| Prime Minister of New Zealand | |
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| Te Pirimia o Aotearoa | |
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| Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | |
| Style |
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| Status | Head of government |
| Abbreviation | PM |
| Member of | |
| Reports to | House of Representatives |
| Residence | Premier House,Wellington |
| Seat | The Beehive,Wellington |
| Appointer | Governor-General |
| Term length | At the Governor-General's pleasure |
| Formation | 7 May 1856; 169 years ago (1856-05-07) |
| First holder | Henry Sewell |
| Deputy | Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand |
| Salary | NZ$510,300[1] |
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Theprime minister of New Zealand (Māori:Te pirimia o Aotearoa) is thehead of government ofNew Zealand. The incumbent[update] prime minister,Christopher Luxon, leader of theNew Zealand National Party, took office on 27 November 2023.[2]
The prime minister (informally abbreviated to PM) ranks as the most seniorgovernment minister. They are responsible for chairing meetings ofCabinet; allocating posts to ministers within thegovernment; acting as the spokesperson for the government; and providingadvice to thesovereign or the sovereign's representative, thegovernor-general. They also have ministerial responsibility for theDepartment of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, which is based in theBeehive in Wellington.
The office exists by a long-establishedconvention, which originated in New Zealand's former colonial power, the thenUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The convention stipulates that when the office becomes vacant, the governor-general must select as prime minister the person most likely to command the support, or confidence, of theHouse of Representatives. This individual is typically theparliamentary leader of thepolitical party that holds the largest number of seats in that house.[a] The prime minister and Cabinet are collectivelyaccountable for their actions to the governor-general, to the House of Representatives, to their political party, and ultimately to the national electorate.
Originally the head of government was titled"colonial secretary" or "first minister". This was changed in 1869 to "premier". That title remained in use for more than 30 years, untilRichard Seddon changed it to "prime minister" in 1900 during his tenure in the office.[3] Following the declaration of New Zealand as aDominion in 1907, the term prime minister was adopted. In Māori, the titlepirimia means "premier".[4] New Zealand prime ministers arestyled as "The Right Honourable", a privilege they retain for life.[5]
Forty-two people (thirty-nine men and three women) have served as prime minister, the first of whom wasHenry Sewell taking office on 7 May 1856 as premier. The longest-serving prime minister wasRichard Seddon, who served over 13 years, and the shortest-serving was Sewell, who served two weeks.
The governor-general appoints a prime minister, like otherministerial positions, on behalf of themonarch. By the conventions ofresponsible government, the governor-general will call to form a government the individual most likely to receive the support, or confidence, of a majority of the electedmembers of parliament (MPs).[6] In making this appointment, convention requires the governor-general to act on the outcome of theelectoral process and subsequent discussions between political parties by which the person who will lead the government as prime minister is identified.[6][7] In practice, the position typically falls to an MP who is theparliamentary leader of the largest political party among those forming the government.[8][b] The prime minister may lead acoalition government and/or aminority government dependent on support from smaller parties duringconfidence and supply votes.[9]
Once appointed and sworn in by the governor-general, the prime minister remains in the post until dismissal, resignation,[10] or death in office.[c] They, like all ministers, hold office "during the pleasure of the Governor-General", so theoretically, the governor-general can dismiss a prime minister at any time; however, convention heavily circumscribes the power to do so.[12] The governor-general retainsreserve powers[13] to dismiss a prime minister in certain circumstances, such as those pertaining to ano-confidence motion against the government in theHouse of Representatives.[14]
Where a prime minister, and by extension, the government, can no longer command the confidence of the house, either by losing a confidence vote or as the result of an election, convention dictates that they should tender their resignation to the governor-general. Under theConstitution Act 1986, general elections are required every three years, setting the maximum period a prime minister can serve without theirmandate being renewed.[15]
The office of prime minister is not defined by codified laws but by unwritten customs known asconstitutional conventions which developed in Britain and which New Zealand replicated. These conventions depend for the most part on the underlying principle that the prime minister and fellow ministers must not lose the confidence of the democratically elected component of parliament, the House of Representatives. The prime minister is the leader of theCabinet (itself a body existing by convention) and takes a coordinating role.[8]
TheCabinet Manual provides an outline of the prime minister's powers and responsibilities.[6]
By constitutional convention, the prime minister holds formal power toadvise the sovereign. This means that as long as the prime minister has the confidence of parliament, they alone may advise the monarch on:[6]
As head of government, the prime minister alone has the right to advise the governor-general to:
Convention regards the prime minister as "first among equals".[8] A prime minister does hold the most senior post in government, but must also adhere to any decisions taken by Cabinet, as per the convention ofcollective ministerial responsibility. The actual ability of a prime minister to give direct orders is largely limited; most of the position's power comes about through other means, such as:
Since the 1996 implementation ofthe MMP electoral system, the role of the prime minister in negotiating and maintaining relationships withsupport parties has increased, placing some constraints on prime ministerial abilities.[19]
| External videos | |
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 'New Zealand's darkest day'. Prime Minister John Key addresses the country live on television following the earthquake that devastated Christchurch on 22 February 2011. Providing reassurance andleadership at times of national crisis is a traditional responsibility of the prime minister.[20] |
Prime ministers also take on additional portfolios (to prioritise policy areas).[8] Historically, 19th-century premiers looked after the colonial-secretary and finance portfolios. As New Zealand developed, the role ofminister of finance became too big; Prime MinisterSir Robert Muldoon came under criticism for taking on the finance portfolio during his time in office (1975–1984), as it resulted in a large concentration of power in the hands of one individual.[8]
Before 1987 it was common for prime ministers to take the role ofminister of foreign affairs, so they could represent New Zealand on the international stage.[19] More recent prime ministers have taken portfolios relevant to their interests, or to promote specific areas they saw as important. For example,David Lange took the education portfolio in his second term;Helen Clark took the role ofminister for arts, culture and heritage;John Key served asminister of tourism; andJacinda Ardern became minister for child-poverty reduction.[8]
Although no longer likely to be the minister of foreign affairs, the prime minister remains responsible for welcoming foreign heads of government, visiting leaders overseas, and attendingCommonwealth Heads of Government Meetings.[19]
Conventionally, the prime minister is the responsible minister for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC; founded in 1990), which has the task of supporting the policy agenda of Cabinet through policy advice and the coordination of the implementation of key government programmes.[19][21]
Before 2014, the prime minister was also responsible for theNew Zealand Security and Intelligence Service (NZSIS) and for theGovernment Communications Security Bureau (GCSB).[19] In 2014, Prime Minister John Key gave himself the new portfolio ofNational Security and Intelligence and delegated responsibility for SIS and GCSB to other ministers. He also expanded the role of DPMC in security and intelligence. This model has been followed by subsequent prime ministers.[22]
Under the Remuneration Authority Act 1977, and the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Act 2013, a prime minister's salary is determined annually by the Remuneration Authority, an independent body established by parliament to set salaries for members of parliament and other government officials.[23] MPs' salaries were temporarily reduced during theCOVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand.[24] As of July 2024[update], the prime minister's salary is set atNZ$498,300.[citation needed] In addition, like all other ministers and MPs, the prime minister receives annual allowances for travel and lodging, as do the prime minister's spouse and children.[25]
The incumbent prime minister's official residence isPremier House, Tinakori Road, Wellington. There the prime minister hosts receptions and events for New Zealand and overseas guests.[26] Unlike the residences of certain other heads of government (e.g. theWhite House and10 Downing Street), Premier House does not serve as the government headquarters; the location of the prime minister's office isthe Beehive, in theparliament precinct a short distance away.[21] The prime minister's governmental work is supported by the non-partisan Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The separate Private Office of the Prime Minister provides advice and support on political party matters.[21]
Thestyle of "The Right Honourable" (abbreviated to "The Rt Hon") is always granted to the prime minister upon taking office. Former prime ministers retain this style for the remainder of their lives.[5] The written form of address for the head of government should use their full parliamentary title as applicable:The Right Honourable [name], [post-nominal letters], Prime Minister of New Zealand.[27] It is also traditional for the monarch to bestow aknighthood ordamehood on prime ministers after they leave office,[28] and two prime ministers were knighted while still in office (namelySir Keith Holyoake in 1970,[29] andSir Robert Muldoon in 1983[30]).
TheDignitary Protection Service (DPS) is a special branch of theNew Zealand Police that is charged with protecting the prime minister and their family, as well as members of parliament, members of the judiciary, and visiting foreign dignitaries when required.[31]
The DPS provides the prime minister with transport; they are driven in theBMW 7 Series 730LD and 750LI, the latter of which is armoured.[32][33] Although usually flown domestically on regularly scheduledAir New Zealand flights, the prime minister also makes use ofRoyal New Zealand Air Force aircraft, usuallyBoeing 757.[34] The 757 aircraft, which are used for international travel, has been upgraded with work stations, internal air stairs, and military communications capabilities.[35][36] The 757 fleet is set to be replaced by 2028.[37]
Former officeholders are entitled to annuity and travel payments for the rest of their lives. Former prime ministers who held the office for no less than two years are entitled to a yearly rate of $10,900 for each complete year the person held office, with a maximum of $54,500 payable annually.[38] Former prime ministers, when travelling within New Zealand, are eligible to be paid if the travel is for fulfilling commitments related to his or her role as a former prime minister.[39]
Should a serving or former prime minister die, they are accorded astate funeral (subject to the approval of the family). Two prime ministers who died in office were buried in mausoleums:William Massey (died 1925) in theMassey Memorial inWellington, andMichael Joseph Savage (died 1940) in the Savage Memorial atBastion Point inAuckland.[40]
Assuming thatHenry Sewell is counted as the first prime minister,42 individuals have held the office since it was established.[41] Some of these people have held it on several separate occasions, with the record for maximum number of times being shared betweenWilliam Fox andHarry Atkinson (both of whom served four times). The longest that anyone has served in the office is 13 years, a record set byRichard Seddon. The first holder of the office, Henry Sewell, led the country for the shortest total time; his only term lasted just 13 days. The shortest term belonged to Harry Atkinson, whose third term lasted only seven days, but Atkinson served longer in total than did Sewell.[11] The youngest wasEdward Stafford, who was appointed premier in 1856, at 37 years, 40 days old.[42] The oldest wasWalter Nash, who was 78 years old when he left office in 1960 (and 75 upon taking office in 1957).[11]
It is regarded that all New Zealand prime ministers thus far have beenPākehā (New Zealand European), and mostly ofBritish andIrish descent. There was persistent speculation during his lifetime thatNorman Kirk (Prime Minister from 1972 to 1974) wasMāori and hadKāi Tahu ancestry; he never publicly identified himself as such, and there is no substantial evidence for the claim.[43]
New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world to have had three female heads of government and one of only three countries to have had a female head of government directly succeed another.[44] The first female prime minister wasJenny Shipley of theNational Party, who replacedJim Bolger in late 1997; Shipley was succeeded byHelen Clark in 1999.Jacinda Ardern, the second female leader of theLabour Party after Clark, became prime minister in 2017.[42]
On becoming theColony of New Zealand in 1841, the country was directly governed by agovernor, appointed by theColonial Office in Britain.Self-government was established in 1853, following theNew Zealand Constitution Act 1852, and theFirst Parliament met on 24 May 1854.[45]
The origins of the office of prime minister are disputed. Use of the wordsprime minister as a descriptive term dates back to the First Parliament, where they are applied toJames FitzGerald andThomas Forsaith.[46] FitzGerald and Forsaith had no official titles, however, and New Zealand had not yet obtained self-government. As such, they are not usually considered prime ministers in any substantive sense.[47]
The first person to be formally appointed to a position of executive leadership wasHenry Sewell,[47] who formed a briefministry in April 1856, at the beginning of theSecond Parliament. Despite his formal leadership role, however, his only actual title was "colonial secretary",[46] a position comparable to aminister of internal affairs. His successor,William Fox, was also given a formal leadership role but was not a colonial secretary. In 1864 whenFrederick Weld became the sixth person appointed to formal leadership, a substantive leadership title, "premier", appeared. Weld's successor,Edward Stafford, briefly changed the title to "first minister", but it was soon restored to premier during the second tenure of Fox in 1869.[3] From that point, the title "premier" was used almost exclusively for the remainder of the 19th century. Nevertheless, in the Schedule of theCivil List of 1873, provision was made for the salary of the head of government "being the Prime Minister".[3]
Initially, premiers acted as mere advisers to the governor—with the governor at times a very active partner. This began to change during the first tenure of Edward Stafford. Stafford met with his ministers and made decisions outside of theExecutive Council (which was chaired by the governor), thus establishing the modern convention ofcabinet government.[48] Stafford also clashed with the governor over control ofnative affairs, which was eventually to fall within the premier's powers.[49]
Premiers were initially supported by unorganised factions based on personal interests, and their governments were short-lived.[50] The political position of the premier was enhanced by the development of modernpolitical parties.[51] PremierJohn Ballance organised the first formal party in New Zealand, theLiberal Party, forming theLiberal Government in 1891.[52] There was little realparliamentary opposition until 1909, whenWilliam Massey organised hisconservative faction to form theReform Party. Thereafter political power centred on parties and their leaders.[53] (Subsequent governments were led by prime ministers from the Reform,United,Labour andNational parties.[51]) Although not every government would have a large majority, theparty system and tight control of party members bywhips helped heads of government to direct the passage of legislation in the House of Representatives. In 1893, the premier gained the ability to restrict the term of appointments to theLegislative Council.[54]
After 1900,Richard Seddon, the incumbent head of government, used the title of "prime minister". The change of title was reflected in theNew Zealand Official Yearbook of that year.[3] Seddon's immediate successor,William Hall-Jones, was the first to be sworn in as "prime minister", in 1906.[55]
The expanding power of the prime minister was kept in check by the need to build consensus with other leading members of the Cabinet and of the governing party, including those who represented various ideological wings of the party. Other institutions, including Parliament itself and the wider state bureaucracy, also acted as limits on prime ministerial power; in 1912Thomas Mackenzie was the last prime minister to lose power through an unsuccessfulconfidence motion in the House of Representatives.[11]
One change brought about by theFirst World War was direct participation in governing the British Empire. Previously, New Zealand prime ministers had attended occasional colonial and imperial conferences, but they otherwise communicated with London through the governor (a position then appointed by the British government). In 1917, British Prime MinisterDavid Lloyd George offered the New Zealand prime minister a seat in theImperial War Cabinet, the British Empire's wartime coordinating body. In 1919, Prime Minister William Massey signed theTreaty of Versailles on behalf of New Zealand, signalling theindependence of New Zealand within the empire, although Massey downplayed the event as an ardent imperialist.[53]
Constitutional conventions adopted in 1930, following theImperial Conference held that year, increased the domestic and international prestige of the prime minister. TheStatute of Westminster 1931 confirmed that Dominions had exclusive power to make their laws. New Zealand initially resisted greater autonomy and did notadopt the statute until 1947. Increasingly New Zealand began to act independently in foreign affairs. During the 1940s the prime minister's profile rose as New Zealand signed several international treaties.[53] In 1967,Keith Holyoake became the first New Zealand prime minister to select candidates for the position of governor-general without any involvement of the British government. Holyoake advised the monarch,Queen Elizabeth II, to appointSir Arthur Porritt, the first New Zealand-born governor-general.[49]
After themixed-member proportional (MMP) system wasintroduced in 1996, prime ministers have had to manage minority governments, although the Ward government formed in 1928 and the Forbes government formed in 1930 are two earlier minority government examples. The Forbes-led United and Reform coalition from 1931 to 1935 was the country's first coalition government outside of wartime; andGeorge Forbes is the only New Zealand parliamentary leader of a junior coalition party to have served as prime minister. The skill of MMP management was exemplified byHelen Clark's nine years as prime minister (1999–2008), when her Labour government remained in power thanks to a range ofconfidence-and-supply agreements with five smaller parties.[56]
Until the premiership of Helen Clark, it was customary for senior members of the legislature, executive and judiciary—including the prime minister—to be appointed to thePrivy Council, granting them the style "Right Honourable". This practice was discontinued at the same time as the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods in 2000 from theNew Zealand royal honours system. National'sJohn Key became prime minister in 2008 and moved to restore titular honours,[57] but did not resume appointments to the Privy Council, meaning Key was styled "The Honourable". On 3 August 2010, the Queen granted the style "Right Honourable" to the offices of prime minister, governor-general,speaker of the House of Representatives andchief justice, to be held for life by those appointed to these roles.[58]
On 21 June 2018, Labour'sJacinda Ardern became the first prime minister of New Zealand (and second elected head of government in the world) to give birth while in office.[59][60] Ardern was also the first prime minister to lead a single-partymajority government since the introduction of MMP, doing so from 2020 to 2023.[61]
An office titled "deputy prime minister" has existed since 1949.[h][62] The deputy typically holds important ministerial portfolios and, by convention, becomesacting prime minister in the absence or incapacity of the prime minister.[i] The deputy is commonly a member of the same party as the prime minister, but not necessarily so; in coalition governments, the parliamentary leader of a junior party may be offered the post.[63][64]David Seymour, leader ofACT New Zealand, has been deputy prime minister since 31 May 2025.[65]
Lists of the 42 people who have so far held the premiership:
Now that New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has hit world headlines by becoming only the second elected head of government to give birth in office, attention has naturally been drawn to the first such leader – Pakistan's late two-time Prime MinisterBenazir Bhutto.
She is only the second world leader in history to give birth while in office. Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto gave birth to a daughter in 1990.
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