Prime Minister of New Zealand
Encyclopedia
The Prime Minister
of New Zealand
(in Māori
: Te Pirimia o Aotearoa) 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
. Since 19 November 2008, the Prime Minister has been John Key
of the National Party
.
The title "Prime Minister" had made its first formal appearance in the 1873 Schedule of the Civil List Act, but originally the Prime Minister was entitled Colonial Secretary
or First Minister. This was formally changed in 1869 to "Premier". However, this title too did not last, being informally changed by Richard Seddon
to "Prime Minister" in 1901 during his tenure in office. Following the declaration of New Zealand as a Dominion
in 1907, the term "Prime Minister" has been used exclusively.
(itself a body existing by convention), and takes a co-ordinating role.
The Prime Minister is regarded by convention as "first among equals
". He or she does indeed hold the most senior post in the administration, but is also required to adhere to any decisions taken by Cabinet. The actual ability of a Prime Minister to give direct orders is surprisingly limited; most of the position's power comes about through other means, such as:
The Prime Minister can call elections by advising the Governor-General
to dissolve Parliament
. The Governor-General may reject this advice if the Prime Minister has recently lost a vote of confidence (that is, the Governor-General would be using his or her reserve power
s), but so far none have done so.
The post of Prime Minister is, like other ministerial positions, an appointment by the Governor-General "during the Queen's pleasure". However, the convention has long since been established that the Prime Minister must have and retain the support of a majority of Members of Parliament. Historically, this has usually meant that the Prime Minister is the parliamentary leader of the largest political party in the House of Representatives
.
. The Deputy typically holds important ministerial portfolios and becomes Acting Prime Minister in the absence or incapacitation of the Prime Minister. The Deputy is commonly a member of the same party as the Prime Minister, but not necessarily so; in coalition Governments, the parliamentary leader of a support party may be offered the post.
, their official residence is Premier House
, Tinakori Road, Wellington.
The Prime Minister's salary and annuities are determined by the Remuneration Authority, under the Civil List Act 1979
.
and Harry Atkinson
(both of whom served four times). The longest that anyone has served in the office is thirteen years, a record set by Richard Seddon
. The first holder of the office, Henry Sewell
, led the country for the shortest total time; his only term lasted only thirteen days (the shortest term actually belonged to Harry Atkinson, whose third term lasted only seven days, but Atkinson served longer than Sewell in total). The youngest to hold office was Edward Stafford
, who was 37 years old when he became Premier in 1856. The oldest was Walter Nash
, who was 75 years old in 1957.
New Zealand is also one of the few countries in the world to have had two female heads of government
, and one of only two countries to have two female heads of government directly succeed the other. The first female New Zealand Prime Minister was Jenny Shipley, who replaced Prime Minister Jim Bolger in mid-1997. She was succeeded by the next Prime Minister, Helen Clark, in 1999.
, appointed by the Colonial Office. Self-government was established in 1853, following the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852
, and the 1st Parliament
met on 24 May 1854.
The exact origins of the office of Prime Minister are disputed. Use of the words "prime minister" as a descriptive term date back to the 1st Parliament, where they are applied to James FitzGerald
and Thomas Forsaith
. FitzGerald and Forsaith had no official titles, however, and New Zealand had not yet obtained self-rule. As such, they are not usually considered Prime Ministers in any substantive sense.
The first person to be formally appointed to a position of leadership was Henry Sewell
, who formed a government at the beginning of the Second Parliament
. Despite his formal leadership role, however, his only actual title was Colonial Secretary
, a position comparable to the Minister of Internal Affairs. His successor, William Fox
, was also given a formal leadership role, but was not Colonial Secretary. It was not until Frederick Weld
, the sixth person appointed to formal leadership, that a substantive leadership title – Premier–appeared. Weld's successor, Edward Stafford
, briefly changed the title to First Minister but it was soon afterwards restored to Premier by William Fox. From that point, Premier became the usual designation. Towards the end of the nineteenth century the term Prime Minister arose as a common alternative to Premier and Richard Seddon
used the title almost exclusively. Seddon's successor, William Hall-Jones
, was officially appointed Prime Minister rather than Premier. The title "Prime Minister" has been used ever since.
Initially, Premiers acted as advisers to the Governor. This began to change during the first tenure of Edward Stafford. Stafford met with his ministers and made decisions outside of the official Executive Council
, forming the New Zealand Cabinet
. Stafford also clashed with the Governor over control of Maori affairs, which was eventually to fall within the Premier's powers. A further extension of the Premier's power came during John Ballance
's tenure, 1891–1893. The Premier gained the ability to restrict the term of appointments to the Legislative Council of New Zealand.
". This led to the reconstituting of the office of Governor as Governor-General, and a subsequent narrowing of that office's power. As a result, the Prime Ministers powers were again expanded.
In 1967, Prime Minister Keith Holyoake
advised the Queen to appoint Sir Arthur Porritt, the first New Zealand born Governor-General.
Until the premiership of Labour's Helen Clark
, it was customary for senior members of the legislature, executive and judiciary – including the Prime Minister – to be appointed to the British Privy Council
, granting them the style "Right Honourable". This practice was discontinued at the same time as the abolition of Knighthoods and Damehoods in 2000 from the New Zealand honours system. National's John Key
became Prime Minister in 2008 and restored the titles, but did not resume appointments to the Privy Council, meaning Key was styled "The Honourable". However on 3 August 2010 the Queen granted the Prime Minister, Governor-General, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chief Justice the style "Right Honourable" upon appointment. This decision will not affect past officeholders.
(1984–1989), on 13 August 2005.
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
(in Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
: Te Pirimia o Aotearoa) is New Zealand's head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
. Since 19 November 2008, the Prime Minister has been 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....
of the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
.
The title "Prime Minister" had made its first formal appearance in the 1873 Schedule of the Civil List Act, but originally the Prime Minister was entitled Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary (New Zealand)
The Colonial Secretary of New Zealand was an office established in 1840 and abolished in 1907. The position should not be confused with the Colonial Secretary of the former Colonial Office of the United Kingdom....
or First Minister. This was formally changed in 1869 to "Premier". However, this title too did not last, being informally changed by Richard Seddon
Richard Seddon
Richard John Seddon , sometimes known as King Dick, is to date the longest serving Prime Minister of New Zealand. He is regarded by some, including historian Keith Sinclair, as one of New Zealand's greatest political leaders....
to "Prime Minister" in 1901 during his tenure in office. Following the declaration of New Zealand as a Dominion
Dominion of New Zealand
The Dominion of New Zealand is the former name of the Realm of New Zealand.Originally administered from New South Wales, New Zealand became a direct British colony in 1841 and received a large measure of self-government following the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852...
in 1907, the term "Prime Minister" has been used exclusively.
Responsibilities and powers
The role of the Prime Minister is not formally defined, being based on constitutional convention rather than specific legislation. According to these conventions, the Prime Minister is leader of CabinetNew Zealand Cabinet
The Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
(itself a body existing by convention), and takes a co-ordinating role.
The Prime Minister is regarded by convention as "first among equals
First Among Equals
First Among Equals is a 1984 novel by British author Jeffrey Archer, which follows the careers and personal lives of four fictional British politicians from 1964 to 1991, with each vying to become Prime...
". He or she does indeed hold the most senior post in the administration, but is also required to adhere to any decisions taken by Cabinet. The actual ability of a Prime Minister to give direct orders is surprisingly limited; most of the position's power comes about through other means, such as:
- The ability to set the Cabinet agenda, thereby controlling what issues will be discussed.
- The ability to appoint and dismiss ministers. The extent to which this power can be exercised varies between different parties; the Labour PartyNew Zealand Labour PartyThe 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....
, for example, places most of this responsibility in the hands of the CaucusCaucusA caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
, leaving the Prime Minister only with the power to choose which portfolios a minister is given. Furthermore, the MMP electoral systemElectoral system of New ZealandIn 1994 New Zealand officially adopted mixed member proportional representation as its electoral system for the House of Representatives after many years of first-past-the-post voting. The first MMP election was held in 1996....
has complicated this, as the Prime Minister may have to consult with another party leader. - The influence a Prime Minister is likely to have as leader of the dominant party. These powers may give him or her more direct control over subordinates than is attached to the Prime Minister's role itself.
- The power gained simply from being central to most significant decision-making, and from being able to comment on and criticise any decisions taken by other ministers.
The Prime Minister can call elections by advising the Governor-General
Governor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
to dissolve Parliament
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....
. The Governor-General may reject this advice if the Prime Minister has recently lost a vote of confidence (that is, the Governor-General would be using his or her reserve power
Reserve power
In a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government, a reserve power is a power that may be exercised by the head of state without the approval of another branch of the government. Unlike a presidential system of government, the head of state is generally constrained by the cabinet or the...
s), but so far none have done so.
The post of Prime Minister is, like other ministerial positions, an appointment by the Governor-General "during the Queen's pleasure". However, the convention has long since been established that the Prime Minister must have and retain the support of a majority of Members of Parliament. Historically, this has usually meant that the Prime Minister is the parliamentary leader of the largest political 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....
.
Sole right to advise the Sovereign
By constitutional convention, the Prime Minister holds formal power to advise the Sovereign. This means the Prime Minister advises the Queen:- Who to appoint as Governor-General. By constitutional convention, only the Prime Minister has the right to tender advice to the Sovereign on nominations for the office, and so in effect the Prime Minister may appoint the Governor-General;
- To recall (dismiss) the Governor-General, so long as the Prime Minister has the confidence of the House of Representatives;
- On amendments to the Letters Patent 1983Letters patentLetters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
. This most recently occurred in 2006; and - the conferment of New Zealand honours.
Deputy Prime Minister
Within the last fifty years, a convention has also developed of appointing a Deputy Prime MinisterDeputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both...
. The Deputy typically holds important ministerial portfolios and becomes Acting Prime Minister in the absence or incapacitation of the Prime Minister. The Deputy is commonly a member of the same party as the Prime Minister, but not necessarily so; in coalition Governments, the parliamentary leader of a support party may be offered the post.
Privileges
The Prime Minister is supported by the Department of the Prime Minister and CabinetDepartment of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (New Zealand)
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet of New Zealand is the department charged with supporting the Prime Minister of New Zealand and their Cabinet...
, their official residence is Premier House
Premier House
Premier House, on Tinakori Road in Wellington, New Zealand, is the official residence of the Prime Minister of New Zealand.The original building, constructed in the early days of the New Zealand colony in 1843 is located at the southern end of the current building, and was greatly expanded two...
, Tinakori Road, Wellington.
The Prime Minister's salary and annuities are determined by the Remuneration Authority, under the Civil List Act 1979
Civil List Act 1979
The Civil List Act 1979 is a statute of the Parliament of New Zealand which defines the allowances, salaries and annuities of the Governor-General, Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament.-Part One: Governor-General:...
.
History
Assuming that Sewell is counted as the first Prime Minister, thirty-eight people have held the office since it was established. Some of these people have held it on several different occasions, with the record for maximum number of times being shared between William FoxWilliam Fox (New Zealand)
Sir William Fox, KCMG was the second Premier of New Zealand on four occasions in the 19th century, while New Zealand was still a colony. He was known for his eventual support of Māori land rights, his contributions to the education system , and his work to increase New Zealand's autonomy from...
and Harry Atkinson
Harry Atkinson
Henry Albert "Harry" Atkinson served as the tenth Premier of New Zealand on four separate occasions in the late 19th century, and was Colonial Treasurer for a total of ten years...
(both of whom served four times). The longest that anyone has served in the office is thirteen years, a record set by Richard Seddon
Richard Seddon
Richard John Seddon , sometimes known as King Dick, is to date the longest serving Prime Minister of New Zealand. He is regarded by some, including historian Keith Sinclair, as one of New Zealand's greatest political leaders....
. The first holder of the office, Henry Sewell
Henry Sewell
Henry Sewell was a prominent 19th century New Zealand politician. He was a notable campaigner for New Zealand self-government, and is generally regarded as having been the country's first Premier, having led the Sewell Ministry in 1856.-Early life:Sewell was born on 7 September 1807 in the town of...
, led the country for the shortest total time; his only term lasted only thirteen days (the shortest term actually belonged to Harry Atkinson, whose third term lasted only seven days, but Atkinson served longer than Sewell in total). The youngest to hold office was Edward Stafford
Edward Stafford (politician)
Sir Edward Stafford, KCMG served as the third Premier of New Zealand on three occasions in the mid 19th century. His total time in office is the longest of any leader without a political party. He is described as pragmatic, logical, and clear-sighted.-Early life and career:Edward William Stafford...
, who was 37 years old when he became Premier in 1856. The oldest was Walter Nash
Walter Nash
Sir Walter Nash, GCMG, CH served as the 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance...
, who was 75 years old in 1957.
New Zealand is also one of the few countries in the world to have had two female heads of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
, and one of only two countries to have two female heads of government directly succeed the other. The first female New Zealand Prime Minister was Jenny Shipley, who replaced Prime Minister Jim Bolger in mid-1997. She was succeeded by the next Prime Minister, Helen Clark, in 1999.
Colony
On becoming a British Colony in 1840, New Zealand was directly governed by a GovernorGovernor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
, appointed by the Colonial Office. Self-government was established in 1853, following the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852
New Zealand Constitution Act 1852
The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that granted self-government to the colony of New Zealand...
, and the 1st Parliament
1st New Zealand Parliament
The 1st New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 24 May 1854, following New Zealand's first general election . It was dissolved on 15 September 1855 in preparation for that year's election...
met on 24 May 1854.
The exact origins of the office of Prime Minister are disputed. Use of the words "prime minister" as a descriptive term date back to the 1st Parliament, where they are applied to James FitzGerald
James FitzGerald
James Edward FitzGerald was a New Zealand politician. According to some historians, he should be considered the country's first Prime Minister, although a more conventional view is that neither he nor his successor should properly be given that title. He was a notable campaigner for New Zealand...
and Thomas Forsaith
Thomas Forsaith
Thomas Spencer Forsaith, JP , was a New Zealand politician and an Auckland draper. According to some historians, he was the country's second Premier, although a more conventional view states that neither he nor his predecessor should properly be given that title.-Early life:Forsaith was born in...
. FitzGerald and Forsaith had no official titles, however, and New Zealand had not yet obtained self-rule. As such, they are not usually considered Prime Ministers in any substantive sense.
The first person to be formally appointed to a position of leadership was Henry Sewell
Henry Sewell
Henry Sewell was a prominent 19th century New Zealand politician. He was a notable campaigner for New Zealand self-government, and is generally regarded as having been the country's first Premier, having led the Sewell Ministry in 1856.-Early life:Sewell was born on 7 September 1807 in the town of...
, who formed a government at the beginning of the Second Parliament
2nd New Zealand Parliament
The 2nd New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 15 April 1856, following New Zealand's 1855 election. It was dissolved on 5 November 1860 in preparation for 1860–61 election...
. Despite his formal leadership role, however, his only actual title was Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary (New Zealand)
The Colonial Secretary of New Zealand was an office established in 1840 and abolished in 1907. The position should not be confused with the Colonial Secretary of the former Colonial Office of the United Kingdom....
, a position comparable to the Minister of Internal Affairs. His successor, William Fox
William Fox (New Zealand)
Sir William Fox, KCMG was the second Premier of New Zealand on four occasions in the 19th century, while New Zealand was still a colony. He was known for his eventual support of Māori land rights, his contributions to the education system , and his work to increase New Zealand's autonomy from...
, was also given a formal leadership role, but was not Colonial Secretary. It was not until Frederick Weld
Frederick Weld
Sir Frederick Aloysius Weld, GCMG , was a New Zealand politician and a governor of various British colonies. He was the sixth Premier of New Zealand, and later served as Governor of Western Australia, Governor of Tasmania, and Governor of the Straits Settlements.-Early life:Weld was born near...
, the sixth person appointed to formal leadership, that a substantive leadership title – Premier–appeared. Weld's successor, Edward Stafford
Edward Stafford (politician)
Sir Edward Stafford, KCMG served as the third Premier of New Zealand on three occasions in the mid 19th century. His total time in office is the longest of any leader without a political party. He is described as pragmatic, logical, and clear-sighted.-Early life and career:Edward William Stafford...
, briefly changed the title to First Minister but it was soon afterwards restored to Premier by William Fox. From that point, Premier became the usual designation. Towards the end of the nineteenth century the term Prime Minister arose as a common alternative to Premier and Richard Seddon
Richard Seddon
Richard John Seddon , sometimes known as King Dick, is to date the longest serving Prime Minister of New Zealand. He is regarded by some, including historian Keith Sinclair, as one of New Zealand's greatest political leaders....
used the title almost exclusively. Seddon's successor, William Hall-Jones
William Hall-Jones
Sir William Hall-Jones, KCMG was the 16th Prime Minister of New Zealand from June 1906 until August 1906. He was the interim Prime Minister after the death of Richard Seddon and the return from overseas of Joseph Ward....
, was officially appointed Prime Minister rather than Premier. The title "Prime Minister" has been used ever since.
Initially, Premiers acted as advisers to the Governor. This began to change during the first tenure of Edward Stafford. Stafford met with his ministers and made decisions outside of the official Executive Council
Executive Council of New Zealand
The Executive Council of New Zealand is the body which legally serves the functions of the Cabinet. It has a function similar to that served by the Privy Council in the United Kingdom...
, forming the New Zealand Cabinet
New Zealand Cabinet
The Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
. Stafford also clashed with the Governor over control of Maori affairs, which was eventually to fall within the Premier's powers. A further extension of the Premier's power came during John Ballance
John Ballance
John Ballance served as the 14th Premier of New Zealand at the end of the 19th century, and was the founder of the Liberal Party .-Early life:...
's tenure, 1891–1893. The Premier gained the ability to restrict the term of appointments to the Legislative Council of New Zealand.
Dominion and Realm
In 1907 Parliament passed a declaration declaring New Zealand as the "Dominion of New ZealandDominion of New Zealand
The Dominion of New Zealand is the former name of the Realm of New Zealand.Originally administered from New South Wales, New Zealand became a direct British colony in 1841 and received a large measure of self-government following the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852...
". This led to the reconstituting of the office of Governor as Governor-General, and a subsequent narrowing of that office's power. As a result, the Prime Ministers powers were again expanded.
In 1967, Prime Minister Keith Holyoake
Keith Holyoake
Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7...
advised the Queen to appoint Sir Arthur Porritt, the first New Zealand born Governor-General.
Until the premiership of Labour's 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...
, it was customary for senior members of the legislature, executive and judiciary – including the Prime Minister – to be appointed to the British Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
, granting them the style "Right Honourable". This practice was discontinued at the same time as the abolition of Knighthoods and Damehoods in 2000 from the New Zealand honours system. National's 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....
became Prime Minister in 2008 and restored the titles, but did not resume appointments to the Privy Council, meaning Key was styled "The Honourable". However on 3 August 2010 the Queen granted the Prime Minister, Governor-General, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chief Justice the style "Right Honourable" upon appointment. This decision will not affect past officeholders.
Living former Prime Ministers
There are five living former prime ministers. The most recent prime minister to die was David LangeDavid Lange
David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
(1984–1989), on 13 August 2005.
| Name | Term of office | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|
| Geoffrey Palmer | 1989–1990 | 21 April 1942 |
| Mike Moore | 1990 | 28 January 1949 |
| Jim Bolger Jim Bolger James Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics... |
1990–1997 | 31 May 1935 |
| Jenny Shipley Jenny Shipley Dame Jenny Shipley, DNZM , served as the 36th Prime Minister of New Zealand from December 1997 to December 1999, the first woman to hold this office and the first, and to date only, woman to serve as parliamentary leader of the National Party of New Zealand.-Early life:Shipley was born as Jennifer... |
1997–1999 | 4 February 1952 |
| 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... |
1999–2008 | 26 February 1950 |
See also
- List of Prime Ministers of New Zealand
- List of New Zealand Prime Ministers by term
- List of Prime Ministers of New Zealand by age
- List of Prime Ministers of New Zealand by place of birth