Prime Minister of New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prime Minister of New Zealand |
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| Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | |
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| Abbreviation | PM |
| Member of |
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| Reports to | House of Representatives |
| Residence | Premier House, Wellington |
| Seat | The Beehive, Wellington |
| Appointer | Governor-General |
| Term length | At the Governor-General's pleasure |
| Formation | 7 May 1856 |
| First holder | Henry Sewell |
| Deputy | Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand |
| Salary | NZ$498,300 annually |
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The prime minister of New Zealand (Te pirimia o Aotearoa in Māori) is the main leader of the New Zealand government. Think of them as the captain of the country's team! As of late 2023, Christopher Luxon is the prime minister. He is the leader of the New Zealand National Party.
The prime minister, often called the PM, is the most important government minister. They lead meetings of the Cabinet, which is a group of top ministers. The PM also decides which jobs (or "portfolios") other ministers get. They speak for the government and give advice to the King or Queen of New Zealand, or their representative, the Governor-General. The prime minister also looks after the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, which is based in the Beehive building in Wellington.
This important job started a long time ago, based on traditions from Britain. The rules say that when the job is empty, the Governor-General must choose someone who has the most support from the House of Representatives. This person is usually the leader of the political party with the most seats in Parliament. The prime minister and their Cabinet are responsible for their actions to the Governor-General, Parliament, their party, and ultimately, to the people of New Zealand.
The leader of the government used to have different names, like "colonial secretary" or "first minister." In 1869, the name changed to "premier." This name was used for over 30 years until Richard Seddon changed it to "prime minister" in 1900. Since New Zealand became a Dominion in 1907, the title "prime minister" has been used. In Māori, the title pirimia means "premier." New Zealand prime ministers are called "The Right Honourable" for life.
So far, 42 people have been prime minister. This includes thirty-nine men and three women. The first was Henry Sewell, who started on 7 May 1856. The longest-serving prime minister was Richard Seddon, who served for over 13 years. Henry Sewell served for the shortest time, just two weeks.
Contents
How a Prime Minister is Chosen and Stays in Office
The Governor-General officially appoints the prime minister. This is done on behalf of the King or Queen. The Governor-General chooses the person who is most likely to have the support of most elected Members of Parliament (MPs). This person is usually the leader of the largest political party that forms the government after an election. Sometimes, the prime minister might lead a coalition government (a government made of two or more parties) or a minority government (a government that needs support from smaller parties).
Once appointed, the prime minister stays in office until they resign, are dismissed, or pass away. Technically, the Governor-General can dismiss a prime minister at any time. However, this power is almost never used. It would only happen in very special cases, like if the prime minister lost a vote of no confidence in Parliament.
If a prime minister loses the support of Parliament, or if their party loses an election, they are expected to resign. General elections in New Zealand happen every three years. This means a prime minister's leadership is re-evaluated by voters at least every three years.
What Does the Prime Minister Do?
The job of prime minister is not written down in one single law. Instead, it's based on unwritten rules called constitutional conventions. These rules say that the prime minister and other ministers must always have the support of the House of Representatives. The prime minister leads the Cabinet, which is where government decisions are made.
The Cabinet Manual is a guide that explains the prime minister's powers and duties.
Advising the King or Queen
The prime minister is the main person who advises the King or Queen. This means that as long as the prime minister has Parliament's support, they are the only one who can advise the monarch on:
- Choosing or removing the Governor-General.
- Changes to the rules for the Governor-General's job.
- Giving out New Zealand honours (like knighthoods), except for special honours the monarch gives personally.
Advising the Governor-General
As the head of government, the prime minister is the only one who can advise the Governor-General to:
- Appoint, dismiss, or accept the resignation of other ministers.
- Close Parliament and call a new election. The Governor-General can say no to this if the prime minister has just lost a vote of no confidence, but this has never happened.
Leading the Government
The prime minister is seen as "first among equals" in the Cabinet. This means they are the most senior, but they must also agree with decisions made by the Cabinet. The prime minister can't just give direct orders easily. Their power comes from other things, such as:
- Setting the agenda for Cabinet meetings, deciding what topics are discussed.
- Choosing and dismissing ministers, and deciding what jobs they get.
- Their influence as the leader of the main political party.
- Being involved in most big decisions and being able to comment on other ministers' decisions.
Since 1996, New Zealand has used a voting system called MMP. This system means prime ministers often have to work with other parties to form a government. This makes their job of negotiating and keeping good relationships with these parties even more important.
Other Important Roles
Prime ministers often take on extra jobs (called "portfolios") to focus on certain areas. In the past, prime ministers often handled finance or foreign affairs. Now, they choose portfolios that match their interests or important issues. For example, Jacinda Ardern became the minister for child-poverty reduction.
Even if they are not the foreign affairs minister, the prime minister still welcomes leaders from other countries, visits other countries, and attends international meetings.
The prime minister is also in charge of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC). This department helps the Cabinet with advice and makes sure government plans are carried out.
Before 2014, the prime minister was also responsible for the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) and the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB). These are New Zealand's spy agencies. In 2014, Prime Minister John Key created a new role, Minister of National Security and Intelligence, and gave responsibility for the spy agencies to other ministers. This has been followed by later prime ministers.
Perks of Being Prime Minister
Salary and Benefits
The prime minister's salary is set each year by an independent group. As of July 2024, the prime minister earns NZ$498,300 per year. They also get money for travel and accommodation, just like other MPs. Their family also receives these benefits.
The prime minister's official home is Premier House in Wellington. Here, they host events for guests from New Zealand and other countries. Unlike some other leaders' homes, Premier House is not where the government works. The prime minister's office is in the Beehive, which is part of the Parliament buildings. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet helps with government work. There's also a separate office that helps with political party matters.
When someone becomes prime minister, they are given the title "The Right Honourable" (often shortened to "The Rt Hon"). They keep this title for the rest of their lives. It's also a tradition for the King or Queen to give a knighthood or damehood to prime ministers after they leave office.
Security and Travel
The Diplomatic Protection Service (DPS) is a special police unit that protects the prime minister and their family, as well as other important government officials.
The DPS provides the prime minister with special cars, including armoured BMWs. For travel within New Zealand, the prime minister usually flies on regular Air New Zealand flights. For international travel, they use Royal New Zealand Air Force planes, usually Boeing 757s. These planes have been changed to include work areas and special communication systems.
After Leaving Office
Former prime ministers receive a yearly payment and travel money for the rest of their lives, if they served for at least two years. This helps them with duties related to being a former prime minister.
If a current or former prime minister passes away, they can have a state funeral. This is a special public funeral with official honours.
History of the Prime Minister Role
Since the job was created, 42 different people have been prime minister. Some people have held the job more than once. William Fox and Harry Atkinson both served four times. Richard Seddon served the longest, for 13 years. Henry Sewell served the shortest total time, just 13 days. The youngest prime minister was Edward Stafford, who was 37 when he started in 1856. The oldest was Walter Nash, who was 78 when he left office in 1960.
All New Zealand prime ministers so far have been Pākehā (New Zealand European), mostly from British and Irish backgrounds.
New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world to have had three female heads of government. It's also one of only three countries where one female leader directly followed another. The first female prime minister was Jenny Shipley in late 1997. She was followed by Helen Clark in 1999. Jacinda Ardern became prime minister in 2017.
Early Leaders
When New Zealand became a British colony in 1841, it was ruled by a governor appointed by Britain. New Zealand gained the right to govern itself in 1853. The first Parliament met in 1854.
The exact start of the prime minister's job is debated. The words "prime minister" were used early on for leaders like James FitzGerald. However, they didn't have official titles then.
The first person to be formally appointed to a leadership role was Henry Sewell in April 1856. His official title was "colonial secretary." In 1864, Frederick Weld was the sixth person appointed to lead, and he was called "premier." This title was used for most of the 1800s. However, a law in 1873 mentioned a salary for the "Prime Minister."
At first, premiers just advised the governor. But this changed over time. Edward Stafford started meeting with his ministers and making decisions outside of the official council. This helped create the modern way Cabinet works.
Political Parties and Leadership
Early premiers were supported by groups based on personal interests, and their governments didn't last long. The job of premier became stronger when modern political parties formed. John Ballance started the first official party, the Liberal Party, in 1891. After 1909, William Massey formed the Reform Party, creating a strong opposition. From then on, political power was centered on parties and their leaders.
After 1900, Richard Seddon started using the title "prime minister." The official government yearbook changed to reflect this. William Hall-Jones was the first to be sworn in as "prime minister" in 1906.
The prime minister's power grew, but they still needed to work with other important Cabinet members and their party. Parliament and government departments also helped keep the prime minister's power in check.
Modern Leadership
After the First World War, New Zealand prime ministers started to play a more direct role in the British Empire. In 1919, Prime Minister William Massey signed the Treaty of Versailles for New Zealand. This showed New Zealand's growing independence.
In 1930, new constitutional rules further increased the prime minister's importance. New Zealand slowly started to act more independently in foreign affairs. In 1967, Keith Holyoake became the first New Zealand prime minister to choose candidates for the Governor-General job without British government involvement.
After the mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system was introduced in 1996, prime ministers often had to lead minority governments. This meant they needed to be good at working with smaller parties. Helen Clark was prime minister for nine years (1999–2008). Her Labour government stayed in power by making agreements with five smaller parties.
On 21 June 2018, Jacinda Ardern became the first New Zealand prime minister to give birth while in office. She was also the first prime minister to lead a single-party majority government under the MMP system, from 2020 to 2023.
Deputy Prime Minister
The job of "deputy prime minister" has existed since 1949. The deputy usually holds important government jobs. They become the acting prime minister if the prime minister is away or unable to do their job. The deputy is usually from the same party as the prime minister. However, in coalition governments, the leader of a smaller party might become deputy. Winston Peters has been the deputy prime minister since 27 November 2023.
Lists About New Zealand Prime Ministers
Here are some lists about the 42 people who have been prime minister:
- List of prime ministers of New Zealand
- 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 New Zealand by education
See also
In Spanish: Primer ministro de Nueva Zelanda para niños
- Spouse of the prime minister of New Zealand
- Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
- New Zealand order of precedence
- List of New Zealand governments
