Father of the House (New Zealand)

Father or Mother of the New Zealand Parliament, often called Father of the House, is an unofficial title applied to the longest-serving MP in the house, regardless of their position. The Father of the House has no official role in Parliament. The current Father of the House in the New Zealand Parliament is Peter Dunne, the leader of the United Future party, having served continuously since the 1984 general election.

In New Zealand's first election of 1853, the Bay of Islands electorate was the first to declare the election of a successful candidate, Hugh Carleton, who was returned unopposed. In the subsequent General Assembly of 1854, Carleton liked to be known as the Father of the House.[1]

List of Fathers (and Mothers) of the House

Name Party First elected Became Father Left Parliament Notes References
Hugh Carleton Independent 14 July 1853 30 December 1870[nb 1] defeated in 1871 election [1][2]
Alfred Brandon Independent 29 July 1858 30 December 1870 8 November 1881[nb 2] retired in 1881 [3]
James Macandrew Independent 27 September 1853 8 November 1881 24 February 1887 died in office [4]
Sir Maurice O'Rorke Independent 18 January 1861 24 February 1887 3 October 1890[nb 3] defeated in 1890 election, re-elected in 1893 [5]
John Bryce Independent 3 March 1866 3 October 1890 31 August 1891 resigned in 1891 [6]
Ebenezer Hamlin Independent 18 January 1876 31 August 1891 8 November 1893[nb 4] retired in 1893 [7]
Richard Seddon Liberal 5 September 1879 8 November 1893 10 June 1906 Prime Minister 1893–1906; died in office [8]
Sir William Steward Liberal 3 February 1871 10 June 1906 20 November 1911[nb 5] retired in 1911 [9][10][11]
Sir Arthur Guinness Liberal 22 July 1884 20 November 1911 10 June 1913 died in office [10][12]
Sir James Carroll Liberal 26 September 1887 10 June 1913 27 November 1919[nb 6] defeated in 1919 election [13]
Sir James Allen Reform 26 September 1887 27 November 1919 22 March 1920 resigned in 1920 [14]
William Massey Reform 9 April 1894 22 March 1920 10 May 1925 Prime Minister 1912–1925; died in office [15]
(Sir) Thomas Wilford Liberal 4 December 1896 10 May 1925 18 November 1929 resigned in 1929[nb 7] [16][17]
Sir Apirana Ngata National 20 December 1905 18 November 1929 30 August 1943[nb 8] defeated in 1943 election [18]
Peter Fraser Labour 3 October 1918 30 August 1943 12 December 1950 Prime Minister 1940–1949; died in office [19]
Bill Parry Labour 17 December 1919 12 December 1950 27 July 1951[nb 9] retired in 1951 [20]
Robert McKeen Labour 7 December 1922 27 July 1951 5 October 1954[nb 10] retired in 1954 [21]
Rex Mason Labour 15 April 1926 5 October 1954 25 October 1966[nb 11] retired in 1966 [22]
Sir Walter Nash Labour 18 December 1929 25 October 1966 4 June 1968 Prime Minister 1957–1960; died in office [23]
(Sir) Keith Holyoake National 1 December 1932 4 June 1968 10 March 1977 Prime Minister 1957, 1960–1972; resigned in 1977[nb 12] [24]
Warren Freer Labour 24 September 1947 10 March 1977 29 October 1981[nb 13] retired in 1981 [25]
Robert Muldoon National 26 November 1960 29 October 1981 17 December 1991 Prime Minister 1975–1984; resigned in 1991 [26]
Jonathan Hunt Labour 26 November 1966 17 December 1991 30 March 2005 resigned in 2005[nb 14] [27]
Helen Clark Labour 28 November 1981 30 March 2005 18 April 2009 Prime Minister 1999–2008; resigned in 2009 [28]
Michael Cullen Labour 28 November 1981 18 April 2009 29 April 2009 resigned in 2009 [29]
Jim Anderton Progressive 14 July 1984 29 April 2009 26 November 2011 retired in 2011 [30]
Peter Dunne United Future 14 July 1984 26 November 2011 present [31]

Table footnotes:[32]

  1. ↑ date of dissolution of the 4th Parliament
  2. ↑ date of dissolution of the 7th Parliament
  3. ↑ date of dissolution of the 10th Parliament
  4. ↑ date of dissolution of the 11th Parliament
  5. ↑ date of dissolution of the 17th Parliament
  6. ↑ date of dissolution of the 19th Parliament
  7. ↑ Wilford resigned to take up the post of High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
  8. ↑ date of dissolution of the 26th Parliament
  9. ↑ date of dissolution of the 29th Parliament
  10. ↑ date of dissolution of the 30th Parliament
  11. ↑ date of dissolution of the 34th Parliament
  12. ↑ Holyoake resigned to take up the post of Governor-General
  13. ↑ date of dissolution of the 39th Parliament
  14. ↑ Hunt resigned to take up the post of High Commissioner to the United Kingdom

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 McLintock, A. H., ed. (23 April 2009) [First published in 1966]. "Carleton, Hugh Francis". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  2. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 188.
  3. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 185, 188.
  4. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 185, 213.
  5. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 213, 225.
  6. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 186, 225.
  7. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 186, 202.
  8. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 57, 202, 233.
  9. ↑ "The Father of the House". The Marlborough Express. XXXIX (155). 5 July 1906. p. 1. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "The Late Sir Arthur Guinness". Colonist LV (13752). 18 June 1913. p. 1. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  11. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 233, 236.
  12. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 201, 236.
  13. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 188, 201.
  14. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 179, 188.
  15. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 58, 179, 219.
  16. ↑ "Maori MPs - Parliament's people". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  17. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 219, 245.
  18. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 223, 245.
  19. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 58, 198, 223.
  20. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 198, 225.
  21. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 215, 225.
  22. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 215, 218.
  23. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 58, 218, 223.
  24. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 47, 58, 206, 223.
  25. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 198, 206.
  26. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 58, 198, 222.
  27. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 206.
  28. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 189.
  29. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 191.
  30. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 180.
  31. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 194.
  32. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 137–139.

References