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The prime minister of New Zealand is the country's head of government and the leader of the Cabinet, whose powers and responsibilities are defined by convention. Officially, the prime minister is appointed by the governor-general, but by convention, the prime minister must have the confidence of the House of Representatives. The prime minister is always a member of parliament.

Originally, prime ministers headed loose coalitions of independents, which were often unstable; since the advent of political parties, the prime minister is usually the leader of the largest party represented in the house. Since 1935, every prime minister has been a member of either the National party or the Labour party, reflecting their domination of New Zealand politics. After the introduction of mixed-member proportional voting in 1996, prime ministers have usually needed to negotiate agreements with smaller parties to maintain a majority in Parliament.

The title of the office was originally "colonial secretary", which was formally changed to "premier" in 1869. That title remained in use almost exclusively for more than 30 years, until Richard Seddon changed it to "prime minister" during his tenure in the office; he used the title officially at the 1902 Colonial Conference.

Some historians regard James FitzGerald as New Zealand's first prime minister, although a more conventional view is that neither he nor his successor (Thomas Forsaith) should properly be given that title, as New Zealand did not yet have responsible government when they served. Most commonly, Henry Sewell, who served during 1856, is regarded as New Zealand's first premier. Beginning with Sewell, 42 individuals have so far held the premiership, not including Hugh Watt, who was acting prime minister following the death of Norman Kirk. Eight prime ministers have held the position for more than one period in office. Richard Seddon, prime minister for thirteen years between 1893 and 1906, held the office for the longest term. The youngest prime minister was Edward Stafford, who assumed office at age 37, and the oldest was Walter Nash, who left office at age 78. Three prime ministers have been women, a count equalled by Finland, Lithuania, Poland and the United Kingdom, and only surpassed by Switzerland.

The current prime minister is Christopher Luxon, who assumed office on 27 November 2023.

List of officeholders

The parties shown are those to which the heads of government belonged at the time they held office and the electoral districts shown are those they represented while in office. Several prime ministers belonged to parties other than those given and represented other electorates before and after their time in office. A number in brackets indicates the prime minister served a previous term in office.

Political parties

Symbols

Died in office

Colonial Secretaries (1856–1869)

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, Canterbury (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, Wellington (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, Nelson Province (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, Wellington (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, Nelson Province (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, Canterbury (1823–1891)	– (3rd)	24 November 1864	16 October 1865	327 days	Independent	Weld
(3)		The Right Honourable Sir Edward Stafford GCMG MP for Nelson, Nelson Province until 1868 MP for Timaru, Canterbury from 1868 (1819–1901)	– (3rd) 1866 (4th)	16 October 1865	28 June 1869	3 years, 256 days	Independent	Stafford II

Premiers and prime ministers (1869–present)

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, Wellington (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, Canterbury (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, Wellington (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, Auckland (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, Wellington (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, Taranaki. provinces abolished on 1 November 1876 (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
16		The Honourable William Hall-Jones KCMG MP for Timaru (1851–1936)	– (16th)	21 June 1906	6 August 1906	47 days
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 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
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
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
(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
			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
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
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
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
30		The Right Honourable Sir Bill Rowling KCMG MP for Tasman (1927–1995)	– (37th)	6 September 1974	12 December 1975	1 year, 98 days
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
34		The Right Honourable Mike Moore ONZAO MP for Christchurch North (1949–2020)	– (42nd)	4 September 1990	2 November 1990	60 days
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
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
42		The Right Honourable Christopher Luxon MP for Botany (born 1970)	2023 (54th)	27 November 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 25 days	National	Sixth National with ACT, New Zealand First 2023–present

Timeline

See also

• 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

References

1. ^ McLean, Gavin (1 December 2016). "Premiers and prime ministers – The role of prime minister". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
2. "Prime Minister". Cabinet Manual. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2008. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
3. Papillon, Martin; Turgeon, Luc; Wallner, Jennifer; White, Stephen (2014). Comparing Canada: Methods and Perspectives on Canadian Politics. UBC Press. p. 126. ISBN 978-0-7748-2786-7. Retrieved 30 August 2016. ...in New Zealand politics, by the centre-left Labour Party and the centre-right National Party
4. ^ McLintock, Alexander Hare (1966). "Prime Minister: The Title 'Premier'". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
5. McIntyre, W. David. "FitzGerald, James Edward". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
6. McIntyre, W. David. "Sewell, Henry". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
7. ^ "Premiers and Prime Ministers – Biographies". nzhistory.govt.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
8. ^ "Prime Ministers of New Zealand since 1856". New Zealand Parliament. 25 January 2023 . Retrieved 5 February 2023.
9. "'King Dick' Seddon becomes premier". nzhistory.govt.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 14 December 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
10. "Premiers and Prime Ministers – Prime ministerial trivia". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
11. Vogelstein, Rachel B.; Bro, Alexandra (29 March 2021). "Women's Power Index". Council on Foreign Relations. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
12. "Christopher Luxon sworn in as New Zealand's new prime minister". 1 News. 27 November 2023.

v t e Premiers and prime ministers of New Zealand (list)
Sewell Fox Stafford Domett Whitaker Weld Waterhouse Vogel Pollen Atkinson Grey Hall Stout Ballance Seddon Hall-Jones Ward Mackenzie Massey Bell Coates Forbes Savage Fraser Holland Holyoake Nash Marshall Kirk Watt (acting) Rowling Muldoon Lange Palmer Moore Bolger Shipley Clark Key English Ardern Hipkins Luxon
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• Lists of prime ministers of New Zealand
• Lists of government ministers of New Zealand
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