Misplaced Pages

#124875

85-518: NZARP began as a proposal by the New Zealand government , in 1953, for a research base in Antarctica. Its mission was to provide support for a variety of scientific fieldwork in Antarctica. Members worked as researchers, assistants, tour guides, operators, and administrators to Scott Base . Ground was broken for Scott Base on 10 January 1957. Assembly of the base began 12 January, conducted by

170-495: A Dominion in 1907, the term prime minister has been used exclusively in English. In Māori, the title pirimia , means "premier". New Zealand prime ministers are styled as " The Right Honourable ", a privilege they retain for life. Forty-two people (thirty-nine men and three women) have served as prime minister, the first of whom was Henry Sewell taking office on 7 May 1856 as premier. The longest-serving prime minister

255-446: A general election . Not since 1928 has a government been defeated on a confidence vote and therefore been obliged to resign. The Constitution Act 1986 stipulates that general elections must be held at least every three years, making this the maximum period of time that a government can serve without seeking renewal of its mandate . Upon the dissolution of Parliament (preceding a general election) ministers are no longer members of

340-471: A portfolio of specific responsibilities such as departments or policy areas, although ministers without portfolio can be appointed. The position of prime minister belongs to the person who commands the confidence of the majority of members in the House of Representatives. The position is determined also by several other factors, such as support agreements between parties and internal leadership votes in

425-409: A corresponding public service department ( see § Departments ). The most important minister, following the prime minister, is the finance minister , while other high-profile portfolios include foreign affairs , justice , health and education . Traditionally, all members are collectively responsible for the actions taken by Cabinet—typically all Cabinet ministers must publicly support

510-479: A large majority, the party system and tight control of party members by whips 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 the Legislative Council . After 1900, Richard Seddon , the incumbent head of government, used the title of "prime minister". The change of title

595-560: A position of executive leadership was Henry Sewell , who formed a brief ministry in April 1856, at the beginning of the Second Parliament . Despite his formal leadership role, however, his only actual title was " colonial secretary ", a position comparable to a minister of internal affairs . His successor, William Fox , was also given a formal leadership role but was not a colonial secretary. In 1864 when Frederick Weld became

680-697: Is a formal body that meets to give legal effect to decisions made by the Cabinet, and to carry out various other functions, such as the making of certain appointments to government agencies and boards. The Executive Council's primary function is to issue Orders in Council , which are legally binding regulations made by the Government. All ministers are members of the Executive Council, and are styled " The Honourable " while in office (or for life if

765-677: Is a reference to the monarch, King Charles III , who is the head of state under the Constitution Act 1986. The legal authority of the state that is vested in the monarch, known as " the Crown ", which is the source of the executive power exercised by the Government. Sovereignty in New Zealand has never rested solely with the monarch due to the English Bill of Rights 1689 , later inherited by New Zealand, which establishes

850-566: Is also traditional for the monarch to bestow a knighthood or damehood on prime ministers after they leave office, and two prime ministers were knighted while still in office (namely Sir Keith Holyoake in 1970, and Sir Robert Muldoon in 1983 ). The Diplomatic Protection Service (DPS) is a special branch of the New Zealand Police that is charged with protecting the prime minister (and their family) and other senior government officials, as well as diplomats. The DPS provides

935-659: Is generally regarded as having been the country's first prime minister. The first ministry that formed along party lines did not appear until 1891, when John Ballance formed the Liberal Party and the Liberal Government . The prime minister became the leader and public face of the governing party. The status of the monarch's representative was upgraded from "governor" to " governor-general " in 1917 letters patent . In short, there have been three distinctly different periods of New Zealand government—firstly,

SECTION 10

#1732780189125

1020-487: Is no substantial evidence for the claim. 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. The first female prime minister was Jenny Shipley of the National Party , who replaced Jim Bolger in late 1997; Shipley was succeeded by Helen Clark in 1999. Jacinda Ardern ,

1105-430: Is said to serve " at His Majesty's pleasure ". As per the conventional stipulations of constitutional monarchy , the king and his representative rarely intervene directly in political affairs. Just as the sovereign's choice of governor-general is on the prime minister's advice, the governor-general exercises the executive powers of state on the advice of ministers. For example, the governor-general's power to withhold

1190-424: Is selected on the advice of the prime minister. " Advice " in this sense is a choice without options since it would be highly unconventional for the prime minister's advice to be ignored—a convention that protects the monarchy. As long as the monarch is following the advice of his ministers, he is not held personally responsible for the decisions of the Government. The governor-general has no official term limit , and

1275-417: Is set to be replaced by 2028. 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. Former prime ministers, when travelling within New Zealand, are eligible to be paid if

1360-497: Is the head of government of New Zealand . The incumbent prime minister, Christopher Luxon , leader of the New Zealand National Party , took office on 27 November 2023. The prime minister (informally abbreviated to PM) ranks as the most senior government minister . They are responsible for chairing meetings of Cabinet ; allocating posts to ministers within the government ; acting as the spokesperson for

1445-529: The COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand . As of July 2024 , the prime minister's salary is set at NZ$ 498,300. 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. The incumbent prime minister's official residence is Premier House , Tinakori Road, Wellington. There the prime minister hosts receptions and events for New Zealand and overseas guests. Unlike

1530-620: The Civil List of 1873, provision was made for the salary of the head of government "being the Prime Minister". 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 the Executive Council (which was chaired by the governor), thus establishing

1615-465: The Executive Council and accountable to the elected legislature , the House of Representatives. Several senior ministers (usually 20) constitute a collective decision-making body known as the Cabinet , which is led by the prime minister (currently Christopher Luxon ). A few more ministers (usually junior or supporting) are part of the Executive Council but are outside Cabinet. Most ministers have

1700-555: The central government deals with issues relevant to New Zealand and its people as a nation, local government exists "to enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of, communities", and "to meet the current and future needs of communities for good-quality local infrastructure, local public services, and performance of regulatory functions in a way that is most cost-effective for households and businesses." Prime Minister of New Zealand The prime minister of New Zealand ( Māori : Te pirimia o Aotearoa )

1785-404: The mixed-member proportional (MMP) system was introduced in 1996 , prime ministers have had to manage minority governments. The skill of MMP management was exemplified by Helen Clark 's nine years as prime minister (1999–2008), when her Labour government remained in power thanks to a range of confidence-and-supply agreements with five smaller parties. Until the premiership of Helen Clark, it

SECTION 20

#1732780189125

1870-477: The " Beehive " because of the building's shape, houses many government offices and is also where the Cabinet meets. Thus the name Beehive is sometimes used metonymically to refer to the New Zealand Government. The official website of the New Zealand Government uses the web address beehive.govt.nz . The first New Zealand Constitution Act was passed in 1846, though Governor George Grey

1955-471: The 1940s the prime minister's profile rose as New Zealand signed several international treaties. 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 appoint Sir Arthur Porritt , the first New Zealand-born governor-general. After

2040-491: The Abolition of Provinces Act 1876, during the premiership of Harry Atkinson . For the purposes of the law, the provinces formally ceased to exist on 1 January 1877. The Sewell Ministry constituted the first responsible government , with control over all domestic matters other than native policy. Formed in 1856, it lasted from 18 April to 20 May. From 7 May onward, Henry Sewell was titled " colonial secretary ", and

2125-427: The Cabinet as a legal entity; it exists solely by constitutional convention. Its decisions do not in and of themselves have legal force; however, it serves as the practical expression of the Executive Council, which is New Zealand's highest formal governmental body. The prime minister is responsible for chairing meetings of Cabinet. The governor-general will appoint as prime minister the person most likely to receive

2210-433: The Cabinet that outlines the Government's policy and legislative proposals. A few other ministers serve in the Executive Council but outside of Cabinet. Since the introduction of MMP, governments have been formed following agreements between a major party and smaller support parties. In such arrangements, government ministers from the support parties are often ministers outside Cabinet. Non-Cabinet ministers may also be from

2295-425: 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, until Richard Seddon changed it to " prime minister " in 1900 during his tenure in the office. Following the declaration of New Zealand as

2380-466: The House of Representatives, with a sufficient number of MPs to win crucial parliamentary votes, will form a Cabinet —this is the sense intended when it is said that a political party "forms the government". The Constitution Act 1986 , the principal part of New Zealand's constitution, locates the executive government in the Executive Council , which also includes ministers outside Cabinet. The Executive Wing of Parliament Buildings , commonly called

2465-431: The House of Representatives; however, they can remain members of the Executive Council "until the expiration of the 28th day after the day on which that person ceases to be a member of Parliament". Also known as " ministers of the Crown ", these are members of Parliament who hold ministerial warrants from the Crown to perform certain functions of government. This includes formulating and implementing policies and advising

2550-424: The House. The Government is required by convention and for practical reasons to maintain the support, or confidence, of the House of Representatives. It also requires the support of the House for the maintenance of supply (by voting through the government's budgets ) and in order to pass primary legislation . By convention, if a government loses the confidence of the House then it must either resign or call for

2635-547: The Parliament in order to call an election , and extends to foreign affairs: the negotiation and ratification of treaties, alliances, international agreements, the right to declare war and peace , and the deployment and armament of defence forces. The king rarely personally exercises his executive powers; since the sovereign does not normally reside in New Zealand, he appoints a governor-general to represent him and exercise most of his powers. The person who fills this role

New Zealand Antarctic Research Programme - Misplaced Pages Continue

2720-485: The Prime Minister provides advice and support on political party matters. The style 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. 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 . It

2805-559: The Privy Council, meaning Key was styled "The Honourable". On 3 August 2010, the Queen granted the prime minister, along with the governor-general, speaker of the House of Representatives and chief justice , the style "Right Honourable" upon appointment. On 21 June 2018, Labour's Jacinda Ardern became the first prime minister of New Zealand (and second elected head of government in the world) to give birth while in office. Ardern

2890-586: The Royal Assent to bills of parliament has been rendered ineffective by the convention. Under the conventions of the Westminster system , the Government is accountable to the House of Representatives, the democratically elected component of Parliament , rather than to the sovereign. This is called responsible government . For example, ministers are required to be members of the House, and they make statements and take questions from other members in

2975-548: The Savage Memorial at Bastion Point in Auckland . Assuming that Henry Sewell is counted as the first prime minister, 42 individuals have held the office since it was established. Some of these people have held it on several separate 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

3060-591: The actions of their department, being answerable to the House of Representatives. This principle is called individual ministerial responsibility . The wider state sector also includes about 2,800 Crown entities (including some 2,600 school boards of trustees), 17 state-owned enterprises , three officers of Parliament, and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand . There are two main tiers of elected local authorities— regional councils and territorial authorities —in some places merged into unitary authorities . While

3145-586: The base. They hired people to act as field safety leaders and assist scientists during research projects. When the DSIR was broken up to form the Crown Research Institutes in 1992, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research took over the NZARP. In 1967, the first tetrapod remains in Antarctica were discovered by New Zealander Peter Barrett, his finding eventually lending support to

3230-474: The colonial-secretary and finance portfolios. As New Zealand developed, the role of minister of finance became too big; Prime Minister Sir 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. Before 1987 it was common for prime ministers to take the role of minister of foreign affairs , so they could represent New Zealand on

3315-427: The confidence of the House of Representatives to lead the Government. In practice, the appointment is determined by size of each political party , support agreements between parties, and leadership votes in the party that leads the Government. The prime minister then advises the governor-general to appoint other ministers. Each minister is responsible for the general administration of at least one portfolio , and heads

3400-702: 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 the Constitution Act 1986 , general elections are required every three years, setting the maximum period a prime minister can serve without their mandate being renewed. The office of prime minister is not defined by codified laws but by unwritten customs known as constitutional conventions which developed in Britain and which New Zealand replicated. These conventions depend for

3485-627: The convention of collective 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 of the MMP electoral system , the role of the prime minister in negotiating and maintaining relationships with support parties has increased, placing some constraints on prime ministerial abilities. Prime ministers also take on additional portfolios (to prioritise policy areas). Historically, 19th-century premiers looked after

New Zealand Antarctic Research Programme - Misplaced Pages Continue

3570-612: The coordination of the implementation of key government programmes. Before 2014, the prime minister was also responsible for the New Zealand Security and Intelligence Service (NZSIS) and for the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB). In 2014, Prime Minister John Key gave himself the new portfolio of National Security and Intellegence and delegated responsibility for SIS and GCSB to other ministers. He also expanded

3655-417: The decisions of Cabinet. However, since the introduction of the mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system in 1993, processes were developed to allow different parties within a coalition cabinet to " agree to disagree " on some issues. The legislative agenda of Parliament is determined by the Cabinet. At the start of each new parliamentary term, the governor-general gives an address prepared by

3740-693: The eight men who first assembled the base in Wellington, and was completed by 20 January. In 1959, the NZARP was established to work with the Ross Dependency Research Committee in the Ross Dependency (New Zealand's claim to a defined sector in Antarctica). In 1962, because of the important research being conducted, Scott Base became a permanent research station in Antarctica. The NZARP was in charge of maintaining

3825-434: The elected members of parliament (MPs). In making this appointment, convention requires the governor-general to act on the outcome of the electoral process and subsequent discussions between political parties by which the person who will lead the government as prime minister is identified. In practice, the position typically falls to an MP who is the parliamentary leader of the largest political party among those forming

3910-547: The event as an ardent imperialist. Constitutional conventions adopted in 1930, following the Imperial Conference held that year, increased the domestic and international prestige of the prime minister. The Statute of Westminster 1931 confirmed that Dominions had exclusive power to make their laws. New Zealand initially resisted greater autonomy and did not adopt the statute until 1947 . Increasingly New Zealand began to act independently in foreign affairs. During

3995-584: The first formal party in New Zealand, the Liberal Party , forming the Liberal Government in 1891. There was little real parliamentary opposition until 1909, when William Massey organised his conservative faction to form the Reform Party . Thereafter political power centred on parties and their leaders. (Subsequent governments were led by prime ministers from the Reform, United , Labour and National parties. ) Although not every government would have

4080-485: The first schedule to the State Sector Act 1988 . Staffed by around 45,000 public servants, they provide the government of the day with advice and deliver services to the public. Since the 1980s, the public service has been marketised . Each department is headed by a chief executive who answers to a government minister for that department's performance. In turn, a minister bears the ultimate responsibility for

4165-502: The government. The prime minister may lead a coalition government and/or a minority government dependent on support from smaller parties during confidence and supply votes. Once appointed and sworn in by the governor-general, the prime minister remains in the post until dismissal, resignation, or death in office . They, like all ministers, hold office " during the pleasure of the Governor-General ", so theoretically,

4250-578: The government; and providing advice to the sovereign or the sovereign's representative, the governor-general . They also have ministerial responsibility for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet , which is based in the Beehive in Wellington. The office exists by a long-established convention , which originated in New Zealand's former colonial power, the then United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . The convention stipulates that when

4335-622: The governor (a position then appointed by the British government). In 1917, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George offered the New Zealand prime minister a seat in the Imperial War Cabinet , the British Empire's wartime coordinating body. In 1919, Prime Minister William Massey signed the Treaty of Versailles on behalf of New Zealand, signalling the independence of New Zealand within the empire, although Massey downplayed

SECTION 50

#1732780189125

4420-471: The governor-general can dismiss a prime minister at any time; however, convention heavily circumscribes the power to do so. The governor-general retains reserve powers to dismiss a prime minister in certain circumstances, such as those pertaining to a no-confidence motion against the government in the House of Representatives . Where a prime minister, and by extension, the government, can no longer command

4505-468: The governor-general. Before 1996 nearly all ministers were members of the Cabinet, but since the introduction of proportional representation , which has led to complex governing arrangements, there are currently three categories of minister: ministers in Cabinet, ministers outside Cabinet, and ministers from supporting parties. The Executive Council, established under the Letters Patent 1983 ,

4590-451: The international stage. 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 of minister for arts, culture and heritage ; John Key served as minister of tourism ; and Jacinda Ardern became minister for child-poverty reduction. Although no longer likely to be

4675-700: The major governing party, as has been the case in recent governments. Ministers outside the Cabinet have the same overall duties and responsibilities as their senior colleagues inside Cabinet. The current ministry , since November 2023, is the National Party government led by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon , forming a coalition with ACT New Zealand and New Zealand First . The table below lists all ministers, as of 25 June 2024 . Notes New Zealand's public service includes 32 core government institutions—most have ministry or department in their name, e.g. Ministry for Culture and Heritage , or Department of Internal Affairs —which are listed in

4760-492: The minister of foreign affairs, the prime minister remains responsible for welcoming foreign heads of government, visiting leaders overseas, and attending Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings . 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

4845-446: The modern convention of cabinet government . Stafford also clashed with the governor over control of native affairs, which was eventually to fall within the premier's powers. Premiers were initially supported by unorganised factions based on personal interests, and their governments were short-lived. The political position of the premier was enhanced by the development of modern political parties . Premier John Ballance organised

4930-452: 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 the Cabinet (itself a body existing by convention) and takes a coordinating role. The Cabinet Manual provides an outline of the prime minister's powers and responsibilities. By constitutional convention,

5015-418: The office becomes vacant, the governor-general must select as prime minister the person most likely to command the support, or confidence, of the House of Representatives . This individual is typically the parliamentary leader of the political party that holds the largest number of seats in that house. The prime minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their actions to the governor-general, to

5100-433: The office is 13 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 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. The youngest was Edward Stafford , who was appointed premier in 1856, at 37 years, 40 days old. The oldest

5185-514: The office of prime minister are disputed. Use of the words prime minister as a descriptive term dates back to the First Parliament, where they are applied to James FitzGerald and Thomas Forsaith . 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. The first person to be formally appointed to

SECTION 60

#1732780189125

5270-894: The original base. The New Zealand Antarctic Institute also manages other research facilities, in the McMurdo Sound region, such as the Arrival Heights laboratory, which does atmospheric research. A two-storey, 1,800-square-metre (19,000 sq ft) building was constructed in 2005, as a commissioned work by Antarctica New Zealand. This building, known as the Hillary Field Centre, provides an area for cargo receipt and issue, general and refrigerated storages, offices, gym, briefing and training rooms, and field equipment maintenance among many other uses. Because of this new building, New Zealand's science and environmental programs have been able to expand and improve through

5355-525: The party that leads the Government. The prime minister and other ministers are formally appointed by the governor-general (who is the King's personal representative in New Zealand). By convention, the governor-general acts on the advice of the prime minister in appointing ministers. In New Zealand, the term Government can have a number of different meanings. At its widest, it can refer collectively to

5440-612: The party. Other institutions, including Parliament itself and the wider state bureaucracy, also acted as limits on prime ministerial power; in 1912 Thomas Mackenzie was the last prime minister to lose power through an unsuccessful confidence motion in the House of Representatives. One change brought about by the First 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

5525-465: The period before responsible government; second, from 1856 to 1890, the period in which responsible government begins; and the third period starting with the formation of political parties in 1891. By convention, a distinct government is named after the largest party that leads it. The New Zealand Government is formally styled [His] Majesty's Government in the Seal of New Zealand Act 1977 . This

5610-476: The prime minister holds formal power to advise the sovereign. This means that as long as the prime minister has the confidence of parliament, they alone may advise the monarch on: 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 ". A prime minister does hold the most senior post in government, but must also adhere to any decisions taken by Cabinet, as per

5695-405: The prime minister recommends it), except for the prime minister, who is entitled to be styled " The Right Honourable " for life. Although not a member of the Executive Council, the governor-general usually presides at Council meetings. Cabinet ( Māori : Te Rūnanga ) is the senior decision-making body of the Government. Constitutional law, such as the Constitution Act 1986, does not recognise

5780-534: The prime minister with transport; they are driven in the BMW 7 Series 730LD and 750LI, the latter of which is armoured. Although usually flown domestically on regularly scheduled Air New Zealand flights, the prime minister also makes use of Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft, usually Boeing 757 . The 757 aircraft, which are used for international travel, has been upgraded with work stations, internal air stairs, and military communications capabilities. The 757 fleet

5865-512: The principle of parliamentary sovereignty . Nonetheless, the Constitution Act describes the monarch as the " Sovereign ". In many areas, the Crown possesses a body of powers known as the royal prerogative . For example, the Royal Assent (the monarch's approval) is required to enact laws and the royal sign-manual gives authority to letters patent and orders in council . The royal prerogative also includes summoning and dissolving

5950-404: The principle of responsible government , it operates within the framework that "the [ King ] reigns, but the government rules, so long as it has the support of the House of Representatives ". The Cabinet Manual describes the main laws, rules and conventions affecting the conduct and operation of the Government. Executive power is exercised by ministers , all of whom are sworn into

6035-540: The residences of certain other heads of government (e.g. the White House and 10 Downing Street ), Premier House does not serve as the government headquarters; the location of the prime minister's office is the Beehive , in the parliament precinct a short distance away. The prime minister's governmental work is supported by the non-partisan Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The separate Private Office of

6120-680: The role of DPMC in security and intelligence. This model has been followed by subsequent prime ministers. 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. MPs' salaries were temporarily reduced during

6205-723: The second female leader of the Labour Party after Clark, became prime minister in 2017. On becoming the Colony of New Zealand in 1841, New Zealand was directly governed by a governor , appointed by the Colonial Office in Britain. Self-government was established in 1853, following the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 , and the First Parliament met on 24 May 1854. The origins of

6290-636: The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi was the Charter for Erecting the Colony of New Zealand of 1840. New Zealand was granted colonial self-government in 1853 following the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 , which was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Governments were set up at both central and provincial level, with initially six provinces. The provinces were abolished by

6375-456: 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. From that point, the title "premier" was used almost exclusively for the remainder of the 19th century. Nevertheless, in the Schedule of

6460-623: The theory of continental drift . Two years later, in 1969, an NZARP party of six women became the first women to reach the South Pole . Some more of NZARP's discoveries include, Ball Glacier , Atkinson Glacier , Findlay Range , Thomas Heights , and Mount Bradshaw . In 1996, the New Zealand Antarctic Institute—also known as Antarctica New Zealand —took over the work of the NZARP. They now manage all of New Zealand's Antarctic undertakings. Only three buildings remain from

6545-579: The three traditional branches of government—namely, the executive branch , legislative branch (the King-in-Parliament and House of Representatives ) and judicial branch (the Supreme Court and subordinate courts). Each branch operates independently of the others in an arrangement described as " separation of powers ". More commonly, the term is used to refer specifically to the executive branch. The largest party or coalition in

6630-524: The travel is for fulfilling commitments related to his or her role as a former prime minister. Should a serving or former prime minister die, they are accorded a state funeral (subject to the approval of the family). Two prime ministers who died in office were buried in mausoleums: William Massey (died 1925) in the Massey Memorial in Wellington , and Michael Joseph Savage (died 1940) in

6715-410: The years. New Zealand government The New Zealand Government ( Māori : Te Kāwanatanga o Aotearoa ) is the central government through which political authority is exercised in New Zealand . As in most other parliamentary democracies , the term "Government" refers chiefly to the executive branch , and more specifically to the collective ministry directing the executive. Based on

6800-403: Was Richard Seddon , who served over 13 years, and the shortest-serving was Sewell, who served two weeks. The governor-general appoints a prime minister, like other ministerial positions , on behalf of the monarch . By the conventions of responsible government , the governor-general will call to form a government the individual most likely to receive the support, or confidence, of a majority of

6885-462: Was Walter Nash , who was 78 years old when he left office in 1960 (and 75 upon taking office in 1957). It is regarded that all New Zealand prime ministers thus far have been Pākehā ( New Zealand European ), and mostly of British and Irish descent. There was persistent speculation during his lifetime that Norman Kirk (Prime Minister from 1972 to 1974) was Māori and had Kāi Tahu ancestry; he never publicly identified himself as such, and there

6970-407: Was also the first prime minister to lead a single-party majority government since the introduction of MMP, doing so from 2020 to 2023. An office titled "deputy prime minister" has existed since 1949. The deputy typically holds important ministerial portfolios and, by convention, becomes acting prime minister in the absence or incapacity of the prime minister. The deputy is commonly a member of

7055-542: Was customary for senior members of the legislature, executive and judiciary—including the prime minister—to be appointed to the British Privy 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 the New Zealand royal honours system . National's John Key became prime minister in 2008 and moved to restore titular honours, but did not resume appointments to

7140-459: Was opposed to its implementation, specifically the proposed division of the country into European and Māori districts, and stated that settlers were not ready for self-government. As a result, almost all of the Act was suspended pending the new Act of 1852. New Zealand was at this time being governed as a Crown colony . Prior to the act, the basic document setting out the governance of New Zealand since

7225-488: Was reflected in the New Zealand Official Yearbook of that year. Seddon's immediate successor, William Hall-Jones , was the first to be sworn in as "prime minister", in 1906. 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

#124875