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List of prime ministers of New Zealand facts for kids

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Four past New Zealand prime ministers together in 1992
Four New Zealand prime ministers pictured in 1992 (from left) – David Lange, Jim Bolger, Robert Muldoon and Mike Moore

The prime minister of New Zealand is the main leader of the country's government. They are also the head of the Cabinet, which is a group of top ministers who make important decisions. The prime minister's powers and duties are based on long-standing traditions, not just written laws.

Officially, the Governor-General chooses the prime minister. However, by tradition, the person chosen must have the support of most members in the House of Representatives (New Zealand's Parliament). The prime minister is always a member of Parliament.

In the past, prime ministers led groups of independent politicians, which were often unstable. Today, the prime minister is usually the leader of the largest political party in Parliament. Since 1935, every prime minister has been from either the National party or the Labour party. This shows how important these two parties are in New Zealand politics. After a new voting system called mixed-member proportional was introduced in 1996, prime ministers often need to work with smaller parties to keep a majority in Parliament.

The title of this important job has changed over time. It was first called "colonial secretary". In 1869, it officially became "premier". This title was used for more than 30 years. Then, Richard Seddon, who was premier at the time, started using "prime minister" officially in 1902.

Some historians think James FitzGerald was New Zealand's first prime minister. However, most people agree that Henry Sewell, who served in 1856, was the first true premier. This is because New Zealand didn't have its own responsible government when FitzGerald was in charge. Since Sewell, 42 different people have held the top job. This does not include Hugh Watt, who was acting prime minister for a short time after Norman Kirk passed away.

Eight prime ministers have served more than once. Richard Seddon held the job for the longest time, serving for thirteen years from 1893 to 1906. The youngest prime minister was Edward Stafford, who was 37 when he started. The oldest was Walter Nash, who left office at 78. New Zealand has had three women prime ministers. This is the same number as Finland, Lithuania, Poland, and the United Kingdom, and only Switzerland has had more.

The current prime minister is Christopher Luxon. He started his role on 27 November 2023.

List of Prime Ministers

This section lists the prime ministers of New Zealand. It shows which political party they belonged to when they were in office. It also shows the areas they represented in Parliament. Some prime ministers were part of other parties or represented different areas before or after being prime minister. A number in brackets, like (2), means the prime minister had served in the role before.

Political parties

     Independent      Liberal      Reform      United      Labour      National

Status

     Denotes acting prime minister

Symbols

Died in office

Colonial Secretaries (1856–1869)
No. Portrait Name
Constituency
(Birth–Death)
Election
(Parliament)
Term of office Political party Government
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Henry Sewell, 1860 (3x4 cropped).jpg The Honourable
Henry Sewell

MP for Christchurch
(1807–1879)
1855 (2nd) 7 May
1856
20 May
1856
14 days Independent Sewell
2 William Fox 1860 (cropped).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir William Fox
KCMG

MP for Wanganui and Rangitikei
(1812–1893)
– (2nd) 20 May
1856
2 June
1856
14 days Independent Fox I
3 Edward Stafford portrait (alt crop).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Edward Stafford
GCMG

MP for Nelson
(1819–1901)
– (2nd) 2 June
1856
12 July
1861
5 years,
41 days
Independent Stafford I
(2) William Fox 1860 (cropped).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir William Fox
KCMG

MP for Rangitikei
(1812–1893)
1860–1861 (3rd) 12 July
1861
6 August
1862
1 year,
26 days
Independent Fox II
4 Alfred Domett c1870-1887 (3x4 cropped).jpg The Honourable
Alfred Domett

MP for Nelson
(1811–1887)
– (3rd) 6 August
1862
30 October
1863
1 year,
86 days
Independent Domett
5 Frederick Whitaker.jpg The Honourable
Sir Frederick Whitaker
KCMG
Councillor
(1812–1891)
– (3rd) 30 October
1863
24 November
1864
1 year,
26 days
Independent Whitaker–Fox
6 Sir Frederick Aloysius Weld.jpg The Honourable
Sir Frederick Weld
GCMG
MP for Cheviot
(1823–1891)
– (3rd) 24 November
1864
16 October
1865
327 days Independent Weld
(3) Edward Stafford portrait (alt crop).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Edward Stafford
GCMG

MP for Nelson until 1868
MP for Timaru from 1868
(1819–1901)
– (3rd)
1866 (4th)
16 October
1865
28 June
1869
3 years,
256 days
Independent Stafford II
Premiers and prime ministers (1869–present)
No. Portrait Name
Constituency
(Birth–Death)
Election
(Parliament)
Term of office Political party Government
Took office Left office Time in office
(2) William Fox portrait 1870s or 1880s (cropped) (edited).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir William Fox
KCMG

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

MP for Timaru
(1819–1901)
– (5th) 10 September
1872
11 October
1872
32 days Independent Stafford III
7 George Marsden Waterhouse.jpg The Right Honourable
George Waterhouse

Councillor
(1824–1906)
– (5th) 11 October
1872
3 March
1873
144 days Independent Waterhouse
(2) William Fox portrait 1870s or 1880s (cropped) (edited).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir William Fox
KCMG

MP for Rangitikei
(1812–1893)
– (5th) 3 March
1873
8 April
1873
37 days Independent Fox IV
8 Julius Vogel, ca 1870s.jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Julius Vogel
KCMG
MP for Auckland East
(1835–1899)
– (5th) 8 April
1873
6 July
1875
2 years,
90 days
Independent Vogel I
9 Daniel Pollen, ca 1873.jpg The Honourable
Daniel Pollen
Councillor
(1813–1896)
– (5th) 6 July
1875
15 February
1876
225 days Independent Pollen
(8) Sir Julius Vogel (25423335586).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Julius Vogel
KCMG
MP for Wanganui
(1835–1899)
1875–1876 (6th) 15 February
1876
1 September
1876
200 days Independent Vogel II
10 Sir Harry Albert Atkinson, between 1860 and 1870.jpg The Honourable
Sir Harry Atkinson
KCMG
MP for Egmont
(1831–1892)
– (6th) 1 September
1876
13 October
1877
1 year,
43 days
Independent Atkinson I • II
"Continuous Ministry"
11 George Grey, 1885.jpg The Right Honourable
Sir George Grey
KCB

MP for Thames
(1812–1898)
– (6th) 13 October
1877
8 October
1879
1 year,
361 days
Independent Grey
12 Sir John Hall, ca 1880.jpg The Honourable
Sir John Hall
KCMG
MP for Selwyn
(1824–1907)
1879 (7th)
1881 (8th)
8 October
1879
21 April
1882
2 years,
196 days
Independent Hall
"Continuous Ministry"
(5) Frederick Whitaker, ca 1870s.jpg The Honourable
Sir Frederick Whitaker
KCMG
Councillor
(1812–1891)
– (8th) 21 April
1882
25 September
1883
1 year,
158 days
Independent Whitaker
"Continuous Ministry"
(10) Sir Harry Albert Atkinson, ca 1885.jpg The Honourable
Sir Harry Atkinson
KCMG
MP for Egmont
(1831–1892)
– (8th) 25 September
1883
16 August
1884
327 days Independent Atkinson III
"Continuous Ministry"
13 Robert Stout, 1885.jpg The Right Honourable
Robert Stout
KCMG

MP for Dunedin East
(1844–1930)
1884 (9th) 16 August
1884
28 August
1884
13 days Independent Stout–Vogel
(10) Sir Harry Albert Atkinson, ca 1885.jpg The Honourable
Sir Harry Atkinson
KCMG
MP for Egmont
(1831–1892)
– (9th) 28 August
1884
3 September
1884
7 days Independent Atkinson IV
"Continuous Ministry"
(13) Sir Robert Stout.PNG The Right Honourable
Sir Robert Stout
KCMG

MP for Dunedin East
(1844–1930)
– (9th) 3 September
1884
8 October
1887
3 years,
36 days
Independent Stout–Vogel
(10) Harry Atkinson.jpg The Honourable
Sir Harry Atkinson
KCMG
MP for Egmont
(1831–1892)
1887 (10th) 8 October
1887
24 January
1891
3 years,
109 days
Independent Atkinson V
"Scarecrow Ministry"
14 John Ballance 1880.jpg The Right Honourable
John Ballance

MP for Wanganui
(1839–1893)
1890 (11th) 24 January
1891
27 April
1893
2 years,
94 days
Liberal Liberal
15 Richard Seddon, 1906.jpg The Right Honourable
Richard Seddon

MP for Westland
(1845–1906)
– (11th)
1893 (12th)
1896 (13th)
1899 (14th)
1902 (15th)
1905 (16th)
1 May
1893
10 June
1906
13 years,
41 days
Liberal
16 William Hall-Jones 2.jpg The Honourable
William Hall-Jones
KCMG

MP for Timaru
(1851–1936)
– (16th) 21 June
1906
6 August
1906
47 days Liberal
17 Joseph Ward (cropped).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Joseph Ward
BtGCMG

MP for Awarua
(1856–1930)
– (16th)
1908 (17th)
1911 (18th)
6 August
1906
12 March
1912
5 years,
220 days
Liberal Liberal
C&S with IPLL 1908–1910;
Labour 1910–1912; independents 1911–1912
18 Thomas Mackenzie.jpg The Right Honourable
Thomas Mackenzie
GCMG

MP for Egmont
(1853–1930)
– (18th) 28 March
1912
10 July
1912
105 days Liberal
19 William Ferguson Massey 1919.jpg The Right Honourable
William Massey

MP for Franklin
(1856–1925)
– (18th)
1914 (19th)
1919 (20th)
1922 (21st)
10 July
1912
10 May
1925
12 years,
305 days
Reform Reform
with Liberal 1915–1919;
C&S with independents
20 Sir Francis Henry Dillon Bell, ca 1924.jpg The Right Honourable
Francis Bell
GCMGKC

Councillor
(1851–1936)
– (21st) 14 May
1925
30 May
1925
17 days Reform
21 Joseph Gordon Coates, 1931.jpg The Right Honourable
Gordon Coates
MC*

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

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

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

MP for Auckland West
(1872–1940)
1935 (25th)
1938 (26th)
6 December
1935
27 March
1940
4 years,
113 days
Labour First Labour
C&S with Rātana 1935–1936; independents 1935–1946
24 Peter Fraser.jpg The Right Honourable
Peter Fraser
CH
MP for Wellington Central until 1946
MP for Brooklyn from 1946
(1884–1950)
– (26th)
1943 (27th)
1946 (28th)
1 April
1940
13 December
1949
9 years,
257 days
Labour
25 Sidney George Holland (1953).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Sidney Holland
GCMGCH
MP for Fendalton
(1893–1961)
1949 (29th)
1951 (30th)
1954 (31st)
13 December
1949
20 September
1957
7 years,
282 days
National First National
26 Keith Holyoake (crop).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Keith Holyoake
KGGCMGCHQSOKStJ

MP for Pahiatua
(1904–1983)
– (31st) 20 September
1957
12 December
1957
84 days National
27 Walter Nash (ca 1940s).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Walter Nash
GCMGCH

MP for Hutt
(1882–1968)
1957 (32nd) 12 December
1957
12 December
1960
3 years,
1 day
Labour Second Labour
(26) Keith Holyoake, 1972.jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Keith Holyoake
KGGCMGCHQSOKStJ

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

MP for Karori
(1912–1988)
– (36th) 7 February
1972
8 December
1972
306 days National
29 Norman Kirk, crop.jpg The Right Honourable
Norman Kirk
MP for Sydenham
(1923–1974)
1972 (37th) 8 December
1972
31 August
1974
1 year,
267 days
Labour Third Labour
Hugh Watt, 1951 (1).jpg The Right Honourable
Hugh Watt
JP
MP for Onehunga
(1912–1980)

Acting prime minister
– (37th) 31 August
1974
6 September
1974
7 days Labour
30 Bill Rowling, 1974 (crop).jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Bill Rowling
KCMG
MP for Tasman
(1927–1995)
– (37th) 6 September
1974
12 December
1975
1 year,
98 days
Labour
31 Muldoon 1978.jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Robert Muldoon
GCMGCH

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

MP for Mangere
(1942–2005)
1984 (41st)
1987 (42nd)
26 July
1984
8 August
1989
5 years,
14 days
Labour Fourth Labour
33 Geoffrey Palmer.jpg The Right Honourable
Sir Geoffrey Palmer
KCMGACKC
MP for Christchurch Central
(born 1942)
– (42nd) 8 August
1989
4 September
1990
1 year,
28 days
Labour
34 Mike Moore, 1992 (crop).jpg The Right Honourable
Mike Moore
ONZAO

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

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

MP for Rakaia
(born 1952)
– (45th) 8 December
1997
10 December
1999
2 years,
3 days
National
37 Helen Clark official photo (cropped).jpg The Right Honourable
Helen Clark
ONZSSI

MP for Mount Albert
(born 1950)
1999 (46th)
2002 (47th)
2005 (48th)
10 December
1999
19 November
2008
8 years,
346 days
Labour Fifth Labour
with Alliance 1999–2002, Progressives 2002–2008;
C&S with Greens 1999–2002, Cooperation Agreement 2005–2008;
C&S with New Zealand First 2005–2008; United Future 2002–2008
38 John Key February 2015.jpg The Right Honourable
Sir John Key
GNZMAC

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

List MP
(born 1961)
– (51st) 12 December
2016
26 October
2017
319 days
40 New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in 2018.jpg The Right Honourable
Dame Jacinda Ardern
GNZM

MP for Mount Albert
(born 1980)
2017 (52nd)
2020 (53rd)
26 October
2017
25 January
2023
5 years,
91 days
Labour Sixth Labour
with New Zealand First 2017–2020;
C&S with Greens 2017–2020;
Cooperation with Greens 2020–2023
41 Chris Hipkins NZ Labour (3) (cropped).jpg The Right Honourable
Chris Hipkins

MP for Remutaka
(born 1978)
– (53rd) 25 January
2023
27 November
2023
306 days Labour
42 Christopher Luxon 2025 (cropped).jpg The Right Honourable
Christopher Luxon

MP for Botany
(born 1970)
2023 (54th) 27 November
2023
Incumbent 1 year, 248 days National Sixth National
with ACT, New Zealand First 2023–present

Timeline of Prime Ministers

Christopher Luxon Chris Hipkins Jacinda Ardern Bill English John Key Helen Clark Jenny Shipley Jim Bolger Mike Moore (New Zealand politician) Geoffrey Palmer (politician) David Lange Robert Muldoon Bill Rowling Hugh Watt Norman Kirk Jack Marshall Walter Nash Keith Holyoake Sidney Holland Peter Fraser Michael Joseph Savage George William Forbes Gordon Coates Francis Bell (New Zealand politician) William Massey Thomas Mackenzie Joseph Ward William Hall-Jones Richard Seddon John Ballance Robert Stout John Hall (New Zealand politician) George Grey Harry Atkinson Daniel Pollen Julius Vogel George Marsden Waterhouse Frederick Weld Frederick Whitaker Alfred Domett Edward Stafford (politician) William Fox (New Zealand) Henry Sewell


More About Prime Ministers

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Primeros ministros de Nueva Zelanda para niños

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