List of prime ministers of New Zealand facts for kids

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
No. | Portrait | Name Constituency (Birth–Death) |
Election (Parliament) |
Term of office | Political party | Government | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
1 | ![]() |
The Honourable Henry Sewell MP for Christchurch (1807–1879) |
1855 (2nd) | 7 May 1856 |
20 May 1856 |
14 days | Independent | Sewell |
2 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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) | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
The Honourable Alfred Domett MP for Nelson (1811–1887) |
– (3rd) | 6 August 1862 |
30 October 1863 |
1 year, 86 days |
Independent | Domett |
5 | ![]() |
The Honourable Sir Frederick Whitaker KCMG Councillor (1812–1891) |
– (3rd) | 30 October 1863 |
24 November 1864 |
1 year, 26 days |
Independent | Whitaker–Fox |
6 | ![]() |
The Honourable Sir Frederick Weld GCMG MP for Cheviot (1823–1891) |
– (3rd) | 24 November 1864 |
16 October 1865 |
327 days | Independent | Weld |
(3) | ![]() |
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 |
No. | Portrait | Name Constituency (Birth–Death) |
Election (Parliament) |
Term of office | Political party | Government | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
(2) | ![]() |
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) | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
The Right Honourable George Waterhouse Councillor (1824–1906) |
– (5th) | 11 October 1872 |
3 March 1873 |
144 days | Independent | Waterhouse |
(2) | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
The Honourable Daniel Pollen Councillor (1813–1896) |
– (5th) | 6 July 1875 |
15 February 1876 |
225 days | Independent | Pollen |
(8) | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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) | ![]() |
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) | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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) | ![]() |
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) | 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) | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
The Honourable William Hall-Jones KCMG MP for Timaru (1851–1936) |
– (16th) | 21 June 1906 |
6 August 1906 |
47 days | Liberal | |
17 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
The Right Honourable Thomas Mackenzie GCMG MP for Egmont (1853–1930) |
– (18th) | 28 March 1912 |
10 July 1912 |
105 days | Liberal | |
19 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
The Right Honourable Francis Bell GCMGKC Councillor (1851–1936) |
– (21st) | 14 May 1925 |
30 May 1925 |
17 days | Reform | |
21 | ![]() |
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) | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
The Right Honourable Sir Keith Holyoake KGGCMGCHQSOKStJ MP for Pahiatua (1904–1983) |
– (31st) | 20 September 1957 |
12 December 1957 |
84 days | National | |
27 | ![]() |
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) | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
The Right Honourable Sir Jack Marshall GBECHED MP for Karori (1912–1988) |
– (36th) | 7 February 1972 |
8 December 1972 |
306 days | National | |
29 | ![]() |
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 |
— | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
The Right Honourable Mike Moore ONZAO MP for Christchurch North (1949–2020) |
– (42nd) | 4 September 1990 |
2 November 1990 |
60 days | Labour | |
35 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
The Right Honourable Sir Bill English KNZM List MP (born 1961) |
– (51st) | 12 December 2016 |
26 October 2017 |
319 days | ||
40 | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
The Right Honourable Chris Hipkins MP for Remutaka (born 1978) |
– (53rd) | 25 January 2023 |
27 November 2023 |
306 days | Labour | |
42 | ![]() |
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

More About Prime Ministers
- List of prime ministers of New Zealand by age
- List of prime ministers of New Zealand by place of birth
- List of prime ministers of Queen Victoria
- List of prime ministers of Edward VII
- List of prime ministers of George V
- List of prime ministers of Edward VIII
- List of prime ministers of George VI
- List of prime ministers of Elizabeth II
- List of prime ministers of Charles III
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Primeros ministros de Nueva Zelanda para niños