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List of prime ministers of New Zealand

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The prime minister of New Zealand is the head of government of New Zealand, and the leader of the Cabinet of New Zealand.

The parties shown are those to which the prime ministers belonged at the time they held office and the electoral districts shown are those they represented while in office. Several prime ministers belonged to parties other than those given and represented other electorates before and after their time in office.

Key

  Independent   Liberal   Reform   United   Labour   National

No. Name
Constituency
(Birth–Death)
Portrait Term of office Elected
(Parliament)
Party Government
Colonial secretaries (1856–1869)
1 The Honourable
Henry Sewell

MP for Christchurch, Canterbury
(1807–1879)
7 May
1856
20 May
1856
1855 (2nd) Independent Sewell
14 days
2 The Right Honourable
Sir William Fox
KCMG

MP for Wanganui and Rangitikei, Wellington
(1812–1893)
20 May
1856
2 June
1856
— (2nd) Independent Fox I
14 days
3 The Right Honourable
Sir Edward Stafford
GCMG

MP for Nelson, Nelson Province
(1819–1901)
2 June
1856
12 July
1861
— (2nd) Independent Stafford I
5 years and 41 days
(2) The Right Honourable
Sir William Fox
KCMG

MP for Rangitikei, Wellington
(1812–1893)
12 July
1861
6 August
1862
1860–61 (3rd) Independent Fox II
1 year and 26 days
4 The Honourable
Alfred Domett
MHR

MP for Nelson, Nelson Province
(1811–1887)
6 August
1862
30 October
1863
— (3rd) Independent Domett
1 year and 86 days
5 The Honourable
Sir Frederick Whitaker
KCMG

Councillor
(1812–1891)
30 October
1863
24 November
1864
— (3rd) Independent Whitaker–Fox
1 year and 26 days
6 The Honourable
Sir Frederick Weld
GCMG

MP for Cheviot, Canterbury
(1823–1891)
24 November
1864
16 October
1865
— (3rd) Independent Weld
327 days
(3) The Right Honourable
Sir Edward Stafford
GCMG

MP for Nelson, Nelson Province until 1868
MP for Timaru, Canterbury from 1868
(1819–1901)
16 October
1865
28 June
1869
— (3rd)
1866 (4th)
Independent Stafford II
6 years and 257 days
Premiers (1869–1907)
(2) The Right Honourable
Sir William Fox
KCMG

MP for Rangitikei, Wellington
(1812–1893)
28 June
1869
10 September
1872
— (4th)
1871 (5th)
Independent Fox III
3 years and 75 days
(3) The Right Honourable
Sir Edward Stafford
GCMG

MP for Timaru, Canterbury
(1819–1901)
10 September
1872
11 October
1872
— (5th) Independent Stafford III
32 days
7 The Right Honourable
George Waterhouse
MLC

Councillor
(1824–1906)
11 October
1872
3 March
1873
— (5th) Independent Waterhouse
144 days
(2) The Right Honourable
Sir William Fox
KCMG

MP for Rangitikei, Wellington
(1812–1893)
3 March
1873
8 April
1873
— (5th) Independent Fox IV
37 days
8 The Right Honourable
Sir Julius Vogel
KCMG

MP for Auckland East, Auckland
(1835–1899)
8 April
1873
6 July
1875
— (5th) Independent Vogel I
2 years and 90 days
9 The Honourable
Daniel Pollen

Councillor
(1813–1896)
6 July
1875
15 February
1876
— (5th) Independent Pollen
225 days
(8) The Right Honourable
Sir Julius Vogel
KCMG

MP for Wanganui, Wellington
(1835–1899)
15 February
1876
1 September
1876
1875–76 (6th) Independent Vogel II
200 days
10 The Honourable
Sir Harry Atkinson
KCMG

MP for Egmont, Taranaki.
provinces abolished on Nov 1, 1876

(1831–1892)
1 September
1876
13 October
1877
— (6th) Independent Atkinson I • II
"Continuous Ministry"
1 year and 43 days
11 The Right Honourable
Sir George Grey
KCB

MP for Thames
(1812–1898)
13 October
1877
8 October
1879
— (6th) Independent Grey
1 year and 361 days
12 The Honourable
Sir John Hall
KCMG

MP for Selwyn
(1824–1907)
8 October
1879
21 April
1882
1879 (7th)
1881 (8th)
Independent Hall
"Continuous Ministry"
2 years and 196 days
(5) The Honourable
Sir Frederick Whitaker
KCMG

Councillor
(1812–1891)
21 April
1882
25 September
1883
— (8th) Independent Whitaker
"Continuous Ministry"
1 year and 158 days
(10) The Honourable
Sir Harry Atkinson
KCMG

MP for Egmont
(1831–1892)
25 September
1883
16 August
1884
— (8th) Independent Atkinson III
"Continuous Ministry"
327 days
13 The Right Honourable
Robert Stout
KCMG

MP for Dunedin East
(1844–1930)
16 August
1884
28 August
1884
1884 (9th) Independent Stout–Vogel
13 days
(10) The Honourable
Sir Harry Atkinson
KCMG

MP for Egmont
(1831–1892)
28 August
1884
3 September
1884
— (9th) Independent Atkinson IV
"Continuous Ministry"
7 days
(13) The Right Honourable
Sir Robert Stout
KCMG

MP for Dunedin East
(1844–1930)
3 September
1884
8 October
1887
— (9th) Independent Stout–Vogel
3 years and 36 days
(10) The Honourable
Sir Harry Atkinson
KCMG

MP for Egmont
(1831–1892)
8 October
1887
24 January
1891
1887 (10th) Independent Atkinson V
"Scarecrow Ministry"
3 years and 109 days
14 The Right Honourable
John Ballance
MHR

MP for Wanganui
(1839–1893)
24 January
1891
27 April
1893
1890 (11th) Liberal Liberal
C&S with IPLL 1908–1910;
Labour 1910–1912; Independents 1911–1912.
2 years and 94 days
15 The Right Honourable
Richard Seddon

MP for Westland
(1845–1906)
1 May
1893
10 June
1906
— (11th)
1893 (12th)
1896 (13th)
1899 (14th)
1902 (15th)
1905 (16th)
Liberal
13 years and 41 days
16 The Honourable
William Hall-Jones
KCMG

MP for Timaru
(1851–1936)
21 June
1906
6 August
1906
— (16th) Liberal
47 days
Prime ministers (1907–present)
17 The Right Honourable
Sir Joseph Ward
BtGCMG

MP for Awarua
(1856–1930)
6 August
1906
12 March
1912
— (16th)
1908 (17th)
1911 (18th)
Liberal
5 years and 220 days
18 The Right Honourable
Thomas Mackenzie
GCMG

MP for Egmont
(1853–1930)
28 March
1912
10 July
1912
— (18th) Liberal
105 days
19 The Right Honourable
William Massey

MP for Franklin
(1856–1925)
10 July
1912
10 May
1925
— (18th)
1914 (19th)
1919 (20th)
1922 (21st)
Reform Reform
with Liberal 1915–1919;
C&S with independents.
12 years and 305 days
20 The Right Honourable
Francis Bell
GCMGKC

Councillor
(1851–1936)
14 May
1925
30 May
1925
— (21st) Reform
17 days
21 The Right Honourable
Gordon Coates
MC*

MP for Kaipara
(1878–1943)
30 May
1925
10 December
1928
— (21st)
1925 (22nd)
Reform
3 years and 195 days
(17) The Right Honourable
Sir Joseph Ward
BtGCMG

MP for Invercargill
(1856–1930)
10 December
1928
28 May
1930
1928 (23rd) United United
with Labour;
C&S with independents.
1 year and 170 days
22 The Right Honourable
George Forbes

MP for Hurunui
(1869–1947)
28 May
1930
6 December
1935
— (23rd) United
1931 (24th) United–Reform Coalition
5 years and 193 days
23 The Right Honourable
Michael Joseph Savage

MP for Auckland West
(1872–1940)
6 December
1935
27 March
1940
1935 (25th)
1938 (26th)
Labour First Labour
C&S with Rātana 1935–1936; Independents 1935–1946.
4 years and 113 days
24 The Right Honourable
Peter Fraser
CH

MP for Wellington Central until 1946
MP for Brooklyn from 1946
(1884–1950)
1 April
1940
13 December
1949
— (26th)
1943 (27th)
1946 (28th)
Labour
9 years and 257 days
25 The Right Honourable
Sidney Holland
GCMGCH

MP for Fendalton
(1893–1961)
13 December
1949
20 September
1957
1949 (29th)
1951 (30th)
1954 (31st)
National First National
7 years and 282 days
26 The Right Honourable
Keith Holyoake
KGGCMGCHQSOKStJ

MP for Pahiatua
(1904–1983)
20 September
1957
12 December
1957
— (31st) National
84 days
27 The Right Honourable
Walter Nash
GCMGCH

MP for Hutt
(1882–1968)
12 December
1957
12 December
1960
1957 (32nd) Labour Second Labour
3 years and 1 day
(26) The Right Honourable
Sir Keith Holyoake
KGGCMGCHQSOKStJ

MP for Pahiatua
(1904–1983)
12 December
1960
7 February
1972
1960 (33rd)
1963 (34th)
1966 (35th)
1969 (36th)
National Second National
11 years and 58 days
28 The Right Honourable
Jack Marshall
GBECHED

MP for Karori
(1912–1988)
7 February
1972
8 December
1972
— (36th) National
306 days
29 The Right Honourable
Norman Kirk

MP for Sydenham
(1923–1974)
8 December
1972
31 August
1974
1972 (37th) Labour Third Labour
1 year and 267 days
The Right Honourable
Hugh Watt
JP

MP for Onehunga
(1912–1980)

Acting prime minister
31 August
1974
6 September
1974
— (37th) Labour
7 days
30 The Right Honourable
Bill Rowling
KCMG

MP for Tasman
(1927–1995)
6 September
1974
12 December
1975
— (37th) Labour
1 year and 98 days
31 The Right Honourable
Sir Robert Muldoon
GCMGCH

MP for Tamaki
(1921–1992)
12 December
1975
26 July
1984
1975 (38th)
1978 (39th)
1981 (40th)
National Third National
8 years and 228 days
32 The Right Honourable
David Lange
ONZCH

MP for Mangere
(1942–2005)
26 July
1984
8 August
1989
1984 (41st)
1987 (42nd)
Labour Fourth Labour
5 years and 14 days
33 The Right Honourable
Geoffrey Palmer
KCMGACQC

MP for Christchurch Central
(born 1942)
8 August
1989
4 September
1990
— (42nd) Labour
1 year and 28 days
34 The Right Honourable
Mike Moore
ONZAO

MP for Christchurch North
(1949–2020)
4 September
1990
2 November
1990
— (42nd) Labour
60 days
35 The Right Honourable
Jim Bolger
ONZ

MP for King Country
(born 1935)
2 November
1990
8 December
1997
1990 (43rd)
1993 (44th)
1996 (45th)
National Fourth National
with Right of Centre 1994–1995;
United NZ 1995–1996;
New Zealand First 1996–98;
with Mauri Pacific, Mana Wahine, Independents 1998–99;
C&S with Future 1994–1995;
Christian Democrats 1995–1996;
United NZ 1995-1995, 1998–1999;
ACT 1998–1999;
Independents 1998–1999.
7 years and 37 days
36 The Right Honourable
Jenny Shipley
DNZM

MP for Rakaia
(born 1952)
8 December
1997
10 December
1999
— (45th) National
2 years and 3 days
37 The Right Honourable
Helen Clark
ONZSSI

MP for Mount Albert
(born 1950)
10 December
1999
19 November
2008
1999 (46th)
2002 (47th)
2005 (48th)
Labour Fifth Labour
with Alliance 1999–2002, Progressives 2002–2008;
C&S with Greens 1999–2002, 2005–2008; New Zealand First 2005–2008; United Future 2002–2008.
8 years and 346 days
38 The Right Honourable
John Key
GNZMAC

MP for Helensville
(born 1961)
19 November
2008
12 December
2016
2008 (49th)
2011 (50th)
2014 (51st)
National Fifth National
C&S with ACT, United Future, Māori.
8 years and 24 days
39 The Right Honourable
Bill English
KNZM

List MP
(born 1961)
12 December
2016
26 October
2017
— (51st) National
319 days
40 The Right Honourable
Jacinda Ardern

MP for Mount Albert
(born 1980)
26 October
2017
25 January
2023
2017 (52nd)
2020 (53rd)
Labour Sixth Labour
with New Zealand First 2017–2020;
C&S with Greens 2017–2020;
Cooperation with Greens 2020–2023
5 years and 92 days
41 The Right Honourable
Chris Hipkins

MP for Remutaka
(born 1978)
25 January
2023
27 November
2023
– (53rd) Labour
307 days
42 The Right Honourable
Christopher Luxon

MP for Botany
(born 1970)
27 November
2023
Incumbent 2023 (54th) National Sixth National
with ACT, New Zealand First 2023–present
304 days