bills entrenching theWater Services Reform Programme ("Three Waters"): the Water Services Economic Efficiency and Consumer Protection Act 2023 and Water Services Legislation Act 2023. The first bill sets up an economic regulation regime overseen by theCommerce Commission as a watchdog over the water services entities' quality and efficiency. The second bill outlines the duties, functions, and powers of the new water services entities that would come into effect in 2026.[38]
In 2019, following allegations of workplace misconduct byMeka Whaitiri,Jami-Lee Ross, andMaggie Barry in the 52nd Parliament the Speaker of the HouseTrevor Mallard commissioned a review into bullying and harassment in Parliament.[39]
In the 53rd Parliament, Parliamentary Services started to implement the 85 recommendations from the review into workplace culture.[39] Despite this, allegations of workplace misconduct continued. These allegations include:
The 53rd Parliament also saw four MPs referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee for various infractions:
Under section 17 of theConstitution Act 1986, Parliament expires a maximum of three years "from the day fixed for the return of thewrits issued for the last preceding general election of members of the House of Representatives, and no longer".[51] The writs were issued on 13 September 2020 and were returned on 20 November 2020,[52][18] meaning that the 53rd Parliament must dissolve on or before 20 November 2023. The2023 general election is scheduled to be held on 14 October and the 53rd Parliament is scheduled to be dissolved on 8 September.[53]
The table below shows the members of the 53rd Parliament based on the results of the 2020 general election. Ministerial roles were officially announced on 2 November 2020. Based on preliminary results, there were 40 new MPs.[57] When final results were announced on 6 November, this rose to 42 new members.[17] Labour lost a member on 23 August 2022 due to the expulsion of Gaurav Sharma from the parliamentary party.[58] After Sharma's resignation from parliament, the December 2022 by-election for hisHamilton West electorate was won by National.[59]
This table shows the number of MPs in each party:
| Affiliation | Members | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| At2020 election[60] | At dissolution | ||
| Labour | 65 | 62 | |
| Government total | 65 | 62 | |
| GreenC | 10 | 9 | |
| Government with Cooperation total | 75 | 71 | |
| National | 33 | 34 | |
| ACT | 10 | 10 | |
| Maori Party | 2 | 2 | |
| Independent | 0 | 2 | |
| Opposition total | 45 | 48 | |
| Total MPs in Parliament | 120 | 119 | |
| Working Government majority | 10 | 6 | |
| Working Government with Cooperation majority | 30 | 26 | |
Notes
| Labour (62) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Electorate (list if blank) | Term in office | Portfolios & Responsibilities | |
| Ministers in Cabinet | |||||
| 1 | Chris Hipkins | Remutaka | 2008– |
| |
| 2 | Carmel Sepuloni | Kelston | 2008–11 2014– |
| |
| 3 | Kelvin Davis | Te Tai Tokerau | 2008–11 2014– |
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| 4 | Grant Robertson | Wellington Central | 2008– |
| |
| 5 | Megan Woods | Wigram | 2011– |
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| 6 | Jan Tinetti | 2017– | |||
| 7 | Michael Wood | Mount Roskill | 2016– |
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| 8 | Ayesha Verrall | 2020– | |||
| 9 | Willie Jackson | 1999–2002 2017– |
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| 10 | Kiri Allan | East Coast | 2017–2023 |
| |
| 11 | Damien O'Connor | West Coast-Tasman | 1993–2008 2009– |
| |
| 12 | Andrew Little | 2011– |
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| 13 | David Parker | 2002– |
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| 14 | Peeni Henare | Tāmaki Makaurau | 2014– |
| |
| 15 | Nanaia Mahuta | Hauraki-Waikato | 1996– |
| |
| 16 | Priyanca Radhakrishnan | Maungakiekie | 2017– |
| |
| 17 | Kieran McAnulty | Wairarapa | 2017– |
| |
| 18 | Ginny Andersen | Hutt South | 2017– |
| |
| 19 | Barbara Edmonds | Mana | 2020– |
| |
| 20 | Willow-Jean Prime | Northland | 2017– |
| |
| Ministers outside Cabinet | |||||
| 21 | Duncan Webb | Christchurch Central | 2017– | ||
| 22 | Rino Tirikatene | Te Tai Tonga | 2011– |
| |
| 23 | Deborah Russell | New Lynn | 2017– |
| |
| 24 | Rachel Brooking | 2020– |
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| 25 | Jo Luxton | Rangitata | 2017– |
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| Officers of Parliament | |||||
| Adrian Rurawhe | Te Tai Hauauru | 2014– |
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| Greg O'Connor | Ohariu | 2017– |
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| Jenny Salesa | Panmure-Ōtāhuhu | 2014– |
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| Members of Parliament | |||||
| Tangi Utikere | Palmerston North | 2020– |
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| 26 | Camilla Belich | 2020– |
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| 27 | Tracey McLellan | Banks Peninsula | 2020– |
| |
| 28 | Shanan Halbert | Northcote | 2020– |
| |
| 29 | Phil Twyford | Te Atatū | 2008– | ||
| 30 | David Clark | Dunedin | 2011– | ||
| 31 | William Sio | Māngere | 2008– | ||
| 32 | Poto Williams | Christchurch East | 2013– | ||
| 33 | Vanushi Walters | Upper Harbour | 2020– |
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| 34 | Marja Lubeck | 2017– |
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| 35 | Angie Warren-Clark | 2017– |
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| 36 | Tāmati Coffey | 2017– |
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| 37 | Naisi Chen | 2020– |
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| 38 | Jamie Strange | Hamilton East | 2017– |
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| 39 | Liz Craig | 2017– | |||
| 40 | Ibrahim Omer | 2020– | |||
| 41 | Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki | 2017– | |||
| 42 | Paul Eagle | Rongotai | 2017– | ||
| 43 | Helen White | 2020– | |||
| 44 | Angela Roberts | 2020– | |||
| 45 | Neru Leavasa | Takanini | 2020– | ||
| 46 | Lemauga Lydia Sosene | 2022– | |||
| 47 | Steph Lewis | Whanganui | 2020– |
| |
| 48 | Dan Rosewarne | 2022– | |||
| 49 | Rachel Boyack | Nelson | 2020– |
| |
| 50 | Arena Williams | Manurewa | 2020– |
| |
| 51 | Ingrid Leary | Taieri | 2020– |
| |
| 52 | Soraya Peke-Mason | 2022– | |||
| 53 | Sarah Pallett | Ilam | 2020– | ||
| 54 | Emily Henderson | Whangārei | 2020– |
| |
| 55 | Terisa Ngobi | Ōtaki | 2020– | ||
| 56 | Glen Bennett | New Plymouth | 2020– | ||
| Anna Lorck | Tukituki | 2020– | |||
| 57 | Stuart Nash | Napier | 2008–2011 2014– | ||
| Members of the Labour caucus who resigned during the term of the 53rd Parliament | |||||
| Louisa Wall | 2008 2011–2022 | Resigned May 2022 | |||
| Kris Faafoi | 2010–2022 | Resigned July 2022 | |||
| Trevor Mallard | 1984–1990 1993–2022 | Resigned October 2022 | |||
| Jacinda Ardern | Mount Albert | 2008–2023 | Resigned April 2023 | ||
| Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand (9) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Electorate (list if blank) | Term in office | Portfolios & Responsibilities | |
| Ministers outside Cabinet | |||||
| 1 | Marama Davidson | 2015– |
| ||
| 2 | James Shaw | 2014– |
| ||
| Members of Parliament | |||||
| 3 | Chlöe Swarbrick | Auckland Central | 2017– |
| |
| 4 | Julie Anne Genter | 2011– |
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| 5 | Jan Logie | 2011– |
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| 6 | Eugenie Sage | 2011– |
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| 7 | Golriz Ghahraman | 2017– |
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| 8 | Teanau Tuiono | 2020– |
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| 9 | Ricardo Menéndez March | 2020– |
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| National (34) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Electorate (list if blank) | Term in office | Portfolios & Responsibilities | |
| 1 | Christopher Luxon | Botany | 2020– |
| |
| 2 | Nicola Willis | 2018– |
| ||
| 3 | Chris Bishop | 2014– |
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| 4 | Shane Reti | 2014– |
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| 5 | Paul Goldsmith | 2011– |
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| 6 | Louise Upston | Taupō | 2008– |
| |
| 7 | Erica Stanford | East Coast Bays | 2017– |
| |
| 8 | Matt Doocey | Waimakariri | 2014– |
| |
| 9 | Simeon Brown | Pakuranga | 2017– |
| |
| 10 | Judith Collins | Papakura | 2002– |
| |
| 11 | Mark Mitchell | Whangaparāoa | 2011– |
| |
| 12 | Todd Muller | Bay of Plenty | 2011– |
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| 13 | Melissa Lee | 2008– |
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| 14 | Andrew Bayly | Port Waikato | 2014– |
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| 15 | Gerry Brownlee | 1996– |
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| 16 | Todd McClay | Rotorua | 2008– |
| |
| 17 | Michael Woodhouse | 2008– |
| ||
| 18 | Stuart Smith | Kaikōura | 2014– |
| |
| 19 | Scott Simpson | Coromandel | 2011– |
| |
| 20 | Penny Simmonds | Invercargill | 2020– |
| |
| Simon O'Connor | Tāmaki | 2011– |
| ||
| Barbara Kuriger | Taranaki-King Country | 2014– |
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| Maureen Pugh | 2016–2017 2018– |
| |||
| Harete Hipango | 2017–2020 2021– |
| |||
| Chris Penk | Kaipara ki Mahurangi | 2017– |
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| Tim van de Molen | Waikato | 2017– |
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| Nicola Grigg | Selwyn | 2017– |
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| Joseph Mooney | Southland | 2020– |
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| Simon Watts | North Shore | 2020– |
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| Sam Uffindell | Tauranga | 2022– |
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| Tama Potaka | Hamilton West | 2022– |
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| David Bennett | 2005– |
| |||
| Jacqui Dean | Waitaki | 2005– |
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| Ian McKelvie | Rangitīkei | 2011– |
| ||
| Members of the National caucus who resigned during the term of the 53rd Parliament | |||||
| Nick Smith | 1990–2021 | Resigned June 2021 | |||
| Simon Bridges | Tauranga | 2008–2022 | Resigned May 2022 | ||
| ACT New Zealand (10) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Electorate (list if blank) | Term in office | Portfolios & Responsibilities | |
| 1 | David Seymour | Epsom | 2014– |
| |
| 2 | Brooke van Velden | 2020– |
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| 3 | Nicole McKee | 2020– |
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| 4 | Chris Baillie | 2020– |
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| 5 | Simon Court | 2020– |
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| 6 | James McDowall | 2020– |
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| 7 | Karen Chhour | 2020– |
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| 8 | Mark Cameron | 2020– |
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| 9 | Toni Severin | 2020– |
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| 10 | Damien Smith | 2020– |
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| Māori Party (2) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Electorate (list if blank) | Term in office | Portfolios & Responsibilities | |
| 1 | Debbie Ngarewa-Packer | 2020– |
| ||
| 2 | Rawiri Waititi | Waiariki | 2020– |
| |
| Independent (2) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Electorate (list if blank) | Term in office | Notes | ||
| Meka Whaitiri | Ikaroa-Rawhiti | 2013– | Labour Party member until May 2023 | ||
| Elizabeth Kerekere | 2020– | Green Party member until May 2023 | |||
| Members who resigned during the term of the 53rd Parliament | |||||
| Gaurav Sharma | Hamilton West | 2020–2022 | Labour Party member until August 2022; Resigned October 2022 | ||
The 2020 general election saw the election of New Zealand's firstAfrican MP (Ibrahim Omer), firstSri Lankan-born MP (Vanushi Walters) and first Latin American MP (Ricardo Menéndez March).[61] Six newLGBT+ MPs were elected (Menéndez March,Glen Bennett,Ayesha Verrall,Shanan Halbert,Elizabeth Kerekere,Tangi Utikere), making the New Zealand House of Representatives the national parliament with the highest percentage of LGBT+ members in the world.[62][63]
During the 53rd parliament, 60 MPs (50%) were women—the highest number since women were first allowed to stand for Parliament in1919.[64][65] The period between the swearing in ofSoraya Peke-Mason andTama Potaka was the first time there had been more women than men as MPs.[66]
The following changes in Members of Parliament occurred during the term of the 53rd Parliament:
^1 The resignation of Jacinda Ardern took place less than six months before thenext general election and therefore a by-election to fill the vacancy was not required.[80]
^2 Following the resignation of Meka Whaitiri from the Labour Party, shewaka-jumped to Te Pāti Māori, but is regarded as an independent MP in Parliament.[81]
The chamber is in a horseshoe-shape.[82]
The chamber is in a horseshoe-shape.[83]
The 53rd Parliament had 12 select committees and 8 specialist committees.[84] They are listed below, with their chairpersons and deputy chairpersons:
This section shows theNew Zealand electorates as they are currently represented in the 53rd Parliament.[105] Electorates were redrawn after the2018 census and will remain the same for the2023 election.
| Electorate | Region | MP | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Te Tai Tokerau | Northland and Auckland | Kelvin Davis | Labour | |
| Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland | Peeni Henare | Labour | |
| Hauraki-Waikato | Auckland and Waikato | Nanaia Mahuta | Labour | |
| Waiariki | Bay of Plenty and Waikato | Rawiri Waititi | Māori | |
| Ikaroa-Rāwhiti | Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, Manawatū-Whanganui and Wellington | Meka Whaitiri | Labour | |
| Te Tai Hauāuru | Taranaki, Waikato, Manawatū-Whanganui and Wellington | Adrian Rurawhe | Labour | |
| Te Tai Tonga | The South Island, Wellington and theChatham Islands | Rino Tirikatene | Labour | |
| Components |
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| Parliamentary officers |
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| Members |
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| Procedure | |||||
| Elections | |||||
| Locations |
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| Miscellaneous | |||||