New Zealand order of precedence

The Order of precedence in New Zealand was approved^[1] by Queen Elizabeth II on 9 January 1974, and amended to include former Governors-General on 10 September 1981.^[2] While the Queen herself is not listed in the order of precedence, the Monarch of New Zealand holds the highest precedence in New Zealand. Names of incumbents are as of 2014.

1. The Governor-General or (whilst acting in the place of the Governor-General) the deputy of the Governor-General or the officer administering the Government
   • His Excellency Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Sir Jerry Mateparae GNZM QSO
2. The Prime Minister
   • The Rt. Hon. John Key MP
3. The Speaker of the House of Representatives
   • The Rt. Hon. David Carter MP
4. The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps
   • Her Excellency Ms Caroline Chrétien of Canada
5. The Deputy Prime Minister and Ministers of the Crown (ordered by ministerial rank; list as of 20 December 2014)^[3]
   • The Hon. Bill English (Deputy Prime Minister) MP
   • The Hon. Gerry Brownlee MP
   • The Hon. Steven Joyce MP
   • The Hon. Paula Bennett MP
   • The Hon. Jonathan Coleman MP
   • The Hon. Amy Adams MP
   • The Hon. Chris Finlayson MP
   • The Hon. Simon Bridges MP
   • The Hon. Hekia Parata, Lady Gardiner MP
   • The Hon. Anne Tolley MP
   • The Hon. Nick Smith MP
   • The Hon. Murray McCully MP
   • The Hon. Nathan Guy MP
   • The Hon. Nikki Kaye MP
   • The Hon. Tim Groser MP
   • The Hon. Michael Woodhouse MP
   • The Hon. Todd McClay MP
   • The Hon. Sam Lotu-Iiga MP
   • The Hon. Maggie Barry MP

   Ministers Outside of Cabinet

   • The Hon. Craig Foss MP
   • The Hon. Jo Goodhew MP
   • The Hon. Nicky Wagner MP
   • The Hon. Louise Upston MP
   • The Hon. Paul Goldsmith MP

   Support Party Ministers

   • The Hon. Peter Dunne MP
   • The Hon. Te Ururoa Flavell MP
6. Former Governors-General
   • The Hon. Dame Catherine Tizard ONZ GCMG GCVO DBE QSO 1990–1996
   • The Hon. Sir Michael Hardie Boys GNZM GCMG QSO 1996–2001
   • The Hon. Dame Silvia Cartwright PCNZM DBE QSO 2001–2006
   • The Rt. Hon. Sir Anand Satyanand GNZM QSO 2006–2011
7. The Chief Justice
   • The Rt. Hon. Dame Sian Elias GNZM PC QC
8. Ambassadors and High Commissioners in New Zealand for Her Majesty's Governments elsewhere, according to date of presentation of Letters of Credence or of assumption of duty, and Foreign Ministers and Envoys. See the Ministry of Foreign Affairs order of precedence page for a list.
9. The Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of New Zealand
   • Andrew Little MP
10. Privy Counsellors

    Until 1999 it was traditional for the Prime Minister, senior and long-serving Ministers of the Crown, the Chief Justice and Judges of the Court of Appeal to be appointed to the Privy Council. No appointments were made from 2000, and in 2010 steps were taken to discontinue such appointments.^[4]

    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Ronald Davison GBE CMG QC (31 May 1978)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Duncan McMullin (30 April 1980)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Geoffrey Palmer KCMG   (23 January 1985)
    • The Rt. Hon. Bob Tizard CNZM (23 December 1985)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Thomas Eichelbaum GBE QC (1 November 1989)
    • The Rt. Hon. Jonathan Hunt ONZ (1 November 1989)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Hardie Boys (1 November 1989) (former Governor-General, see above)
    • The Rt. Hon. Helen Clark ONZ SSI (9 February 1990)
    • The Rt. Hon. Mike Moore ONZ  (9 February 1990)
    • The Rt. Hon. Jim Bolger ONZ (16 April 1991)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Don McKinnon ONZ GCVO (8 April 1992)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Bill Birch GNZM (8 April 1992)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Thomas Gault KNZM QC PC (8 April 1992)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Ian Lloyd McKay (8 April 1992)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir John Henry KNZM QC (19 November 1996)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Ted Thomas KNZM (19 November 1996)
    • The Rt. Hon. Dame Jenny Shipley DNZM (24 June 1998)
    • The Rt. Hon. Winston Peters (24 June 1998)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Doug Graham KNZM (24 June 1998)
    • The Rt. Hon. Paul East CNZM QC (24 June 1998)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Kenneth Keith ONZ KBE QC (24 June 1998)
    • Sir Peter Blanchard KNZM (24 June 1998)
    • The Rt. Hon. Sir Andrew Tipping (24 June 1998)
    • The Rt. Hon. Wyatt Creech CNZM (24 November 1999)
    • The Rt. Hon. Dame Sian Elias (24 November 1999) (Current Chief Justice, see above)
    • The Rt. Hon. Simon Upton (14 December 1999)
11. Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives. There is no established order of precedence over members of parliament in general, although each party has its internal ranking.
12. Judges of the Supreme Court
13. President and puisne judges of the Court of Appeal
14. Chief High Court Judge and other judges of the High Court
15. "Mayors of cities and boroughs and chairmen of counties while in their own districts." In 1989, boroughs and counties were amalgamated into district councils. District mayors, and the Chatham Islands mayor could expect to be accorded this same precedence.
16. Charges d'Affaires
17. Former Prime Ministers (all living former Prime Ministers are members of the Privy Council and thus have higher precedence)
18. Former Ministers of the Crown in New Zealand

    Ministers of the Crown who are Members of the Executive Council are granted the title of The Honourable during their term of office. On leaving office, this title can be granted for the rest of their life. The Parliamentary Services maintain biographies of former Members of Parliament since 2006.

    • The Hon. George Gair CMG QSO (1972, 1975–1984)
    • The Hon. William Fraser (1974–1975)
    • The Hon. Matiu Rata (1974–1975)
    • The Hon. Sir Roger Douglas (1972-1975, 1984–1990)
    • The Hon. Ron Bailey QSO (1974–1975)
    • The Hon. Jim McLay CNZM QSO (1978–1984)
    • The Hon. Aussie Malcolm (1981–1984)
    • The Hon. Sir Kerry Burke (1984–1987)
    • The Hon. David Caygill CNZM (1984–1990)
    • The Hon. David Butcher (1987–1990)
    • The Hon. Margaret Austin CNZM (1990)
    • The Hon. Helen Clark (1987–2008) (Former Prime Minister and former Privy Counsellor, refer above)
    • The Hon. Sir Michael Cullen KNZM (1987–1990, 1999–2008)
    • The Hon. James Sutton CNZM (1990–2006)
    • The Hon. Sir Lockwood Smith KNZM (1990–1996)
    • The Hon. Philip Burdon (1990–1996)
    • The Hon. John Banks CNZM QSO (1990–1996, 2011–2013)
    • The Hon. Sir Douglas Kidd KNZM (1991–1993)
    • The Hon. Bruce Cliffe (1993–1995)
    • The Hon. Steve Maharey CNZM (1993, 1999–2007)
    • The Hon. Warren Cooper CNZM (1981–1984, 1990–1996)
    • The Hon. Roger Sowry ONZM (1996–2003)
    • The Hon. Max Bradford (1997–1999)
    • The Hon. John Luxton QSO (1990–2002)
    • The Hon. Tau Henare (1996–1999)
    • The Hon. Brian Donnelly QSO (1997–1998)
    • The Hon. Clem Simich QSO (1998–1999)
    • The Hon. Georgina te Heuheu QSO (1998–1999, 2008–2011)
    • The Hon. Phillida Bunkle (1999–2001)
    • The Hon. Mark Gosche (1999–2003)
    • The Hon. Marian Hobbs (1999–2005)
    • The Hon. Dover Samuels (1999–2000, 2002–2007)
    • The Hon. Paul Swain QSO (1999–2005)
    • The Hon. Judith Tizard (1999–2008)
    • The Hon. Margaret Wilson DCNZM (1999–2004)
    • The Hon. George Hawkins (1999–2005)
    • The Hon. Pete Hodgson (1999–2008)
    • The Hon. Lianne Dalziel (1999–2008) (currently mayor of Christchurch, refer above)
    • The Hon. Jim Anderton (1999–2008)
    • The Hon. Mark Burton (1999–2007)
    • The Hon. Chris Carter (2002–2008)
    • The Hon. Rick Barker (2002–2008)
    • The Hon. John Tamihere (2002–2004)
    • The Hon. David Benson-Pope (2004–2007)
    • The Hon. Harry Duynhoven QSO (2004–2008)
    • The Hon. Mita Ririnui (2004–2008)
    • The Hon. Mahara Okeroa (2005–2008)
    • The Hon. Luamanuvao Winnie Laban (2005–2008)
    • The Hon. Darren Hughes (2007–2008)
    • The Hon. Stephanie "Steve" Chadwick (2007–2008)
    • The Hon. Rodney Hide (2008–2011)
    • The Hon. Wayne Mapp (2008–2011)
    • The Hon. Simon Power QSO (2008–2011)
    • The Hon. Richard Worth (2008–2009)
    • The Hon. Pansy Wong (2008–2010)
    • The Hon. John Carter QSO (2008–2011)
    • The Hon. Heather Roy (2008–2010)
    • The Hon. John Boscawen (2010–2011)
    • The Hon. Phil Heatley (2008–2010, 2010–2013)
    • The Hon. Kate Wilkinson (2008–2013)
    • The Hon. Chris Tremain (2011–2014)
    • The Hon. Judith Collins (2002–2014) (Current MP, refer to Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives)
    • The Hon. Kerry “Chester” Borrows (2005–2014) (Current MP, refer to Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives)
    • The Hon. Pita Sharples CBE (2008–2014)
    • The Hon. Dame Tariana Turia DNZM (2008–2014)
19. The Clerk of the Parliament of New Zealand, Controller and Auditor-General and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Investigations.
    • The Clerk of the Parliament of New Zealand - Mary Harris (13 December 2007)^[5]
    • Controller and Auditor-General - Lyn Provost 5 October 2009^[6][7]
    • The Parliamentary Commissioner for Investigations (the Chief Ombudsman) - Dame Beverley Wakem DNZM CBE (23 April 2008)^[8]
20. The Chief of Defence Staff, the Chairman of the State Services Commission, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Heads of Civil Departments of State
    • Chief of Defence Force - Lieutenant General Tim Keating (31 January 2014)
    • The Chairman of the State Services Commission - Iain Rennie (1 July 2008)^[9]
    • The Solicitor-General - Michael Heron QC (24 July 2012)
21. Chiefs of Staff of the Defence Forces
    • Chief of Navy - Rear Admiral Jack Steer ONZM (1 December 2012)
    • Chief of Army - Major General David Gawn MBE (18 April 2011)
    • Chief of Air Force - Air Commodore Mike Yardley (25 March 2014)^[10]
22. Consuls-General & Consuls of countries without diplomatic representation in New Zealand
23. Heads of religious denominations in New Zealand
24. Knights of the various orders and Knights Bachelor, according to their precedence in the United Kingdom

References