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The 54th New Zealand Parliament is the current meeting of the legislature in New Zealand. It opened on 5 December 2023 following the 14 October 2023 general election, and will expire on or before 16 November 2026 to trigger the next election. 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 will represent 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. The
Electoral Act 1993 The Electoral Act 1993 is an Act of the New Zealand Parliament for regulating elections in New Zealand. It "establishes the electoral agencies, electoral system, election processes (including that for disputing results), how MPs are replaced betw ...
provides for the remaining seats to be 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 Sainte-Laguë method to realise proportionality to an expected total of at least 120 MPs. Final results of the election determine that there will be 123 members of Parliament, rather than the usual 120. 122 members were elected in the general election (there is an overhang of two members for
Te Pāti Māori Te Pāti Māori (), also known as the Māori Party, is a political party in New Zealand advocating indigenous rights. It contests the specially reserved Māori electorates, in which its main rival is the Labour Party. Under the current leade ...
). Due to the death of a candidate between the close of nominations and election day,
Port Waikato Port Waikato is on the south bank of the Waikato River at its outflow into the Tasman Sea, in northern New Zealand. Port Waikato is a well-known surfing and whitebaiting destination and a popular holiday spot. Fish can be caught off the rocks ...
did not elect a representative and an additional list MP was elected to ensure Parliament would have at least 120 members. The 72nd electorate MP, and 123rd MP overall, was elected in the Port Waikato by-election on 25 November 2023. Members in the 54th Parliament represent six
political parties A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or pol ...
:
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, ce ...
, ACT New Zealand,
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 ...
parties, in government, and the Labour Party,
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 ...
, and
Te Pāti Māori Te Pāti Māori (), also known as the Māori Party, is a political party in New Zealand advocating indigenous rights. It contests the specially reserved Māori electorates, in which its main rival is the Labour Party. Under the current leade ...
, in opposition. Christopher Luxon of the National Party formed a coalition government with ACT and New Zealand First and was sworn in as prime minister on 27 November 2023.


Background


2023 general election

The 2023 general election was held on 14 October. The opposition National Party won 48 seats in the election, an increase of 14 seats. The ruling Labour Party was reduced to 34 seats after losing a total of 28 seats. 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 ...
, Labour's cooperation partner, got 15 seats, a rise of 6. The
ACT Party ACT New Zealand, known simply as ACT (), is a Right-wing politics, right-wing, Classical liberalism, classical-liberal List of political parties in New Zealand, political party in New Zealand. According to former party leader Rodney Hide, ACT's ...
increased its seat count by one.
Te Pāti Māori Te Pāti Māori (), also known as the Māori Party, is a political party in New Zealand advocating indigenous rights. It contests the specially reserved Māori electorates, in which its main rival is the Labour Party. Under the current leade ...
took five Maori seats from Labour, totaling six seats, one more than their party vote entitled them to, giving parliament a three-seat overhang. After being voted out in the
2020 New Zealand general election The 2020 New Zealand general election was held on Saturday 17 October 2020 to determine the composition of the 53rd parliament. Voters elected 120 members to the House of Representatives, 72 from single-member electorates and 48 from closed ...
,
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 ...
returned to parliament, earning eight seats.


Government formation

Following the general election, the National Party required support from the ACT Party and New Zealand First to command the confidence of the House. Negotiations between the three parties took place after the official results were announced on 3 November. After three weeks of negotiations, Christopher Luxon announced the formation of a coalition government with ACT and New Zealand First on 24 November. On 27 November, Luxon was sworn in as prime minister by Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro.


Parliamentary term

The final results of the election were announced on 3 November and the writ for the 2023 election was returned on 16 November 2023. Under section 19 of Constitution Act 1986, Parliament must meet no later than six weeks after this date; on 29 November 2023, following the new government's first Cabinet meeting, 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 ...
confirmed that the Commission Opening and State Opening of Parliament would take place on 5 and 6 December 2023, respectively.


Timeline

*16 November 2023 – The writ for election is returned; officially declaring all elected members of the 54th Parliament. *24 November 2023 – A coalition government is formed between
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, ce ...
, ACT, and
NZ 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 ...
. *27 November 2023 – Christopher Luxon is sworn in as Prime Minister of New Zealand. *5 December 2023 – The Governor-General issued the Commission of Opening of Parliament. The House elects Gerry Brownlee as Speaker. *6 December 2023 – State Opening of Parliament


Major legislation

Between 13 and 14 December 2023, the Government passed three laws repealing several of the previous Labour Government's legislation including the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's dual mandate, the Fair Pay Agreements Act 2022, and the Clean Car Discount programme. On 20 December 2023, the Government passed legislation repealing the Natural and Built Environment Act 2023 and the Spatial Planning Act 2023 as the first step in its plans to reform the
Resource Management Act The Resource Management Act (RMA) passed in 1991 in New Zealand is a significant, and at times, controversial Act of Parliament. The RMA promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources such as land, air and water. New Zea ...
framework. On 21 December, the Government passed legislation reinstating 90-day work trials.


Dissolution

The 54th Parliament will serve until another election is called. Under section 17 of the Constitution Act 1986, Parliament expires three years "from the day fixed for the return of the writs issued for the last preceding general election of members of the House of Representatives, and no longer". The writ for the 2023 election was issued on 10 September 2023 and returned on 16 November 2023, meaning that the 54th Parliament would have to dissolve on or before 16 November 2026.


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. Gerry Brownlee (
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, ce ...
) * Deputy Speaker of the House:
Barbara Kuriger Barbara Joan Kuriger (born 1961) 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. Farming career Kuriger is a farmer, shareholder and ...
(
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, ce ...
) * Assistant Speakers of the House: ** Maureen Pugh (
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, ce ...
) ** Greg O'Connor (
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 ...
) **
Teanau Tuiono Teanau Tuiono (born 25 December 1972) is a New Zealand politician. In 2020 he became a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives as a representative of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. Early life and career Tuiono was born on ...
( Green)


Other parliamentary officers

* Clerk: 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 (
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, ce ...
): Rt. Hon. Christopher Luxon ** Deputy Leader of the National Party: Hon.
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 ...
*
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 ...
: Rt. Hon. Winston Peters (
NZ 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 ...
) *
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 ...
(
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 ...
): Rt. Hon. Chris Hipkins ** Deputy Leader of the Opposition: Hon.
Carmel Sepuloni Carmel Jean Sepuloni (born 1977) is a New Zealand politician and a member of parliament for the Labour Party. She was first elected to Parliament following the 2008 general election as a list member, becoming New Zealand's first MP of Tongan ...
* Co-leaders of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand: ** Female Co-leader: Hon. Marama Davidson ** Any-gender Co-leader: Hon. James Shaw * Leader of ACT New Zealand: Hon.
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: Hon.
Brooke van Velden Brooke Olivia van Velden (born 14 October 1992) is a New Zealand politician who has been a Member of Parliament since the 2020 general election for ACT New Zealand. She has been the party's deputy leader since June 2020. Early life and career ...
* Leader of
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 ...
: Rt. Hon. Winston Peters * Co-leaders of
Te Pāti Māori Te Pāti Māori (), also known as the Māori Party, is a political party in New Zealand advocating indigenous rights. It contests the specially reserved Māori electorates, in which its main rival is the Labour Party. Under the current leade ...
: ** 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 202 ...


Floor leaders

* Leader of the House: Hon.
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 ...
** Deputy Leader of the House: Hon.
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 ...
* Shadow Leader of the House: Hon. Kieran McAnulty ** Deputy Shadow Leader of the House: Hon.
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 ...


Whips

* Senior Government (National) Whip: Hon. Scott Simpson ** Junior Government (National) Whips: Suze Redmayne * Senior Opposition (Labour) Whip:
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 prof ...
** Junior Opposition (Labour) Whip:
Camilla Belich Camilla Vera Feslier Belich is a New Zealand lawyer and politician who became a Member of Parliament, representing the New Zealand Labour Party, in 2020. Biography Early life and career As a law student Belich became involved in student polit ...
** Assistant Opposition (Labour) Whip:
Arena Williams Arena Williams (born 1990) is a New Zealand politician. As of 2020, she is a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party. Early life and career Williams is affiliated with Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāi Tūhoe and Ng ...
* Green Party Whip (Musterer):
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 ...
** Green Party Deputy Musterer: Kahurangi Carter * ACT Party Whip: Todd Stephenson * New Zealand First Whip: Jamie Arbuckle * Te Pāti Māori Whip (Matarau): Mariameno Kapa-Kingi


Shadow cabinets

* Opposition Cabinet of Chris Hipkins during the 54th Parliament


Members


Overview

The table below shows the members of the 54th Parliament based on the results of the 2023 general election, including the result of the Port Waikato by-election. Ministerial roles were officially announced on 24 November 2023. Based on the official results, 41 candidates who had never been in parliament before were returned. Of those, 19 were from National, 2 from Labour, 8 from the Greens, 4 from ACT, 4 from Te Pāti Māori, and 4 from NZ First. The parliament totaled 123 seats after the conclusion of the Port Waikato by-election, meaning that one-third of the members are newcomers. This table shows the number of MPs in each party: Notes *The Working Government majority is calculated as all Government MPs less all other parties.


Members


Demographics

The 54th Parliament has a historically high number of
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 ...
MPs at 33. The number of female MPs, 55, is the second highest in New Zealand history, down from the high of 61 achieved during the 53rd Parliament. The number of
Pasifika Pasifika may refer to: *Pacific Islander people, indigenous peoples of the Pacific Islands **Pasifika New Zealanders, Pacific peoples living in New Zealand *Pacific islands, including Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia *The Pasifika Festival, an an ...
MPs, 6, is also down from the record number in the previous parliament, and is at its lowest number in 10 years. There are currently no Pasifika MPs on the government benches. Only 5 MPs who publicly identify as LGBTQIA+ were elected, 2 each from Labour and the Greens and 1 from ACT. This is down from a record 12 (10%) elected in the 2020 election.


Changes

The following changes in Members of Parliament occurred during the term of the 54th Parliament:


Seating plan


Start of term

The chamber is in a horseshoe-shape.


Committees

The 54th Parliament has 12 select committees and 6 specialist committees. They are listed below, with their chairpersons and deputy chairpersons:


Electorates

This section shows the New Zealand electorates as they are currently represented in the 54th Parliament."2023-au5158"
'' New Zealand Gazette''. 3 November 2023.


General electorates


Māori electorates


See also

* Opinion polling for the 2023 New Zealand general election * Politics of New Zealand


References

{{Parliament of NZ New Zealand parliaments Lists of political office-holders in New Zealand 2023 elections in New Zealand New Zealand