List of prime ministers of New Zealand by age

Last updated

This is a list of prime ministers of New Zealand by age, including when they were born, what age they were when they were appointed prime minister, what age they were when they left the office and the age at which they died, or their current age as of 22 January 2024 if they are still alive. The table can be sorted by each different category.

Contents

The date of appointment is the date on which they were sworn in by the governor-general for their first term. The day on which they departed office is the final day of their final term. This is either the day a new prime minister was appointed or their date of death if they died whilst in office.

Overview

The oldest living prime minister is Jim Bolger, born 31 May 1935 (aged 88 years, 236 days). The youngest living former prime minister is Jacinda Ardern, born 26 July 1980 (aged 43 years, 180 days).

The longest-lived prime minister is also Jim Bolger who is currently aged 88 years, 236 days. George Grey was the second longest-lived prime minister who lived to the age of 86 years, 158 days. Bolger surpassed Grey's lifespan on 6 November 2021. The second oldest-living prime minister, Geoffrey Palmer, will tie Grey if he lives to 27 September 2028. The shortest-lived prime minister was Norman Kirk, who died in office at the age of 51 years, 237 days.

The prime minister with the longest retirement is Robert Stout. He left office on 8 October 1887, and died 42 years, and 284 days later on 19 July 1930. The prime minister with the shortest retirement is Joseph Ward, who died on 8 July 1930, 41 days after he left office on 28 May 1930.

Key:

  Dead
  Living
  Incumbent
#Prime ministerDate of birthStart date of (first) termAge at beginning of (first) termEnd date of (final) termAge at leaving officeTotal time in officeTotal time after leaving officeDate of deathLifespan
1 Henry Sewell 7 September 18077 May 185648 years, 243 days20 May 185648 years, 256 days13 days22 years, 359 days14 May 187926,182 days (71 years, 249 days)
2 William Fox 20 January 181220 May 185644 years, 121 days8 April 187361 years, 78 days1,609 days20 years, 76 days23 June 189329,740 days (81 years, 154 days)
3 Edward Stafford 23 April 18192 June 185637 years, 40 days11 October 187253 years, 171 days3,248 days28 years, 126 days14 February 190129,882 days (81 years, 297 days)
4 Alfred Domett 20 May 18116 August 186251 years, 78 days30 October 186352 years, 163 days450 days24 years, 3 days2 November 188727,925 days (76 years, 166 days)
5 Frederick Whitaker 23 April 181230 October 186351 years, 190 days25 September 188371 years, 155 days913 days8 years, 70 days4 December 189129,079 days (79 years, 225 days)
6 Frederick Weld 9 May 182324 November 186441 years, 199 days16 October 186542 years, 160 days326 days25 years, 277 days20 July 189124,909 days (68 years, 72 days)
7 George Waterhouse 6 April 182411 October 187248 years, 188 days3 March 187348 years, 331 days143 days33 years, 156 days6 August 190630,071 days (82 years, 122 days)
8 Julius Vogel 24 February 18358 April 187338 years, 43 days1 September 187641 years, 190 days1,018 days22 years, 192 days12 March 189923,392 days (64 years, 16 days)
9 Daniel Pollen 2 June 18136 July 187562 years, 27 days15 February 187662 years, 258 days224 days20 years, 93 days18 May 189630,301 days (82 years, 351 days)
10 Harry Atkinson 1 November 18311 September 187644 years, 305 days24 January 189159 years, 84 days1,943 days1 year, 156 days28 June 189222,155 days (60 years, 240 days)
11 George Grey 14 April 181213 October 187765 years, 182 days8 October 187967 years, 177 days725 days18 years, 346 days19 September 189831,569 days (86 years, 158 days)
12 John Hall 18 December 18248 October 187954 years, 294 days21 April 188257 years, 124 days926 days25 years, 65 days25 June 190730,138 days (82 years, 189 days)
13 Robert Stout 28 September 184416 August 188439 years, 323 days8 October 188743 years, 10 days1,142 days42 years, 284 days19 July 193031,339 days (85 years, 294 days)
14 John Ballance 27 March 183924 January 189151 years, 303 days27 April 1893 [upper-alpha 1] 824 days27 Apr 189319,755 days (54 years, 31 days)
15 Richard Seddon 22 June 184527 April 189347 years, 309 days10 June 1906 [upper-alpha 1] 4,791 days10 June 190622,267 days (60 years, 353 days)
16 William Hall-Jones 16 January 185110 June 190655 years, 145 days6 August 190655 years, 202 days57 days29 years, 318 days19 June 193631,200 days (85 years, 155 days)
17 Joseph Ward 26 April 18566 August 190650 years, 102 days28 May 193074 years, 32 days2,595 days41 days8 July 193027,100 days (74 years, 73 days)
18 Thomas Mackenzie 10 March 185328 March 191259 years, 18 days10 Jul 191259 years, 122 days104 days17 years, 219 days14 February 193028,099 days (76 years, 341 days)
19 William Massey 26 March 185610 July 191256 years, 106 days10 May 1925 [upper-alpha 1] 4,687 days10 May 192525,246 days (69 years, 45 days)
20 Francis Bell 31 March 185110 May 192574 years, 40 days30 May 192574 years, 60 days20 days10 years, 288 days13 March 193631,028 days (84 years, 348 days)
21 Gordon Coates 3 February 187830 May 192547 years, 116 days10 December 192850 years, 311 days1,290 days14 years, 168 days27 May 194323,853 days (65 years, 113 days)
22 George Forbes 12 March 186928 May 193061 years, 77 days6 December 193566 years, 269 days2,018 days11 years, 162 days17 May 194728,554 days (78 years, 66 days)
23 Michael Joseph Savage 23 March 18726 December 193563 years, 258 days27 March 1940 [upper-alpha 1] 1,573 days27 March 194024,840 days (68 years, 4 days)
24 Peter Fraser 28 August 188427 March 194055 years, 212 days13 December 194965 years, 107 days3,548 days364 days12 December 195024,211 days (66 years, 106 days)
25 Sidney Holland 18 October 189313 December 194956 years, 56 days20 September 195763 years, 337 days2,838 days3 years, 319 days5 August 196124,762 days (67 years, 291 days)
26 Keith Holyoake 11 February 190420 September 195753 years, 221 days7 February 197267 years, 361 days4,157 days11 years, 304 days8 December 198329,155 days (79 years, 300 days)
27 Walter Nash 12 February 188212 December 195775 years, 303 days12 December 196078 years, 304 days1,096 days7 years, 175 days4 June 196831,523 days (86 years, 113 days)
28 Jack Marshall 5 March 19127 February 197259 years, 339 days8 December 197260 years, 278 days305 days15 years, 266 days30 August 198827,937 days (76 years, 178 days)
29 Norman Kirk 6 January 19238 December 197249 years, 337 days31 August 1974 [upper-alpha 1] 631 days31 August 197418,865 days (51 years, 237 days)
30 Bill Rowling 15 November 19276 September 197446 years, 295 days12 December 197548 years, 27 days462 days19 years, 323 days31 October 199524,822 days (67 years, 350 days)
31 Robert Muldoon 25 September 192112 December 197554 years, 78 days26 July 198462 years, 305 days3,149 days8 years, 10 days5 August 199225,882 days (70 years, 315 days)
32 David Lange 4 August 194226 July 198441 years, 357 days8 August 198947 years, 4 days1,839 days16 years, 5 days13 August 200523,020 days (63 years, 9 days)
33 Geoffrey Palmer 21 April 19428 August 198947 years, 109 days4 September 199048 years, 136 days392 days33 years, 140 days29,861 days(81 years, 276 days)
34 Mike Moore 28 January 19494 September 199041 years, 219 days2 November 199041 years, 278 days59 days29 years, 92 days2 February 202025,937 days (71 years, 5 days)
35 Jim Bolger 31 May 19352 November 199055 years, 155 days8 December 199762 years, 191 days2,593 days26 years, 45 days32,378 days(88 years, 236 days)
36 Jenny Shipley 4 February 19528 December 199745 years, 307 days10 December 199947 years, 309 days727 days24 years, 48 days26,285 days(71 years, 352 days)
37 Helen Clark 26 February 195010 December 199949 years, 287 days19 November 200858 years, 267 days3,267 days15 years, 64 days26,993 days(73 years, 330 days)
38 John Key 9 August 196119 November 200847 years, 102 days12 December 201655 years, 125 days2,945 days7 years, 41 days22,811 days(62 years, 166 days)
39 Bill English 30 December 196112 December 201654 years, 348 days26 October 201755 years, 300 days318 days6 years, 88 days22,668 days(62 years, 23 days)
40 Jacinda Ardern 26 July 198026 October 201737 years, 92 days25 January 202342 years, 183 days1,917 days362 days15,885 days(43 years, 180 days)
41 Chris Hipkins 5 September 197825 January 202344 years, 142 days27 November 202345 years, 83 days306 days56 days16,575 days(45 years, 139 days)
42 Christopher Luxon 19 July 197027 November 202353 years, 131 daysIncumbentIncumbent56 daysIncumbent19,545 days(53 years, 187 days)
#Prime ministerDate of birthStart date of (first) termAge at beginning of (first) termEnd date of (final) termAge at leaving officeTotal time in officeLength of retirementDate of deathLifespan
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Died in office on this date.

Records

The three youngest people when they first became prime minister were:

The three oldest people when they first became prime minister were:

The three oldest people to last leave the office of prime minister were:

The three youngest people to last leave the office of prime minister were:

Oldest living prime ministers of New Zealand

Not all prime ministers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 33 deceased prime ministers, 16 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 17 did not (including all 5 prime ministers who died in office, and 12 others). Jim Bolger has held this distinction since Bill Rowling's death on 31 October 1995 a record 28 years, 83 days so far. He surpassed the previous record held by Robert Stout on 24 November 2018. Robert Stout became the oldest living prime minister when John Hall died in 1907 and remained so until his death in 1930, for 23 years and 24 days.

John Hall became the oldest living prime minister after the death of George Waterhouse, but he survived Waterhouse by only 323 days. On one occasion the oldest living prime minister lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the appointment of a prime minister who was older. Sidney Holland ceased to be the oldest living prime minister when Walter Nash was appointed.

John Hall was the oldest to acquire this distinction at the age of 81 years, and 231 days. Francis Bell, who was 84 years, and 348 days old when he died, was the oldest prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction. Mike Moore, who died on 2 February 2020 at 71 years, and 5 days old is the most recent prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction.

Prime MinisterBecame oldest living prime ministerCeased to be oldest living prime ministerAge at start dateAge at end dateDuration (years, days)
Henry Sewell 7 May 185614 May 187948 years, 243 days71 years, 249 days23 years, 7 days
Alfred Domett 14 May 18792 November 188767 years, 359 days76 years, 166 days8 years, 172 days
William Fox 2 November 188723 June 189375 years, 286 days81 years, 154 days5 years, 233 days
George Grey 23 June 189319 September 189881 years, 70 days86 years, 158 days5 years, 88 days
Edward Stafford 19 September 189814 February 190179 years, 149 days81 years, 297 days2 years, 148 days
George Waterhouse 14 February 19016 August 190676 years, 314 days82 years, 122 days5 years, 173 days
John Hall 6 August 190625 June 190781 years, 231 days82 years, 189 days323 days
Robert Stout 25 June 190719 July 193062 years, 270 days85 years, 294 days23 years, 24 days
William Hall-Jones 19 July 193019 June 193679 years, 184 days85 years, 155 days5 years, 336 days
George Forbes 19 June 193617 May 194767 years, 99 days78 years, 66 days10 years, 332 days
Peter Fraser 17 May 194712 December 195062 years, 262 days66 years, 106 days3 years, 209 days
Sidney Holland 12 December 195012 December 195757 years, 55 days64 years, 55 days7 years, 0 days
Walter Nash 12 December 19574 June 196875 years, 303 days86 years, 113 days10 years, 175 days
Keith Holyoake 4 June 19688 December 198364 years, 114 days79 years, 300 days15 years, 187 days
Jack Marshall 8 December 198330 August 198871 years, 278 days76 years, 178 days4 years, 266 days
Robert Muldoon 30 August 19885 August 199266 years, 340 days70 years, 315 days3 years, 341 days
Bill Rowling 5 August 199231 October 199564 years, 264 days67 years, 350 days3 years, 87 days
Jim Bolger 31 October 1995Current oldest living prime minister60 years, 153 daysCurrent oldest living prime minister28 years, 83 days
Prime MinisterBecame oldest living prime ministerCeased to be oldest living prime ministerAge at start dateAge at end dateDuration (years, days)

See also

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