The 53rd New Zealand Parliament is the current session of
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
. It opened on 25 November 2020 following the
17 October 2020 general election, and will expire on or before 20 November 2023 to trigger the
next election. It consists of 120
members of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MPs) with five
parties
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature ...
represented: the
Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
and
Green
Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 Nanometre, nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by ...
parties, in
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
, and the
National
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, c ...
,
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...
and
ACT parties, in
opposition
Opposition may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''Opposition'' (Altars EP), 2011 EP by Christian metalcore band Altars
* The Opposition (band), a London post-punk band
* '' The Opposition with Jordan Klepper'', a late-night television series on Com ...
. The
Sixth Labour Government has a majority in this Parliament, with
Jacinda Ardern
Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. A member of the Labour Party, she has been the member of ...
as
prime minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
.
The Parliament was elected using a
mixed-member proportional representation
Mixed-member proportional representation (MMP or MMPR) is a mixed electoral system in which votes cast are considered in local elections and also to determine overall party vote tallies, which are used to allocate additional members to produce ...
(MMP) voting system. MPs represented 72 geographical electorates: 16 in the
South Island
The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...
, 49 in the
North Island
The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...
and 7
Māori electorates
In New Zealand politics, Māori electorates, colloquially known as the Māori seats, are a special category of electorate that give reserved positions to representatives of Māori in the New Zealand Parliament. Every area in New Zealand is ...
. This was an increase of one electorate seat from the previous election, as a result of population growth in the North Island. The remaining MPs were elected from
party lists
An electoral list is a grouping of candidates for election, usually found in proportional or mixed electoral systems, but also in some plurality electoral systems. An electoral list can be registered by a political party (a party list) or can ...
using the
Webster/Sainte-Laguë method
The Webster method, also called the Sainte-Laguë method () or the major fractions method, is a method for allocating seats in a parliament among federal states, or among parties in a party-list proportional representation system.
The metho ...
to realise proportionality.
Background
Electorate changes
To achieve proportionality across electorates, there were a number of changes required to electorates based on population data determined through the
2018 census and projected population growth.
As such, the number of geographical electorates increased by one compared to the
2017 election to account for the
North Island
The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...
's higher population growth, creating
Takanini
Takanini is a southern suburb of Auckland, in northern New Zealand. It is located on the shores of the Pahurehure Inlet, 28 kilometres southeast of the Auckland CBD.
The suburb is home to a Fonterra Brands milk plant (part of the dairy compan ...
, and 30 general electorates and five Māori electorates had their boundaries adjusted so that each electorate contains roughly the same number of people.
2020 general election
The 2020 general election was held on 17 October, after being delayed from 19 September due to a resurgence of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
cases during the
COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
The COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand is part of the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The first case of the disease in New Zealand was reported on 28 February 2 ...
. The dissolution of the 52nd Parliament was originally set for 12 August,
and was delayed first to 17 August and finally to 6 September 2020.
The 2020 election resulted in a majority for the
Labour Party, winning 65 seats, allowing them to continue the
Sixth Labour Government unrestricted. Their coalition partner from the 52nd Parliament,
New Zealand First
New Zealand First ( mi, Aotearoa Tuatahi), commonly abbreviated to NZ First, is a nationalist and populist political party in New Zealand. The party formed in July 1993 following the resignation on 19 March 1993 of its leader and founder, Winst ...
, did not receive enough votes to pass the five percent threshold or win in an
electorate
Electorate may refer to:
* The people who are eligible to vote in an election, especially their number e.g. the term ''size of (the) electorate''
* The dominion of a Prince-elector
The prince-electors (german: Kurfürst pl. , cz, Kurfiřt, ...
, kicking them out of Parliament.
Confidence and supply
In a parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster system, confidence and supply are required for a ruling cabinet to retain power in the lower house.
A confidence-and-supply agreement is one whereby a party or independent members of parl ...
partner the
Green Party
A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence.
Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...
received 10 seats, up two, becoming the first minor party ever to increase their share of the vote following their being in government. In the opposition, the
National Party lost 23 seats, giving them a total of 33, and
ACT New Zealand
ACT New Zealand, known simply as ACT (), is a right-wing, classical-liberal political party in New Zealand. According to former party leader Rodney Hide, ACT's values are "individual freedom, personal responsibility, doing the best for our natur ...
went from one seat to ten. The
Māori Party
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
won a
Māori electorate and gained an additional list seat after losing representation in the 2017 general election.
Formation
Labour achieved a majority in the 2020 election, allowing them to form a government without any
coalition
A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces.
Formation
According to ''A Gui ...
agreements having to be made. However, Prime Minister
Jacinda Ardern
Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. A member of the Labour Party, she has been the member of ...
entered talks with the Green Party about "potential areas of co-operation" in the formation of the new government. After two weeks of discussions, the Green Party reached an agreement with Labour on 31 October to become part of the next Government, with co-leaders
James Shaw and
Marama Davidson
Marama Mere-Ana Davidson (née Paratene; born 1973) is a New Zealand politician who entered the New Zealand Parliament in 2015 as a representative of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, of which she is the female co-leader.
In October 20 ...
receiving ministerial positions outside of cabinet. Shaw will remain Minister of Climate Change and become Associate Minister of the Environment, while Davidson will be Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence and the Associate Minister of Housing. The new government was sworn in on 6 November 2020.
Parliamentary term
The writ for the 2020 election was returned on 20 November 2020 after being delayed from its original set date of 12 November due to election recounts. Under section 19 of
Constitution Act 1986
The Constitution Act 1986 is an Act of the New Zealand Parliament that forms a major part of the constitution of New Zealand. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles of governance, and establishes the powers of the ...
, Parliament must meet no later than six weeks after this date; on 6 November 2020, following the new government's first Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed that the Commission Opening and State Opening of Parliament would take place on 25 and 26 November 2020, respectively.
The 53rd Parliament is the first parliament since the
44th New Zealand Parliament (and the introduction of an MMP electoral system) to have a single party hold an outright majority of seats. The Labour Party holds 65 seats, 4 more than the required 61 seats needed for a majority.
Timeline
*1 November 2020 – The
Green Party
A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence.
Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...
enter into a "cooperation agreement" with
Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
*6 November 2020 –
**
Jacinda Ardern
Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. A member of the Labour Party, she has been the member of ...
is sworn in for a second term as Prime Minister. Other ministers are also sworn in.
**Final results of the
2020 election are released. Three electorates flip to Labour, and National lose two seats on the party vote, with Labour and the Māori Party picking up one each.
[
**]Gerry Brownlee
Gerard Anthony Brownlee (born 4 February 1956) is a New Zealand politician of the New Zealand National Party. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1996, was Leader of the House, Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery and Minister of ...
resigns as Deputy Leader of the National Party.
*10 November 2020 – Shane Reti
Shane Raymond Reti (born 5 June 1963) is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives, first elected at the 2014 general election. He is a member of the New Zealand National Party and served as its deputy ...
is elected Deputy Leader of the National Party.
*20 November 2020 – The writ of the election is returned (having been delayed from 12 November due to a judicial recount).
*25 November 2020 – Commission Opening of Parliament
*26 November 2020 – State Opening of Parliament
*20 May 2021 – Budget 2021 was delivered to Parliament.
*25 November 2021 – Judith Collins
Judith Anne Collins (born 24 February 1959) is a New Zealand politician who served as the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the New Zealand National Party from 14 July 2020 to 25 November 2021. She was the second female Leader of the Natio ...
is removed as Leader of the National Party by a caucus vote of no confidence
A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...
.
*30 November 2021 – Christopher Luxon
Christopher Mark Luxon (born 19 July 1970) is a New Zealand politician and former business executive who is currently serving as leader of the New Zealand National Party and the Leader of the Opposition. He has been the Member of Parliament (M ...
and Nicola Willis
Nicola Valentine Willis (born 7 March 1981) is Deputy Leader of the National Party and Minister of Finance in a Coalition Government with ACT and New Zealand First. Willis entered the New Zealand Parliament in 2018, when she inherited Steve ...
are elected Elected may refer to:
* "Elected" (song), by Alice Cooper, 1973
* ''Elected'' (EP), by Ayreon, 2008
*The Elected, an American indie rock band
See also
*Election
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population ...
Leader and Deputy Leader of the National Party.
*20 May 2022 – Budget 2022 was delivered to Parliament.
Major legislation
On 1 March 2021, the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021 received royal assent after being introduced by Nanaia Mahuta
Nanaia Cybele Mahuta (born 21 August 1970) is a New Zealand politician who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hauraki-Waikato and serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand), Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Sixth Labour Governm ...
on 9 February. This Act eliminates mechanisms for holding public referendum
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
s on the establishment of Māori wards and constituencies Māori wards and constituencies refer to wards and constituencies on urban, district, and regional councils in New Zealand that represent local constituents registered on the Māori parliamentary electoral roll vote. Like Māori electorates within t ...
on local bodies, which allowed the public to veto a council's decision to introduce a Māori ward.
Workplace culture
In 2019, following allegations of workplace misconduct by Meka Whaitiri
Melissa Heni Mekameka Whaitiri (born 11 January 1965) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician and Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. She was elected to Parliament in the 2013 Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-election and is currently Minis ...
, Jami-Lee Ross
Jami-Lee Matenga Ross (born 1985) is a New Zealand former politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Botany electorate in Auckland from the March 2011 Botany by-election, when he became the youngest MP at the time, until 2020. He ...
, and Maggie Barry
Margaret Mary Barry (born 5 October 1959), generally known as Maggie Barry, is a New Zealand politician and former member of the House of Representatives, first elected in the 2011 general election. She is a member of the National Party, and ...
in the 52nd Parliament the Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard
Trevor Colin Mallard (born 17 June 1954) is a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party. First elected to Parliament in 1984, he was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2017 until 2022.
Mallard was a Cabinet m ...
commissioned a review into bullying and harassment in Parliament.
In the 53rd Parliament, Parliamentary Services started to implement the 85 recommendations from the review into workplace culture. Despite this, allegations of workplace misconduct continued. These allegations include:
* Nick Smith bullying his staff, with allegations from 2020 leading to his resignation in 2021.
* Gaurav Sharma being bullied by the Labour Whips office, the Prime Minister's office, and by Parliamentary Services.
* Anna Lorck
Anna Louise Lorck is a New Zealand politician of the New Zealand Labour Party. She was elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives at the 2020 general election as the MP for Tukituki.
Early life and career
Lorck grew up in Waipukurau ...
bullying her staff.
Dissolution
Under section 17 of the Constitution Act 1986
The Constitution Act 1986 is an Act of the New Zealand Parliament that forms a major part of the constitution of New Zealand. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles of governance, and establishes the powers of the ...
, Parliament expires a maximum of three years "from the day fixed for the return of the writs
In common law, a writ (Anglo-Saxon ''gewrit'', Latin ''breve'') is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction; in modern usage, this body is generally a court. Warrants, prerogative writs, subpoenas, a ...
issued for the last preceding general election of members of the House of Representatives, and no longer". The writs were issued on 13 September 2020 and were returned on 20 November 2020, meaning that the 53rd Parliament must dissolve on or before 20 November 2023.
Officeholders
Presiding officers
* Speaker of the House
The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England.
Usage
The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...
:
** Rt. Hon. Adrian Rurawhe
Adrian Paki Rurawhe (born 1961) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician of Ngāti Apa descent. He is the speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, the second Māori to hold the position, and Member of Parliament for Te Tai Hauāuru. ...
(Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
) from 24 August 2022
** Rt. Hon. Trevor Mallard
Trevor Colin Mallard (born 17 June 1954) is a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party. First elected to Parliament in 1984, he was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2017 until 2022.
Mallard was a Cabinet m ...
(Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
) until 24 August 2022
* Deputy Speaker of the House:
** Greg O'Connor
Greg O'Connor is a composer and songwriter who has composed scores for over 30 television series and has written numerous featured songs for TV, films and commercials. He is a Primetime Emmy winner and a four-time Emmy nominee. He has scored pro ...
(Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
) from 25 August 2022
** Adrian Rurawhe
Adrian Paki Rurawhe (born 1961) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician of Ngāti Apa descent. He is the speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, the second Māori to hold the position, and Member of Parliament for Te Tai Hauāuru. ...
(Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
) until 24 August 2022
* Assistant Speaker of the House: Hon. Jenny Salesa
Jennifer Teresia Salesa (née Latu, born 1968) is a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party who has served as a Member of Parliament since 2014. She was first elected as MP for Manukau East, and after its abolition in 2020 won th ...
(Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
)
* Assistant Speaker of the House: Hon. Jacqui Dean
Jacqueline Isobel Dean (née Hay, born 13 May 1957) is a New Zealand politician and the current Member of Parliament for the Waitaki electorate, where she represents the National Party.
Early career
Dean was born in Palmerston North. She has ...
(National
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, c ...
)
* Assistant Speaker of the House: Ian McKelvie
Ian Robert Flockhart McKelvie (born 1952) is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He is a member of the National Party.
Early life and career
McKelvie was born to parents John and Rosemary in Palmer ...
(National
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, c ...
) from 1 March 2022
Other parliamentary officers
* Clerk
A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...
: David Wilson
* Deputy Clerk: Suze Jones
* Serjeant-at-Arms
A serjeant-at-arms, or sergeant-at-arms, is an officer appointed by a deliberative body, usually a legislature, to keep order during its meetings. The word "serjeant" is derived from the Latin ''serviens'', which means "servant". Historically, s ...
: Steve Streefkerk
Party leaders
* Prime Minister of New Zealand
The prime minister of New Zealand ( mi, Te pirimia o Aotearoa) is the head of government of New Zealand. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, took office on 26 October 2017.
The prime minister (inform ...
: Rt. Hon. Jacinda Ardern
Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. A member of the Labour Party, she has been the member of ...
(Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
)
** Deputy Leader of the Labour Party: Hon. Kelvin Davis
** Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
The deputy prime minister of New Zealand ( mi, Te pirimia tuarua o Aotearoa) is the second most senior member of the Cabinet of New Zealand. The officeholder usually deputises for the prime minister at official functions. The current deputy pr ...
: Hon. Grant Robertson
Grant Murray Robertson (born 30 October 1971) is a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party who has served as the 19th deputy prime minister of New Zealand since 2020 and the minister of Finance since 2017. He has served as Membe ...
* Leader of the Opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...
(National
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, c ...
):
**Christopher Luxon
Christopher Mark Luxon (born 19 July 1970) is a New Zealand politician and former business executive who is currently serving as leader of the New Zealand National Party and the Leader of the Opposition. He has been the Member of Parliament (M ...
from 30 November 2021
**Hon. Judith Collins
Judith Anne Collins (born 24 February 1959) is a New Zealand politician who served as the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the New Zealand National Party from 14 July 2020 to 25 November 2021. She was the second female Leader of the Natio ...
until 25 November 2021
*** Deputy Leader of the Opposition (National
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, c ...
):
****Nicola Willis
Nicola Valentine Willis (born 7 March 1981) is Deputy Leader of the National Party and Minister of Finance in a Coalition Government with ACT and New Zealand First. Willis entered the New Zealand Parliament in 2018, when she inherited Steve ...
from 30 November 2021
****Shane Reti
Shane Raymond Reti (born 5 June 1963) is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives, first elected at the 2014 general election. He is a member of the New Zealand National Party and served as its deputy ...
until 30 November 2021
* Co-leaders of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand ( mi, Rōpū Kākāriki o Aotearoa, Niu Tireni), commonly known as the Greens, is a green and left-wing political party in New Zealand. Like many green parties around the world, it has four organisational ...
:
** Female Co-leader: Hon. Marama Davidson
Marama Mere-Ana Davidson (née Paratene; born 1973) is a New Zealand politician who entered the New Zealand Parliament in 2015 as a representative of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, of which she is the female co-leader.
In October 20 ...
** Male Co-leader: Hon. James Shaw
* Leader
Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets vi ...
of ACT New Zealand
ACT New Zealand, known simply as ACT (), is a right-wing, classical-liberal political party in New Zealand. According to former party leader Rodney Hide, ACT's values are "individual freedom, personal responsibility, doing the best for our natur ...
: David Seymour
David Seymour may refer to:
* David Seymour (English politician) (died 1557/58), 14th-century Member of Parliament (MP) for Wareham and Great Bedwyn
*David Seymour (New Zealand politician) (born 1983), leader of the ACT Party
*David Seymour (photo ...
** Deputy Leader of ACT New Zealand
ACT New Zealand, known simply as ACT (), is a right-wing, classical-liberal political party in New Zealand. According to former party leader Rodney Hide, ACT's values are "individual freedom, personal responsibility, doing the best for our natur ...
: Brooke van Velden
* Co-leaders of the Māori Party
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
:
** Female Co-leader: Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
Debbie Anne Ngarewa-Packer is a New Zealand politician, iwi leader and activist. She is a Member of Parliament and co-leader of Te Pāti Māori alongside Rawiri Waititi, and is the leader and chief executive of the Ngāti Ruanui iwi. She stood ...
** Male Co-leader: Rawiri Waititi
Rawiri Wikuki Waititi (born ) is a New Zealand politician, iwi leader, Ringatū minister, and kapa haka exponent. He is a co-leader of Te Pāti Māori alongside Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for since 20 ...
Floor leaders
* Leader of the House: Hon. Chris Hipkins
Christopher John Hipkins (born 5 September 1978) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician and a member of the Sixth Labour Government's Cabinet as Minister of Education, Minister of Police, Minister for the Public Service and Leader of the ...
** Deputy Leader of the House:
*** Hon. Kieran McAnulty
Kieran Michael McAnulty (born 31 January 1985) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician. First elected to parliament in 2017, he is a minister outside Cabinet and the Member of Parliament for the Wairarapa electorate. Formerly the Chief Governm ...
from 14 June 2022
*** Hon. Michael Wood until 14 June 2022
* Shadow Leader of the House:
** Chris Bishop
Christopher Bishop (born 4 September 1983) is a New Zealand National Party politician who was first elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives in 2014 as a list MP. Bishop won the Hutt South electorate in 2017 but lost the seat in 20 ...
until 28 August 2021 and from 6 December 2021
** Hon. Michael Woodhouse
Michael Allan Woodhouse (born 1965) is a National member of the New Zealand Parliament.
Early years
Woodhouse was born and raised in South Dunedin, the fifth of nine children. He attended St Patrick's, St Edmund's and St Pauls High School, no ...
from 28 August 2021 to 6 December 2021
*** Deputy Shadow Leader of the House:
**** Hon. Michael Woodhouse
Michael Allan Woodhouse (born 1965) is a National member of the New Zealand Parliament.
Early years
Woodhouse was born and raised in South Dunedin, the fifth of nine children. He attended St Patrick's, St Edmund's and St Pauls High School, no ...
until 28 August 2021 and from 6 December 2021
**** Simeon Brown
Simeon Peter Brown (born 8 April 1991) is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the National Party.
Political career
In his youth, Brown joined his local residents' association, the Clendon Resid ...
from 28 August 2021 to 6 December 2021
Whips
* Senior Government (Labour) Whip:
** Duncan Webb
Duncan Alexander Webb (born 1967) is a New Zealand lawyer and politician, currently serving as Chief Government Whip in the House of Representatives since 2022. He has been the Member of Parliament for Christchurch Central since 2017, represent ...
from 14 June 2022
** Kieran McAnulty
Kieran Michael McAnulty (born 31 January 1985) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician. First elected to parliament in 2017, he is a minister outside Cabinet and the Member of Parliament for the Wairarapa electorate. Formerly the Chief Governm ...
until 14 June 2022
*** Junior Labour Whip:
**** Duncan Webb
Duncan Alexander Webb (born 1967) is a New Zealand lawyer and politician, currently serving as Chief Government Whip in the House of Representatives since 2022. He has been the Member of Parliament for Christchurch Central since 2017, represent ...
until 14 June 2022
** Assistant Labour Whip: Willow-Jean Prime
** Associate Labour Whip: Barbara Edmonds
Barbara Rachael Fati Palepa Edmonds is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party.
Early life and career
Edmonds' parents came to New Zealand from Western Samoa in 1978. She was also ...
* Senior Opposition (National) Whip:
** Chris Penk
Christopher Aidan Penk (born 1980) is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the National Party.
Personal life
Penk was born in West Auckland. He attended Kelston Boys' High School and graduate ...
from 7 December 2021
** Matt Doocey
Matthew Maurice Doocey (born 1972) is a New Zealand politician who was elected to the New Zealand Parliament at the 2014 general election as a representative of the New Zealand National Party. He was re-elected in 2017 with a majority increase ...
until 7 December 2021
*** Junior Opposition Whip: Maureen Pugh
Maureen Helena Pugh (born 1958) is a New Zealand politician who is a Member of Parliament for the National Party. She has twice appeared to have won a list seat based on preliminary results, then missed out on a seat when the final results cam ...
* Green Party Whip (Musterer): Jan Logie
Heather Janet Logie (born 26 October 1969) is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. She is a member of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Early life and career
Logie was born in Invercargill in ...
** Green Party Deputy Musterer: Elizabeth Kerekere
Elizabeth Anne Kerekere (born ) is a New Zealand politician and LGBTQ activist and scholar. She was elected a member of parliament for the Green Party in 2020, but resigned from the Green Party on 5 May 2023, expressing her intention to remain i ...
* ACT New Zealand Whip: Brooke van Velden
* Māori Party Whip (Matarau): Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
Debbie Anne Ngarewa-Packer is a New Zealand politician, iwi leader and activist. She is a Member of Parliament and co-leader of Te Pāti Māori alongside Rawiri Waititi, and is the leader and chief executive of the Ngāti Ruanui iwi. She stood ...
Shadow cabinets
* Opposition Cabinet of Christopher Luxon during the 53rd Parliament from 30 November 2021
** Opposition Cabinet of Judith Collins during the 53rd Parliament from 11 November 2020 to 25 November 2021
Members
The table below shows the members of the 53rd Parliament based on the results of the 2020 general election. Ministerial roles were officially announced on 2 November 2020. Based on preliminary results, there were 40 new MPs. When final results were announced on 6 November, this rose to 42 new members. Labour lost a member on 23 August 2022 due to the expulsion of Gaurav Sharma from the parliamentary party.
Overview
This table shows the number of MPs in each party:
Notes
* The Green Party
A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence.
Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...
entered into a cooperation agreement with the Labour Party on 1 November 2020 in which they agreed not to oppose confidence and supply. This differs from a confidence and supply agreement that has been a feature of New Zealand governments, in which minor political parties agree to explicitly support confidence and supply.
*The Working Government majority is calculated as all Government MPs less all opposition parties. It excludes the Green Party which can either support or abstain from confidence and supply. The Working Government with Cooperation majority includes the Green Party.
Members
Demographics of elected MPs
The 2020 general election saw the election of New Zealand's first African
African or Africans may refer to:
* Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa:
** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa
*** Ethn ...
MP ( Ibrahim Omer), first Sri Lankan-born MP ( Vanushi Walters) and first Latin American MP (Ricardo Menéndez March
Ricardo Menéndez March (born ) is a New Zealand activist and politician who, since 2020, is a Member of Parliament for the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand in the House of Representatives.
Early life and career
The son of a Mexican father ...
). Six new LGBT+
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term is ...
MPs were elected (Menéndez March, Glen Bennett
Glen Thomas Bennett is a New Zealand politician and a member of the Labour Party. He was elected the Member of the Parliament for New Plymouth at the 2020 New Zealand general election, defeating the National candidate and incumbent Jonathan Y ...
, Ayesha Verrall
Ayesha Jennifer Verrall (; born 1979) is a New Zealand politician, infectious-diseases physician, and researcher with expertise in tuberculosis and international health. She is a Labour Party Member of the New Zealand Parliament and a Cabin ...
, Shanan Halbert
Shanan Kiritea Halbert (born 1982) is a New Zealand politician. As of 2020 he is a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party.
Early life and career
Halbert has affiliation to Rongowhakaata and Ngāti Whitikaupek ...
, Elizabeth Kerekere
Elizabeth Anne Kerekere (born ) is a New Zealand politician and LGBTQ activist and scholar. She was elected a member of parliament for the Green Party in 2020, but resigned from the Green Party on 5 May 2023, expressing her intention to remain i ...
, Tangi Utikere
Tangi William Edward Utikere (born ) is a New Zealand politician, and Member of Parliament for since 2020. He was the deputy mayor of Palmerston North from 2016 to 2020, being the first non-European to serve in that role.
Early life and pro ...
), making the New Zealand House of Representatives the national parliament with the highest percentage of LGBT+ members in the world.
Changes
The following changes in Members of Parliament occurred during the term of the 53rd Parliament:
Seating plan
Start of term
The chamber is in a horseshoe-shape.
Current seating plan
.
Committees
The 53rd Parliament has 12 select committees and 8 specialist committees. They are listed below, with their chairpersons and deputy chairpersons:
Electorates
This section shows the New Zealand electorates
An electorate or electoral district ( mi, rohe pōti) is a geographical constituency used for electing a member () to the New Zealand Parliament. The size of electorates is determined such that all electorates have approximately the same populati ...
as they are currently represented in the 53rd Parliament."2020-au5126"
''New Zealand Gazette
The ''New Zealand Gazette'' ( mi, Te Kāhiti o Aotearoa), commonly referred to as ''Gazette'', is the official newspaper of record (Government gazette) of the New Zealand Government. Published since 1840, it is the longest-running publication i ...
''. 6 November 2020. Electorates were redrawn after the
2018 census and will remain the same for the
2023 election.
General electorates
Māori electorates
See also
*
Opinion polling for the 2020 New Zealand general election
Several polling firms conducted opinion polls during the term of the 52nd New Zealand Parliament in the lead up to the 2020 general election, which elects the 53rd Parliament. The 52nd Parliament was elected on 23 September 2017 and dissolved ...
*
Politics of New Zealand
Notes
References
{{Parliament of NZ
New Zealand parliaments
2020 elections in New Zealand
Lists of political office-holders in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...