Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Governments of New Zealand
The Government of New Zealand , formally Her Majesty's Government in New Zealand, is based on the Westminster system of responsible government...
between 10 December 1999 and 19 November 2008.
Overview
The fourth National governmentFourth National Government of New Zealand
The Fourth National Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 2 November 1990 to 27 November 1999. Following in the footsteps of the previous Labour government, the fourth National government embarked on an extensive programme of spending cuts...
, in power since 1990, was widely unpopular by 1999, with much of the public antagonised by a series of free-market economic reforms, and was bedevilled by weakness and instability. In the general election of that year, the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
led by Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
defeated National easily, becoming the largest single party in the House of Representatives
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
. Labour formed a minority
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
with the left-leaning Alliance
Alliance (New Zealand political party)
The Alliance is a left-wing political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1991, and was influential in the 1990s, but has since declined and has no representation in parliament. It suffered a major setback after Jim Anderton, the party's leader, left the party in 2002, taking several of the...
, supported by the Green Party.
During this first term, the government pursued a number of reforms. The controversial Employment Contracts Act was repealed, replaced by an Employment Relations Act more friendly to unions and collective bargaining; a state-owned bank, Kiwibank
Kiwibank
Kiwibank Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of the state-owned enterprise New Zealand Post Limited. Through Kiwibank, New Zealand Post provides banking services through its PostShops and joint venture Books & More and Papermate outlets throughout New Zealand.The bank was initiated as part of Jim...
, was created at the behest of the Alliance; the struggling national airline, Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
, was nationalised; and the public health sector was reorganised with the re-establishment of partly elected District Health Boards. More controversial was "Closing the Gaps", an affirmative action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
strategy pitched at Māori, which was widely criticised as showing favouritism to Māori at the expense of other equally disadvantaged groups.
With the disintegration of the Alliance in 2002, Helen Clark called an early election
New Zealand general election, 2002
The 2002 New Zealand general election was held on 27 July 2002 to determine the composition of the 47th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the reelection of Helen Clark's Labour Party government, as well as the worst-ever performance by the opposition National Party.Arguably the most controversial...
, even though she still had the confidence of the House. Labour handily won the election. The Alliance failed to return to parliament, although a rump returned as Jim Anderton's Progressives. Labour formed a coalition with the Progressives, and turned to the centrist
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
party United Future for confidence and supply
Confidence and supply
In a parliamentary democracy confidence and supply are required for a government to hold power. A confidence and supply agreement is an agreement that a minor party or independent member of parliament will support the government in motions of confidence and appropriation votes by voting in favour...
. This second term was notable largely for its social and constitutional legislation, with the Government establishing a Supreme Court
Supreme Court of New Zealand
The Supreme Court of New Zealand is the highest court and the court of last resort in New Zealand, having formally come into existence on 1 January 2004. The court sat for the first time on 1 July 2004. It replaced the right of appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, based in London...
and ending appeals to the Privy Council
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom. Established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833 to hear appeals formerly heard by the King in Council The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is one of the highest courts in the United...
, decriminalising prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, and providing for civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s, the latter two changes in particular supported by the Green Party and opposed by United Future. The Government was also faced in this term with the foreshore and seabed controversy
New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy
The New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy is a debate in the politics of New Zealand. It concerns the ownership of the country's foreshore and seabed, with many Māori groups claiming that Māori have a rightful claim to title. These claims are based around historical possession and the Treaty...
. While Labour, in cooperation with the New Zealand First
New Zealand First
New Zealand First is a political party in New Zealand that was founded in 1993, following party founder Winston Peters' resignation from the National Party in 1992...
party, eventually resolved the legal dispute by vesting foreshore and seabed title in the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
, a dissident Labour minister, Tariana Turia
Tariana Turia
Tariana Turia is a New Zealand politician. She gained considerable prominence during the foreshore and seabed controversy, and eventually broke with her party as a result...
, formed the Māori Party, while on the other side of the spectrum a resurgent National Party, now under former Reserve Bank governor Don Brash
Don Brash
Donald "Don" Thomas Brash , a New Zealand politician, was Leader of the Opposition, parliamentary leader of the National Party from 28 October 2003 to 27 November 2006 and the leader of the ACT Party for 28th April 2011 - 26 November 2011...
, became considerably more popular. Going into the 2005 election
New Zealand general election, 2005
The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the...
, the Government was returned with a slim margin on the strength of the Working for Families assistance package and financial assistance to students, benefiting also from mistakes in National's campaign.
Helen Clark was obliged to move even more to the centre, enlisting support for her Government from both New Zealand First and United Future. Almost immediately, the Government parties became involved in a protracted funding scandal, having apparently used public money for party political purposes during the election campaign. A heavy-handed attempt at campaign finance reform
Electoral Finance Act
The Electoral Finance Act 2007 was a controversial act in New Zealand. The Electoral Finance Bill was introduced by the Fifth Labour Government partly in response to the 2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, in particular "third-party" campaigns....
later in this term also harmed the Government, which by now appeared tired and at a loss for direction, although it did succeed in implementing a wide range of social and economic reforms during its time in office. In the 2008 election
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
, the Labour Party lost convincingly to National, and the government was succeeded by the National Party led by John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
as Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
.
Economic
- Created KiwibankKiwibankKiwibank Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of the state-owned enterprise New Zealand Post Limited. Through Kiwibank, New Zealand Post provides banking services through its PostShops and joint venture Books & More and Papermate outlets throughout New Zealand.The bank was initiated as part of Jim...
as part of coalition agreement with the Alliance. - Created the New Zealand Superannuation FundNew Zealand Superannuation FundThe New Zealand Superannuation Fund is a sovereign wealth fund in New Zealand. New Zealand currently provides universal superannuation for people over 65 years of age and the purpose of the Fund is to partially pre-fund the future cost of the New Zealand Superannuation pension, which is expected to...
. - KiwiSaverKiwiSaverThe KiwiSaver scheme is a New Zealand voluntary long-term savings scheme which came into operation from Monday, 2 July 2007. The main purpose of the KiwiSaver fund is for retirement savings....
retirement savings scheme. - Renationalised Air New ZealandAir New ZealandAir New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
, New Zealand's national rail network (ONTRACKOnTrackOnTrack was a regional rail line that operated in Syracuse, New York from 1994 to 2007. During its operation, Syracuse was the smallest city in the United States to have regional train service. The line ran from Colvin Street on the city's south side via Syracuse University and Armory Square to the...
), and later the rail operations from Toll New Zealand (renamed KiwiRailKiwiRailKiwiRail Holdings Limited is the rail operations subsidiary of the New Zealand Railways Corporation, which trades as KiwiRail. Headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, KiwiRail is the largest rail transport operator in New Zealand. Since July 2010 John Spencer has been the Chairman...
). - Buy Kiwi MadeBuy Kiwi MadeBuy Kiwi Made was a Government campaign aimed at promoting consumer and retailer awareness of Kiwi made products and encouraging domestic manufacturers to label their goods New Zealand made. It used the slogan "Buy Kiwi and We've Got it Made". It was complementary to the Buy New Zealand Made...
campaign. - Telecommunications industry reform, particularly local loop unbundlingLocal loop unbundlingLocal loop unbundling is the regulatory process of allowing multiple telecommunications operators to use connections from the telephone exchange to the customer's premises...
Constitutional
- Established the Supreme Court of New ZealandSupreme Court of New ZealandThe Supreme Court of New Zealand is the highest court and the court of last resort in New Zealand, having formally come into existence on 1 January 2004. The court sat for the first time on 1 July 2004. It replaced the right of appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, based in London...
, replacing appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy CouncilJudicial Committee of the Privy CouncilThe Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom. Established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833 to hear appeals formerly heard by the King in Council The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is one of the highest courts in the United...
. - Constitutional Inquiry into the Constitution of New Zealand.
- Passed the Electoral Finance Act to reform electoral spending and regulate electoral advertising.
Treaty of Waitangi
- New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversyNew Zealand foreshore and seabed controversyThe New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy is a debate in the politics of New Zealand. It concerns the ownership of the country's foreshore and seabed, with many Māori groups claiming that Māori have a rightful claim to title. These claims are based around historical possession and the Treaty...
; passed the Foreshore and Seabed Act. - Made further Treaty of WaitangiTreaty of WaitangiThe Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
settlements.
Social policy
- Within 3 weeks of taking office, the govt. had announced an increase in the minimum wage, removed the interest on student loans for full-time and low-income students while they were still studying, announced the reversal of accident compensation deregulation, and introduced legislation to increase taxation for those on higher incomes.
- The Working for FamiliesWorking for FamiliesIn 2004 the New Zealand Labour government introduced the Working for Families package as part of the 2004 budget. The package, which effectively commenced operating on 1 April 2005, had three primary aims: to make work pay; to ensure income adequacy; and to support people "into work".The main...
package was introduced in 2004, which significantly improved social welfare assistance for low-income families and reduced child poverty by 70% between 2004 and 2008. - The wage-related floor of the state pension was restored.
- The Housing Restructuring Amendment Bill (2000) provided for income-related rents and set them at 25% of household income making community housing much more affordable than it had become under the previous Government’s market rental strategy.
- Equity Funding was introduced (2002), which provided additional funding to community-based ECE services most in need.
- Research funding was increased.
- The New Zealand Transport Strategy (released in December 2002) provided increased funding for initiatives to promote the use of buses, trains, cycling and walking.
- The minimum wage was increased by more than 5% each year (well above the rate of inflation) during the labour-led government’s second term.
- The Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Act (2002) served to make the principal Act more comprehensive by covering more industries and more conditions.
- The ring-fencing of mental health money and the creation of more than 800 FTE mental health staff positions see this promise coded as fulfilled representing a 100% fulfilment rate for this policy area.
- ICT was expanded to students in remote areas so they could receive specialist teaching.
- The Holidays Act (2003) entitled employees to receive "time and a half" for working on any statutory holiday from 2004 onwards and provided for four weeks' annual leave from 2007 onwards.
- Passed the Prostitution Reform Act 2003
- Passed the Property (Relationships) Act: treats de facto relationships the same as after the breakup of legal marriages, unless the individuals in the relationship contract out of the Act;
- Civil Union Act 2004Civil Union Act 2004The Civil Union Act 2004 is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand. It was passed into law on Thursday 9 December 2004 by a final vote of 65-55 in the New Zealand Parliament....
- Supported the Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007, which repealed and replaced section 59 of the Crimes Act 1961, which allowed "reasonable force" in the discipline of children.
- National Statement on Religious DiversityNational Statement on Religious DiversityThe National Statement on Religious Diversity is a result of the New Zealand Diversity Action Programme, and is intended to provide “a framework for the recognition of New Zealand's diverse faith communities and their harmonious interaction with each other, with government and with other groups in...
- National Superannuation payments for married couples were increased (2000).
- A Parental Tax Credit was introduced (2000).
- A Child Tax Credit (which replaced the independent Family Tax Credit) was introduced (2000).
- A Family Tax Credit (which was formerly the Guaranteed Minimum Family income) was introduced (2000).
- A Modern Apprentices initiative was introduced to develop technological skills (2000).
- The Family Start programme was expanded (2000).
- Annual inflation to benefits was introduced (2000).
- The Social Security Amendment Act of 2001 introduced various changes such as “disestablishment of the Community Wage, re-establishment of an unemployment benefit and non-work-tested sickness benefit, and the abolition of the work capacity assessment process”.
- The Social Security Amendment Act (2006) established three streams for reintegrating beneficiaries into the larger community. These included a work support stream for the unemployed, a work support development stream for most other beneficiaries, and a community support stream for a small group to be exempted from work, training or planning requirements.
- Income-related rents for state-owned housing were restored (2000).
- A social allocation system was introduced and implemented with the income-related rents scheme(2000).
- Vacant sales were frozen and the Home Buy programme was ended (2000).
- Bulk funding for schools was ended (2000).
- Expenditure was increased, or newly allocated, for the reduction of attrition of students from school, tertiary education subsidies, Maori and Pacific peoples’ teacher recruitment, and Homework Centres (2000).
- Interest on student loans while students are studying was abolished, while the decision of the Fourth National Government to increase the student loan repayment rate was reversed (2000).
- Expenditure for early childhood education was increased (2001).
- Tertiary student fees were kept stable (2001).
- The National Certificate of Educational Achievement was established (2001).
- New funding was provided for principals’ leadership and professional development (2001).
- An In Work Payment was introduced to replace the Child Tax Credit.
- The ministries that handled work and income and those that did social policy were merged to create a new Ministry of Social Development (2001).
Health
- Creation of District Health Boards.
- Dissolution of the Health Funding AuthorityHealth Funding AuthorityThe Health Funding Authority, now defunct, was a New Zealand government entity responsible for funding of public health care in New Zealand between 1997-2001...
, with its responsibilities given to the Ministry of HealthNew Zealand Ministry of HealthThe Ministry of Health , formerly the Department of Health from 1903 to 1993, is a department of the New Zealand government. This is the channel through which the government channels its funding for health services, VOTE: Health.The ministry is overseen by the Minister of Health in the New Zealand...
and the District Health Boards. - Introduction of the Primary Health Care Strategy, moving primary carePrimary carePrimary care is the term for the health services by providers who act as the principal point of consultation for patients within a health care system...
funding towards capitation ('bulk funding'), and away from fee-for-service funding.
Environment
- Royal Commission on Genetically Modified Organisms
- Sandra LeeSandra Lee-VercoeSandra Rose Te Hakamatua Lee-Vercoe QSO is a former New Zealand politician and diplomat. She served as deputy leader of the Alliance party, and was later High Commissioner to Niue.-Early life:...
enacted the Local Government Act 2002 (New Zealand). - In 2002, the Climate Change Response Act 2002Climate Change Response Act 2002The Climate Change Response Act 2002 is an Act of Parliament passed by the government of New Zealand.The Climate Change Response Act 2002 creates the legal framework for New Zealand to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and to meet obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate...
was enacted in order to ratify Kyoto ProtocolKyoto ProtocolThe Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
to the UNFCCC. - In September 2008, the New Zealand Emissions Trading SchemeNew Zealand Emissions Trading SchemeThe New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme is a national all-sectors all-greenhouse gases all-free allocation uncapped emissions trading scheme...
was enacted through the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading) Amendment Act 2008Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading) Amendment Act 2008The Climate Change Response Amendment Act 2008 was a statute enacted in September 2008 by the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand that established the first version of the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, a national all-sectors all-greenhouse gases uncapped emissions trading...
.
National identity
- Completed Establishing a fully New Zealand-based honours system.
Foreign affairs
- Signed free trade agreements with BruneiBruneiBrunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
, ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, and ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. - Scrapped the combat wing of the Royal New Zealand Air ForceRoyal New Zealand Air ForceThe Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
. - Sent a detachment of SASSpecial Air ServiceSpecial Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
troops to the war in AfghanistanWar in Afghanistan (2001–present)The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. - Sent troops to East TimorEast TimorThe Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
during the 2006 East Timorese crisis. - Did not send combat troops to the Iraq War.
- Launched Project Protector, to expand the Royal New Zealand NavyRoyal New Zealand NavyThe Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
's capacity. - Launched free trade negotiations with South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Appointments
The following positions were appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Government:Governor-General
- The Hon. Dame Silvia CartwrightSilvia CartwrightDame Silvia Rose Cartwright, PCNZM, DBE, QSO, DStJ was the 18th Governor-General of New Zealand.She is a graduate of the University of Otago, where she gained her LL.B degree in 1967, and a former student at Otago Girls' High School.- Public life and family :In 1989, she became the first female...
(2001–2006) - The Right Hon. Sir Anand SatyanandAnand SatyanandSir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO, KStJ was the 19th Governor-General of New Zealand. He previously worked as a lawyer, judge and ombudsman.-Early life and family:...
(2006–2011)
Supreme Court
With the creation of the Supreme Court of New ZealandSupreme Court of New Zealand
The Supreme Court of New Zealand is the highest court and the court of last resort in New Zealand, having formally come into existence on 1 January 2004. The court sat for the first time on 1 July 2004. It replaced the right of appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, based in London...
in 2003, the government appointed the first full bench of the Court.
- Chief JusticeChief JusticeThe Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
The Right Hon. Dame Sian EliasSian EliasDame Sian Seerpoohi Elias, GNZM, PC, QC is the Chief Justice of New Zealand, and is therefore the most senior member of the country's judiciary. She is the presiding judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand...
(1 July 2004) - Justice The Hon. SirThomas GaultThomas GaultSir Thomas Munro Gault, KNZM, QC, PC was a Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand and is a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom as well as a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong....
(1 July 2004) - Justice The Hon. Sir Kenneth KeithKenneth KeithSir Kenneth James Keith, ONZ, KBE, QC is a New Zealand judge appointed to the International Court of Justice in November 2005....
(1 July 2004) - Justice The Hon. Sir Peter Blanchard (1 July 2004)
- Justice The Hon. Sir Andrew Tipping (1 July 2004)
- Justice The Hon. John McGrath (4 May 2005)
- Justice The Hon. Sir Noel Crossley Anderson (21 February 2006)
- Justice The Hon. Bill Wilson (21 December 2007)
Acting judges were also appointed from the retired judges of the Court of Appeal:
- The Hon. Justice Sir John HenryJohn Henry (New Zealand Justice)Sir John Steele Henry, KNZM, QC, is a New Zealand jurist and former Court of Appeal judge, and member of the well-known Henry Family.The son of former High Court judge, the Hon...
- The Hon. Justice Sir Ted ThomasEdmund Thomas (jurist)He educated at Fielding Agricultural High School and Victoria University of Wellington graduating with a BA and LLB in 1956. He was admitted to the bar as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand....
- Former President of the Court of Appeal Sir Ivor RichardsonIvor RichardsonSir Ivor Lloyd Morgan Richardson, PCNZM is an eminent New Zealand and Commonwealth jurist and legal writer and a member of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.-Education:...
- Former Chief Justice Sir Thomas EichelbaumThomas EichelbaumSir Johann Thomas Eichelbaum, GBE, QC was the eleventh Chief Justice of New Zealand.-Early life:He was born in Königsberg, Germany, and his family emigrated to Wellington, New Zealand in 1938 to escape the persecution of Jews...
.
Court of Appeal
The government has appointed three presidents of the Court of Appeal of New ZealandCourt of Appeal of New Zealand
The Court of Appeal of New Zealand, located in Wellington, is New Zealand’s principal intermediate appellate court. In practice, most appeals are resolved at this intermediate appellate level, rather than in the Supreme Court...
:
- The Right Hon. Sir William Young, KNZM 23 February 2006-
- The Hon Sir Noel Crossley Anderson, KNZM 1 January 2004 – 23 February 2006
- The Right Hon. Sir Thomas GaultThomas GaultSir Thomas Munro Gault, KNZM, QC, PC was a Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand and is a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom as well as a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong....
, KNZM 24 May 2002 – 31 December 2003
Formation
The Fifth Labour government was elected in at the 1999 general election, winning nearly half the popular vote and more than two-thirds of the electorate seats in parliament.Electoral results
The following table shows the total votes* for Labour, plus parties supporting the Labour-led government. For more details of electoral results, see the relevant election articles.| Election | Parliament | Seats* | Total votes* | Percentage | Gain (loss) | Seats won* | Change | Majority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 New Zealand general election, 1999 The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance... |
46th 46th New Zealand Parliament The 46th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined by the 1999 elections, and it sat until the 2002 elections.... |
120 | 1,066,618 | 51.64% | - | 66 | - | 6 |
| 2002 New Zealand general election, 2002 The 2002 New Zealand general election was held on 27 July 2002 to determine the composition of the 47th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the reelection of Helen Clark's Labour Party government, as well as the worst-ever performance by the opposition National Party.Arguably the most controversial... |
47th 46th New Zealand Parliament The 46th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined by the 1999 elections, and it sat until the 2002 elections.... |
120 | 1,150,911 | 56.65% | +5.01% | 69 | +3 | 9 |
| 2005 New Zealand general election, 2005 The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the... |
48th 46th New Zealand Parliament The 46th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined by the 1999 elections, and it sat until the 2002 elections.... |
121 | 1,152,735 | 50.7% | -5.95% | 61 | -8 | 1* |
* 'Votes' means party votes only. 'Seats' means both list and electorate seats.
Prime minister
Helen ClarkHelen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
was Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
from when the government was elected in 1999 until it was defeated by the National Party in the 2008 elections
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
.
Cabinet Ministers
| Ministry | Minister | Term(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand The Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power.... |
Jim Anderton Jim Anderton James Patrick Anderton, usually known as Jim Anderton , is the leader of the Progressive Party, a New Zealand political party. He has served in Parliament since 1984. He served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 and is currently also the sitting Father of the House, the longest... |
1999–2002 |
| Michael Cullen | 2002–2008 | |
| Attorney-General Attorney-General (New Zealand) The Attorney-General is a political office in New Zealand. It is simultaneously a ministerial position and an administrative office, and has responsibility for supervising New Zealand law and advising the government on legal matters... |
Margaret Wilson Margaret Wilson Dame Margaret Wilson DCNZM is a New Zealand academic and former politician. She was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives during the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand. She is a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:... |
5 December 1999 – 28 February 2005 |
| Michael Cullen | 28 February 2005 – 19 October 2005 | |
| David Parker | 19 October 2005 – 20 March 2006 | |
| Michael Cullen | 21 March 2006 - 2008 | |
| Minister of Education Minister of Education (New Zealand) The Minister of Education is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the country's schools, and is in charge of the Ministry of Education.The present Minister is Anne Tolley, a member of the National Party.-History:... |
Trevor Mallard Trevor Mallard Trevor Colin Mallard is a New Zealand politician. He was a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand holding portfolios including Environment, Labour, Broadcasting, State Owned Enterprises, Rugby World Cup and Education. He was also Associate Minister of Finance.-Early... |
1999 - 19 October 2005 |
| Steve Maharey Steve Maharey Steven "Steve" Maharey CNZM is a former Member of Parliament for Palmerston North in New Zealand, as a member of the Labour Party... |
19 October 2005 – 31 October 2007 | |
| Chris Carter Chris Carter (politician) Christopher Joseph Carter was an independent Member of Parliament in New Zealand, and a former member of the New Zealand Labour Party until his expulsion. Carter was a senior Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand, serving lastly as Minister of Education, Minister... |
31 October 2007 - 2008 | |
| Minister of Finance Minister of Finance (New Zealand) The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister.... |
Michael Cullen | 1999–2008 |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand) The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Murray McCully, who was National Party Spokeperson of Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are also Associate Minister roles... |
Phil Goff Phil Goff Philip Bruce Goff is the current Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. During the Fifth Labour Government, he served in a number of ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Defence of New Zealand, Minister of Corrections, Minister of Foreign Affairs and... |
1999–2005 |
| Winston Peters Winston Peters Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being... |
2005 - 29 August 2008 | |
| Helen Clark Helen Clark Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008... |
29 August 2008 - 2008 | |
| Minister of Health Minister of Health (New Zealand) The Minister of Health is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the New Zealand Ministry of Health and the District Health Boards.The present Minister is Tony Ryall, a member of the National Party.-History:... |
Annette King Annette King Annette Faye King is a New Zealand politician. She is the current Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the New Zealand. She was a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand.-Early life:... |
1999–2005 |
| Pete Hodgson Pete Hodgson Peter Colin Hodgson is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party.Hodgson was born in Whangarei, and received a Bachelor's degree in veterinary science from Massey University... |
2005–2007 | |
| David Cunliffe David Cunliffe David Richard Cunliffe is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party, and the sitting member of parliament for New Lynn, West Auckland. He served as the Minister of Health and Minister for Communications and Information Technology for the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand... |
2007–2008 | |
| Minister of Justice Minister of Justice (New Zealand) The Minister of Justice is a minister in the government of New Zealand. The minister has responsibility for the formulation of justice policy and for the administration of law courts.... |
Phil Goff Phil Goff Philip Bruce Goff is the current Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. During the Fifth Labour Government, he served in a number of ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Defence of New Zealand, Minister of Corrections, Minister of Foreign Affairs and... |
1999–2005 |
| Mark Burton Mark Burton Richard Mark Burton is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party. He served as Minister of Defence; Minister of Justice; Minister of Local Government; Minister in Charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations; Deputy Leader of the House; and the Minister Responsible for the Law... |
2005–2007 | |
| Annette King Annette King Annette Faye King is a New Zealand politician. She is the current Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the New Zealand. She was a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand.-Early life:... |
2007–2008 | |
| Minister of Māori Affairs Minister of Maori Affairs The Minister of Māori Affairs is the minister of the New Zealand government with broad responsibility for government policy towards Māori, the first inhabitants of New Zealand. The current Minister of Māori Affairs is Dr. Pita Sharples.-Role:... |
Dover Samuels Dover Samuels Dover Spencer Peneha Samuels was a Labour Member of Parliament in New Zealand from 1996 to 2008 inclusive.He first entered Parliament as a list MP in the 1996 elections, and was the MP for Te Tai Tokerau since the 1999 elections... |
1999–2002 |
| Parekura Horomia Parekura Horomia Parekura Tureia Horomia is a New Zealand Labour Party past Minister of Māori Affairs-Early life:Horomia was born in Tolaga Bay of Ngati Porou, Te Aitanga Hauiti, Ngati Kahungunu and Ngai Tahu descent.... |
2002–2008 | |
| Minister of Social Development | Steve Maharey Steve Maharey Steven "Steve" Maharey CNZM is a former Member of Parliament for Palmerston North in New Zealand, as a member of the Labour Party... |
1999–2007 |
| Ruth Dyson Ruth Dyson Ruth Suzanne Dyson is a New Zealand politician. She is a member of the Labour Party and has been a Member of Parliament since 1993.-Early years:... |
2007–2008 |