Prime Minister of New Zealand

The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government. This job is given to the leader of the party or coalition with the most support in the Parliament of New Zealand. Since 12 December 2016, the Prime Minister has been Bill English of the National Party.

Responsibilities and powers

The role of the Prime Minister is not formally defined, being based on constitutional convention rather than specific legislation. According to these conventions, the Prime Minister is leader of Cabinet (itself a body existing by convention), and takes a co-ordinating role.

The Prime Minister holds the most senior post in the New Zealand Parliament. The Prime Minister is not able to give direct orders to other people in their party.

The Prime Minister can call for an election by asking the Governor-General to close Parliament

List of New Zealand Prime Ministers

	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1	Henry Sewell	7 May 1856	20 May 1856	None
2	William Fox	20 May 1856	2 June 1856	None
3	Edward Stafford	2 June 1856	12 July 1861	None
4	William Fox, 2nd time	12 July 1861	6 August 1862	None
5	Alfred Domett	6 August 1862	30 October 1863	None
6	Frederick Whitaker	30 October 1863	24 November 1864	None
7	Frederick Weld	24 November 1864	16 October 1865	None
8	Edward Stafford, 2nd time	16 October 1865	28 June 1869	None
9	William Fox, 3rd time	28 June 1869	10 September 1872	None
10	Edward Stafford, 3rd time	10 September 1872	11 October 1872	None
11	George Waterhouse	11 October 1872	3 March 1873	None
12	William Fox, 4th time	3 March 1873	8 April 1873	None
13	Julius Vogel	8 April 1873	6 July 1875	None
14	Daniel Pollen	6 July 1875	15 February 1876	None
15	Julius Vogel, 2nd time	15 February 1876	1 September 1876	None
16	Harry Atkinson	1 September 1876	13 October 1877	None
17	George Grey	13 October 1877	8 October 1879	None
18	John Hall	8 October 1879	21 April 1882	None
19	Frederick Whitaker, 2nd time	21 April 1882	25 September 1883	None
20	Harry Atkinson, 2nd time	25 September 1883	16 August 1884	None
21	Robert Stout	16 August 1884	28 August 1884	None
22	Harry Atkinson, 3rd time	28 August 1884	3 September 1884	None
23	Robert Stout, 2nd time	3 September 1884	8 October 1887	None
24	Harry Atkinson, 4th time	8 October 1887	24 January 1891	None
25	John Ballance	24 January 1891	27 April 1893	Liberal
26	Richard Seddon	27 April 1893	10 June 1906	Liberal
27	William Hall-Jones	10 June 1906	6 August 1906	Liberal
28	Joseph Ward	6 August 1906	28 March 1912	Liberal
29	Thomas Mackenzie	28 March 1912	10 July 1912	Liberal
30	William Massey	10 July 1912	10 May 1925	Reform
31	Francis Bell	10 May 1925	30 May 1925	Reform
32	Gordon Coates	30 May 1925	10 December 1928	Reform
33	Joseph Ward, 2nd time	10 December 1928	28 May 1930	United (Liberal)
34	George Forbes	28 May 1930	6 December 1935	United (Liberal)
35	Michael Joseph Savage	6 December 1935	27 March 1940	Labour
36	Peter Fraser	27 March 1940	13 December 1949	Labour
37	Sidney Holland	13 December 1949	20 September 1957	National
38	Keith Holyoake	20 September 1957	12 December 1957	National
39	Walter Nash	12 December 1957	12 December 1960	Labour
40	Keith Holyoake, 2nd time	12 December 1960	7 February 1972	National
41	Jack Marshall	7 February 1972	8 December 1972	National
42	Norman Kirk	8 December 1972	31 August 1974	Labour
43	Hugh Watt (Acting)	31 August 1974	6 September 1974	Labour
44	Bill Rowling	6 September 1974	12 December 1975	Labour
45	Robert Muldoon	12 December 1975	26 July 1984	National
46	David Lange	26 July 1984	8 August 1989	Labour
47	Geoffrey Palmer	8 August 1989	4 September 1990	Labour
48	Mike Moore	4 September 1990	2 November 1990	Labour
49	Jim Bolger	2 November 1990	8 December 1997	National
50	Jenny Shipley	8 December 1997	5 December 1999	National
51	Helen Clark	5 December 1999	18 November 2008	Labour
52	John Key	19 November 2008	12 December 2016	National
53	Bill English	12 December 2016	present	National

See also: List of New Zealand Prime Ministers by term

Other websites

• New Zealand Prime Minister's official website
• List of New Zealand Prime Ministers