List of prime ministers of New Zealand
Appearance
The prime minister of New Zealand is the head of government of New Zealand, and the leader of the Cabinet of New Zealand.
List
[change | change source]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 |