Governments of New Zealand

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New Zealand
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of New Zealand

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The Governments of New Zealand are based on the Westminster system of responsible government. Executive government in New Zealand is based on the principle that "The Queen reigns, but the government rules, so long as it has the support of the House of Representatives"^[1]; hence the Head of state (the Queen, represented by the Governor-General) follow the advice of the government and play only a formal role in the executive, except with respect to the formation and dismissal of governments and the use of the reserve powers.

1 Head of Government
2 History
3 List of Governments of New Zealand by term
4 Chronological list of Governments of New Zealand
5 See also
6 References

[edit] Head of Government

The Head of Government in New Zealand is the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is indirectly elected, in that they are not directly elected by the people of New Zealand but become Prime Minister by (usually) becoming the leader of the largest party in Parliament following a general election.

See also: Prime Minister of New Zealand

[edit] History

While New Zealand had been granted self-government in 1853 following the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, the first government formed along political lines did not appear until 1891, when John Ballance formed the Liberal Party.

[edit] List of Governments of New Zealand by term

Rank	Government	Term	Time in office
1	First Liberal	1891–1912	21 years
2	Reform	1912–1928	16 years
3	First Labour	1935–1949	14 years
4	Second National	1960–1972	12 years
5	Fourth National	1990–1999	9 years
6	First National	1949–1957	8 years
7	Third National	1975–1984	8 years
9	Fourth Labour	1984–1990	6 years
10	Liberal-Reform coalition	1931–1935	4 years
11=	United	1928–1931	3 years
11=	Second Labour	1957–1960	3 years
11=	Third Labour	1972–1975	3 years

[edit] Chronological list of Governments of New Zealand

Number	Government	Term	Time in office
1	First Liberal	1891–1912	21 years
2	Reform	1912–1928	16 years
3	United	1928–1931	3 years
4	Liberal-Reform coalition	1931–1935	4 years
5	First Labour	1935–1949	14 years
6	First National	1949–1957	8 years
7	Second Labour	1957–1960	3 years
8	Second National	1960–1972	12 years
9	Third Labour	1972–1975	3 years
10	Third National	1975–1984	8 years
11	Fourth Labour	1984–1990	6 years
12	Fourth National	1990–1999	9 years
13	Fifth Labour	1999–Present	8 years so far

v • d • e Governments of New Zealand

First Liberal · Reform · United · Liberal-Reform government · First Labour · First National · Second Labour · Second National · Third Labour · Third National · Fourth Labour · Fourth National · Fifth Labour