Leader of the New Zealand National Party

Last updated

Leader of the National Party
Christopher Luxon 2025 (mid cropped).jpg
since 30 November 2021
Member of New Zealand House of Representatives
Term length No fixed term
Inaugural holder Adam Hamilton
Formation2 November 1936
Deputy Nicola Willis

The leader of the National Party is the most-senior elected politician within the New Zealand National Party. Under the constitution of the party, they are required to be a member of the House of Representatives.

Contents

The National Party has found itself either in government (alone or with the support of other parties) or in opposition to Labour-led governments. Consequently, the leader of the National Party usually assumes the role of either the prime minister or leader of the Opposition.

The current leader of the National Party since 30 November 2021 is Christopher Luxon.

Selection

Following a general election, or when a vacancy arises, the Parliamentary Section of the National Party (also called the Caucus) elects a leader of the Parliamentary Section (that is, the parliamentary leader). After receiving approval by the Board of Directors (the governing body of the party), the leader of the Parliamentary Section becomes the leader of the party. [1]

Role

The leader organises the business of the party in Parliament and represents the party to the general public. Within the party organisation, they must ensure political consensus; the constitution of the National Party states that the leader has "the right to attend any Party meeting or committee meeting and shall be an ex officio member of the Board". [1]

The leader becomes the National Party's candidate for prime minister in the run-up to an election, [2] and they invariably take office as prime minister when the National Party forms a government. In 1949, party leader Sidney Holland became the first prime minister from the National Party. [3]

List of leaders

Of the fifteen people to officially hold the leadership, nine have served as prime minister.

Key:
  National   Labour
PM: Prime Minister
LO: Leader of the Opposition

No.LeaderPortraitElectorateTerm startTerm endTime in officePositionPrime Minister
1 Adam Hamilton
(1880–1952)		 Adam Hamilton, 1930s.jpg Wallace 2 November 193626 November 19404 years, 24 daysLO1936–1940 Savage
1935–40
Fraser
1940–49
2 Sidney Holland
(1893–1961)		 Sidney George Holland (1953) 2.png Fendalton 26 November 194020 September 195716 years, 298 daysLO1940–1949
PM1949–1957himself
3 Keith Holyoake
(1904–1983)		 Keith Holyoake (crop).jpg Pahiatua 20 September 19577 February 197214 years, 140 daysPM1957himself
LO1957–1960 Nash
PM1960–1972himself
4 Jack Marshall
(1912–1988)		 Jack Marshall, 1972.jpg Karori 7 February 19724 July 19742 years, 147 daysPM1972himself
LO1972–1974 Kirk
1972–74
5 Robert Muldoon
(1921–1992)		 Robert Muldoon 1978.jpg Tamaki 4 July 197429 November 198410 years, 148 daysLO1974–1975
Rowling
1974–75
PM1975–1984himself
LO1984 Lange
1984–89
6 Jim McLay
(born 1945)		 Jim McLay (cropped).jpg Birkenhead 29 November 198426 March 19861 year, 117 daysLO1984–1986
7 Jim Bolger
(born 1935)		 Bolger, 1992.jpg King Country
(1972–96)
Taranaki-King Country
(1996–98)		26 March 19868 December 199711 years, 257 daysLO1986–1990
Palmer
1989–90
Moore
1990
PM1990–1997himself
8 Jenny Shipley
(born 1952)		 Jenny Shipley and Winnie Laban (crop).jpg Rakaia 8 December 19978 October 20013 years, 304 daysPM1997–1999herself
LO1999–2001 Clark
9 Bill English
(born 1961)		 Bill English KNZM (cropped).jpg Clutha-Southland 8 October 200128 October 20032 years, 20 daysLO2001–2003
10 Don Brash
(born 1940)		 Don.Brash.jpg List MP 28 October 200327 November 20063 years, 30 daysLO2003–2006
11 John Key
(born 1961)		 John Key February 2015.jpg Helensville 27 November 200612 December 201610 years, 15 daysLO2006–2008
PM2008–2016himself
(9) Bill English
(born 1961)		 Bill English KNZM (cropped).jpg List MP 12 December 201627 February 20181 year, 77 daysPM2016–2017himself
LO2017–2018 Ardern
2017–23
12 Simon Bridges
(born 1976)		 Simon-Bridges-Free-Crop.jpg Tauranga 27 February 201822 May 20202 years, 85 daysLO2018–2020
13 Todd Muller
(born 1968)		 Todd Muller.jpg Bay of Plenty 22 May 202014 July 202053 daysLO2020
— Nikki Kaye [note 1]
(1980–2024)		 Nikki Kaye NZgovt cropped.jpg Auckland Central 14 July 2020<1 dayActing LO [4] 2020
14 Judith Collins
(born 1959)		 COLLINS, Judith - Papakura (cropped).png Papakura 14 July 202025 November 20211 year, 134 daysLO2020–2021
— Shane Reti [note 1]
(born 1963)		 RETI, Shane - Whangarei (cropped).png List MP 25 November 202130 November 20215 daysActing LO [5] 2021
15 Christopher Luxon
(born 1970)		 Christopher Luxon 2025 (cropped).jpg Botany 30 December 2021Incumbent3 years, 249 daysLO2021–2023
Hipkins
2023
PM2023–presenthimself

See also

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 Deputy leader who assumed the role of party leader temporarily because of the resignation or removal of the incumbent leader, serving until a following leadership election.

References

  1. 1 2 "Constitution and Rules of the New Zealand National Party" (PDF) (26th ed.). New Zealand National Party. 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2020– via New Zealand Electoral Commission.
  2. ↑ Sheppard, Nicholas (22 January 2023). "Will Christopher Luxon be New Zealand's prime minister?". The Spectator. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  3. ↑ "Sidney Holland". nzhistory.govt.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  4. ↑ "Nikki Kaye to serve as acting leader of National as MPs rush to Wellington following Muller bombshell". 1 News. TVNZ. 14 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  5. ↑ "Watch: Dr Shane Reti speaks as National's new interim leader". Radio NZ. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
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