parliament

Explore some of the key moments and events that have helped shape the course of New Zealand’s political and constitutional development. Follow the links for more detail.

The involvement of the indigenous Maori people in New Zealand's electoral system is one of the most remarkable stories in this country's political history.

Parliament in words and pictures

Parliament has a rich history and its own colourful culture and traditions, which reflect both the legacy of the British Westminster system and the evolution of a distinctive New Zealand institution over 150 years.

Explore Parliament in words and pictures and discover how the business, buildings and people of the House have been portayed in media ranging from cartoons to postcards. Learn about the influence of Westminster traditions from Black Rod to Bellamy's, the place of te reo (the Maori language) in the House and the traditional role of Parliament grounds as a gathering place for public events and protests. And brace yourself for a curious compendium of bad language – a bizarre collection of terms that have been banned from use in the House over the years.

The House

New Zealand's Parliament dates back to 1854, just 14 years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and the beginning of the European settlement of the country. For most of its history as a nation state, New Zealand has had some form of elected government.

Modern duties

The governor-general's duties are divided into three functions: ceremonial, community and constitutional.

Ceremonial

The governor-general takes part in public ceremonies as the individual who represents the state. Important ceremonies include opening new sessions of Parliament, holding honours investitures, welcoming visiting heads of state, receiving the credentials of foreign diplomats and attending Waitangi Day and Anzac Day commemorations.

Community

This function grew considerably over the 20th century. The modern governor-general is usually patron of nearly 200 charitable, service, sporting and cultural organisations. Viceregal sponsorship or patronage signals that an organisation is worthy of wide support. Many of the governor-general's community functions also have a ceremonial dimension: laying foundation stones, opening buildings, addressing conferences and launching special events and appeals.

Parliament has two parts. One is the head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, who is represented in Parliament by the Governor-General.

The other part is the House of Representatives. This comprises Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected by people aged 18 and over. Elections are held every three years, and New Zealand has a mixed member proportional (MMP) electoral system.

A political party or parties with the support of the majority of votes in the House form a government that administers the country. The government answers to Parliament for its policies and actions, which are debated in the House and examined in select committees.

The structure of Parliament

Today there are two parts to Parliament – the House of Representatives (or the Lower House) and the Governor-General, but between 1854 and 1951 there was a third part, the Legislative Council (or the Upper House).

Legislative Council

The Legislative Council was made up of members who were appointed rather than elected. Its major role was to amend or revise the legislation passed in the House of Representatives.

The council was meant to be New Zealand's equivalent of the British House of Lords and play an independent and influential role. This did not happen, and the council never had too much to do. Once governments could appoint its members – a role they soon took from the governor, although he still approved the nominees – the council's independence weakened, especially when governments stacked it to suit their own purposes.