Politics of New Zealand
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{{Politics of New Zealand}}
The '''politics of New Zealand''' takes place in a framework of a [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[Representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[monarchy]]. The basic system is closely patterned on that of the [[Westminster System]], although a number of significant modifications have been made. The [[head of state]] is [[Elizabeth II of New Zealand|Queen Elizabeth II]], but actual [[Governments of New Zealand|government]] is conducted by a [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister]] and [[New Zealand Cabinet|Cabinet]] drawn from an elected [[New Zealand Parliament|Parliament]].
New Zealand was the first country in the world in which all the highest offices were occupied by women, between March 2005 and August 2006: the Sovereign [[Elizabeth II of New Zealand|Queen Elizabeth II]] [[Monarchy in New Zealand|of New Zealand]], [[Governor-General of New Zealand|Governor-General]] Dame [[Silvia Cartwright]] <!-- This is the GG in 2005, don't change to the current one -->, Prime Minister [[Helen Clark]], [[Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives|Speaker]] of the [[New Zealand House of Representatives]] [[Margaret Wilson]] and [[Chief Justice of New Zealand|Chief Justice]] Dame [[Sian Elias]].
==Constitution==
{{main|Constitution of New Zealand}}
New Zealand has no formal, written [[constitution]]; the constitutional framework consists of a mixture of various documents (including certain acts of the United Kingdom and New Zealand Parliaments), the [[Treaty of Waitangi]] and [[constitutional convention (political custom)|constitutional convention]]s. Most constitutional provisions became consolidated into the [[Constitution Act 1986 (NZ)|Constitution Act 1986]]. There have, at times, been proposals for a formal constitution, but there have not yet been any serious moves to adopt one.
==Monarchy==
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Queen Elizabeth II of New Zealand cropped.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Her Majesty [[Elizabeth II of New Zealand|Queen Elizabeth II]] [[Monarchy in New Zealand|of New Zealand]].]] -->
{{main|Monarchy in New Zealand}}
New Zealand's [[head of state]] is the [[Monarchy in New Zealand|Queen of New Zealand]], currently [[Elizabeth II of New Zealand|Elizabeth II]]. The New Zealand monarchy has been distinct from the [[British monarchy]] since the New Zealand Royal Titles Act of 1953, and all Elizabeth II's official business in New Zealand is conducted in the name of the Queen of New Zealand, not the Queen of the United Kingdom. In practice, the functions of the monarchy are conducted by a [[Governor General]], appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. Under Letters Patent regulating the office of Governor General, which are granted by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, when there is a vacancy in the office of Governor General, several of the duties of the said office are exercised by a caretaker, known as the [[Administrator of the Government]]. [[As of 2007]], the Governor General is [[Anand Satyanand]].
{{seealso|Republicanism in New Zealand}}
==Executive==
[[Image:Helen Clark 2.jpg|thumb|175px|left|The Right Honourable [[Helen Clark]], MP, Prime Minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party.]]
The Governor-General has the power to appoint and dismiss Prime Ministers and to dissolve Parliament. The Governor-General also chairs the [[Executive Council of New Zealand|Executive Council]], which is a formal committee consisting of all ministers of the Crown. Members of the Executive Council are required to be Members of Parliament, and most are also in [[New Zealand Cabinet|Cabinet]]. Cabinet is the most senior policy-making body and is led by the [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister]], who is also, by convention, the Parliamentary leader of the governing party or coalition.
The [[New Zealand Cabinet]] is responsible to [[New Zealand Parliament]]. All Cabinet Ministers must be [[Members of Parliament]] (MPs) and are collectively responsible to it.
{{office-table}}
|[[Monarchy in New Zealand|Queen]]
|[[Elizabeth II of New Zealand|Elizabeth II]]
|
|[[6 February]] [[1952]]
|-
|[[Governor General of New Zealand|Governor-General]]
|[[Anand Satyanand]]
|
|[[23 August]] [[2006]]
|-
|[[Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister]]
|[[Helen Clark]]
|[[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour]]
|[[5 December]] [[1999]]
|}
The current Prime Minister is [[Helen Clark]], leader of the [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]]. She has served two full terms as Prime Minister and has begun her third. On [[17 October]] [[2005]] she announced that she had come to a complex arrangement that guaranteed the support of enough parties for her Labour-led coalition to govern. The formal coalition consists of the Labour Party and [[Jim Anderton]], the [[New Zealand Progressive Party|Progressive Party]]'s only MP. In addition to the parties in formal coalition, [[New Zealand First]] and [[United Future]] provide confidence and supply in return for their leaders being ministers outside cabinet. A further arrangement has been made with the [[Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand|Green Party]], which has given a commitment not to vote against the government on [[Motion of confidence|confidence and supply]]. This commitment assures the government of a majority of seven MPs on confidence.
The [[Leader of the Opposition (New Zealand)|Leader of the Opposition]] is [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]] leader [[John Key]], who replaced [[Don Brash]] (formerly Governor of the [[Reserve Bank of New Zealand|Reserve Bank]]) in November 2006. The [[ACT New Zealand|ACT party]] alongside the [[Māori Party]], are both also in opposition. The Greens, New Zealand First and United Future all vote against the government on some legislation.
{{seealso|Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand}}
==Legislature==
[[Image:SIF-Beehive-3-Cropped.jpg|thumb|120p|left|120px|[[Beehive (building)|Beehive]], [[New Zealand Parliament Buildings|Parliament Buildings]].]]
{{main|New Zealand Parliament|New Zealand House of Representatives|Electoral system of New Zealand}}
New Zealand's main legislative body is a [[unicameral]] [[New Zealand Parliament|Parliament]] known as the [[New Zealand House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]. Since 1996, New Zealand has used the [[mixed member proportional]] (MMP) [[voting system]], under which each MP is either [[New Zealand elections|elected]] by voters in a single-member constituency via [[first past the post]] or appointed from party lists. Normally, the parliament is 120 members large, however this can sometimes differ due to [[Overhang seat|overhangs]] and [[Underhang seat|underhangs]]. Several [[Māori seats|seats]] are currently [[reserved political positions|reserved]] for members elected on a separate [[Māori]] roll. However, Māori may choose to vote in and to run for the non-reserved seats, and several have entered Parliament in this way. Parliaments have a maximum term of three years, although an election can be called earlier. In New Zealand, [[suffrage]] is extended to everyone over the age of 18 years, women having gained the vote in 1893.
==Judiciary==
The highest court in New Zealand is the [[Supreme Court of New Zealand]], which was established in 2004 following the passage of the ''Supreme Court Act'' in 2003. The Act abolished the option to appeal [[Court of Appeal of New Zealand|Court of Appeal]] rulings to the [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council|Privy Council]] in [[London]]. The current [[Chief Justice of New Zealand]] is [[Sian Elias|Dame Sian Elias]]. New Zealand's judiciary also includes the [[High Court of New Zealand|High Court]], which deals with serious criminal offences and civil matters, and the [[New Zealand Court of Appeal|Court of Appeal]], as well as subordinate courts. Some Judges may sit on more than one court.
All superior court judges are appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the [[Attorney-General of New Zealand|Attorney-General]], Chief Justice, [[Solicitor-General of New Zealand|Solicitor-General]]<ref name="appointment">{{cite web|url=http://www.justice.govt.nz/pubs/reports/2004/judicial-appointment/currentnzsituation.html|title=APPOINTING JUDGES: A JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS COMMISSION FOR NEW ZEALAND?|publisher=Ministry of Justice|date=September 2002|accessdate=2008-06-12}}</ref>, with the exception of the Chief Justice, who is appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister.
New Zealand law has three principal sources: English [[common law]], certain statutes of the United Kingdom Parliament enacted before 1947 (notably the [[Bill of Rights 1689]]), and statutes of the [[New Zealand Parliament]]. In interpreting common law, the courts have endeavoured to preserve uniformity with common law as interpreted in the United Kingdom and related jurisdictions. The maintenance of the [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council|Privy Council]] in [[London]] as the final court of appeal and judges' practice of following British decisions, even though, technically, they are not bound by them, both bolstered this uniformity. However, in October 2003, the House of Representatives passed legislation to end this right of appeal from 2004, and to establish the [[Supreme Court of New Zealand]] in Wellington, which began hearings in July 2004.
==Local government and administrative divisions==
New Zealand is a [[unitary state]] rather than a [[federation]] — regions are created by the authority of the central government, rather than the central government being created by the authority of the regions. Local government in New Zealand has only the powers conferred upon it by Parliament. These powers have traditionally been distinctly fewer than in some other countries. For example, police and education are run by central government, while the provision of low-cost housing is optional for local councils. Many of them used to control gas and electricity supply, but nearly all of that was privatised or centralised in the 1990s.
New Zealand is divided into sixteen [[Regions of New Zealand|regions]]. These form the highest level of local government. New Zealand is also divided into 73 [[Territorial Authorities of New Zealand|territorial authorities]]. Some of these are called Cities, while most are Districts. Most territorial authorities are wholly within one region, but there are a few that cross regional boundaries. There are also four instances in which regional and territorial authorities are combined into a single [[unitary authority]], and the isolated [[Chatham Islands]] have a body with its own special legislation, making it very like a unitary authority.
In each territorial authority there are commonly several community boards or area boards (see below). These form the lowest and weakest arm of local government.
Each of the regions and territorial authorities is governed by a council, which is directly elected by the residents of that region, district or city. Each council may use a system chosen by the outgoing council (after public consultation), either the [[Bloc voting|bloc vote]] (viz. [[first-past-the-post]] in multi-member constituencies) or [[single transferable vote]].
===Regions===
[[Regions of New Zealand|Regional councils]] all use a constituency system for elections, and the elected members elect one of their number to be chairperson. They set their own levels of [[rates (tax)]], though the mechanism for collecting it usually involves channelling through the territorial authority collection system. Regional council duties include:
* [[environmental management]], particularly air and water quality and catchment control under the [[Resource Management Act 1991]].
* regional aspects of [[civil defence]]
* [[transport]]ation planning and contracting of subsidised public passenger transport.
===Cities and districts===
The seventy-four [[Territorial Authorities of New Zealand|territorial authorities]] consist of sixteen [[List of cities in New Zealand|city councils]]; fifty-seven [[Territorial Authorities of New Zealand|district councils]] in more rural areas; and one council for the [[Chatham Islands]]. Each generally has a ward system of election, but an additional councillor is the [[mayor]], who is elected at large and chairs the council. They too set their own levels of [[Rates (tax)|rates]].
The territorial authorities may delegate powers to local community boards. These boards, instituted at the behest of either local citizens or territorial authorities, advocate community views but cannot levy taxes, appoint staff, or own property.
===District health boards===
New Zealand's health sector was restructured several times during the 20th century. The most recent restructuring occurred in 2001, with new legislation creating twenty-one [[District Health Boards (New Zealand)|District Health Boards]] (DHBs). These boards are responsible for the oversight of health and disability services within their communities. Seven members of each District Health Board are directly elected by residents of their area using the [[Single Transferable Vote]] system. In addition, the Minister of Health may appoint up to four members. The last District Health Board elections took place in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moh.govt.nz/dhbelections|title=District Health Board Elections|publisher=[[Ministry of Education (New Zealand)|Ministry of Education]]|accessdate=2008-02-07}}</ref>
==Elections and party politics==
{{main|New Zealand elections|Political parties in New Zealand}}
The first political party was founded in 1891, and its main rival was founded in 1909 — from that point until a [[Electoral reform in New Zealand|change]] of [[Electoral system of New Zealand|electoral system]] in 1996, New Zealand had a [[two-party system]] in place. Today, New Zealand has a genuinely [[multi-party system]], with eight parties currently represented in Parliament. Neither of the two largest parties have been able to govern without support from other groups since 1996, meaning that [[coalition government]] is required.
The two largest, and oldest, parties are the [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]] (centre-left [[Progressivism|progressive]]) and the [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]] (centre-right [[Conservatism|conservative]]). Other parties currently represented in Parliament are [[New Zealand First]] ([[Populism|populist]], [[nationalist]]), [[ACT New Zealand|ACT]] ([[free market]]), the [[Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand|Greens]] (left-wing, [[environmentalist]]), [[United Future New Zealand|United Future]] ([[family values]]), the [[New Zealand Progressive Party|Progressives]] ([[leftist]]), and the [[Māori Party]] (ethnic).
{{New Zealand election, 2005}}
{{New Zealand elections}}
==Modern political history==
{{seealso|Governments of New Zealand}}
The conservative [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]] and the left-leaning [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]] have dominated New Zealand political life since a Labour government came to power in 1935. During fourteen years in office (1935-1949), the Labour Party implemented a broad array of social and economic legislation, including comprehensive [[social security]], a large scale [[public works]] programme, a forty-hour working week, a minimum basic wage, and compulsory [[Trade union|union]]ism. The National Party won control of the government in 1949 and adopted many welfare measures instituted by the Labour Party. Except for two brief periods of Labour governments in 1957-1960 and 1972-1975, National held power until 1984.
After regaining control in 1984, the Labour government instituted a series of radical market-oriented reforms in response to New Zealand's mounting external debt. It also enacted anti-nuclear legislation that effectively brought about New Zealand's suspension from the [[ANZUS]] [[Military alliance|security alliance]] with the [[United States|United States of America]] and [[Australia]], and instituted a number of other more left-wing reforms, such as allowing the Waitangi Tribunal to hear claims of breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi to be made back to 1840, reinstituting compulsory unionism and creating new government agencies to implement a social and environmental reform agenda (women's affairs, youth affairs, Pacific Island affairs, consumer affairs, Minister for the Environment).
In October 1990, the National Party again formed a government, for the first of three three-year terms. In 1996, New Zealand inaugurated the [[Electoral reform in New Zealand|new electoral system]], [[Mixed Member Proportional]] (MMP) to [[Electoral system of New Zealand|elect its Parliament]]. The system was expected (among numerous other goals) to increase representation of smaller parties in Parliament and appears to have done so in the MMP elections to date. Since 1996, neither National nor Labour has had an absolute majority in Parliament, and for all but two of those years a minority government has ruled.
After nine years in office, the National Party lost the [[New Zealand general election 1999|November 1999 election]]. Labour under [[Helen Clark]] out-polled National by 39% to 30% and formed a coalition, minority government with the left-wing [[Alliance (New Zealand political party)|Alliance]]. The government often relied on support from the [[Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand|Green Party]] to pass legislation.
The Labour Party retained power in the [[27 July]] [[2002]] [[New Zealand general election 2002|election]], forming a coalition with [[Jim Anderton]]'s new party, the [[New Zealand Progressive Party|Progressive Coalition]], and reaching an agreement for support with the [[United Future New Zealand|United Future]] party. Helen Clark remained Prime Minister.
Following the [[New Zealand general election, 2005|2005 general election]] on [[17 September]] [[2005]], negotiations between parties culminated in [[Helen Clark]] announcing a third consecutive term of Labour-led government. The Labour Party again formed a coalition with [[Jim Anderton]]'s [[New Zealand Progressive Party|Progressive Party]], with confidence and supply from [[Winston Peters]]' [[New Zealand First]] and [[Peter Dunne]]'s [[United Future New Zealand|United Future]]. Jim Anderton retains his Cabinet position; Winston Peters becomes Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Racing and Associate Minister for Senior Citizens; Peter Dunne becomes Minister of Revenue and Associate Minister of Health. Neither Peters nor Dunne will be in Cabinet, however.
==See also==
* [[Foreign relations of New Zealand]]
* [[Constitution of New Zealand]]
* [[Governments of New Zealand]]
* [[List of New Zealand politicians]]
* [[Politics of Australia and New Zealand compared]]
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{Oceania topic|Politics of}}
{{New Zealand topics}}
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[[Category:Politics of New Zealand| ]]
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