Living prime ministers of New Zealand

Last updated

The current and five former prime ministers in 2021 (from left) - Bill English, John Key, Geoffrey Palmer, Jacinda Ardern, Helen Clark, and Jim Bolger (Jenny Shipley was absent) Six Former Prime Ministers of New Zealand.jpg
The current and five former prime ministers in 2021 (from left) – Bill English, John Key, Geoffrey Palmer, Jacinda Ardern, Helen Clark, and Jim Bolger (Jenny Shipley was absent)

This is a chronological list of all the living people who have served as prime minister of New Zealand at each moment in New Zealand history. [1] In 2016, Radio New Zealand published a podcast series of interviews of all five of the former prime ministers, [2] although before the series was completed, the sitting Prime Minister resigned, becoming the 6th former prime minister, but he declined to participate in the series. [3] In 2017, four of the then-six former PMs spoke jointly about increasing refugee immigration to New Zealand. [4]

Contents

There have been four time periods when there was only one living prime minister, first with the appointment of Henry Sewell in 1856 and most recently during the second term of Keith Holyoake following the 1968 death of Walter Nash.

There have been two time periods when 12 living current or former prime ministers co-existed, with the longest being a three-year period beginning with the first appointment of Robert Stout in 1884. The most recent period was from the January 1891 appointment of John Ballance to the July 1891 death of Frederick Weld.

If one includes future prime ministers as well as past and current officeholders, there has been only one time period when 24 different prime ministers co-existed (see § Statistics).

List

Living as of 2 September 2021
Prime MinisterDate of birthTenure
Jim Bolger 31 May 1935 (age 86)1990–1997
Geoffrey Palmer 21 April 1942 (age 79)1989–1990
Helen Clark 26 February 1950 (age 71)1999–2008
Jenny Shipley 4 February 1952 (age 69)1997–1999
John Key 9 August 1961 (age 60)2008–2016
Bill English 30 December 1961 (age 59)2016–2017
Jacinda Ardern 26 July 1980 (age 41)2017–present

Timeline of living prime ministers

Number of prime ministers alive at each moment in New Zealand history [5]
Start dateEnd dateStart eventDurationEnd eventLiving prime ministers
7 May 185620 May 1856Appointment of Henry Sewell13 daysAppointment of William Fox1 Henry Sewell
20 May 18562 June 1856Appointment of William Fox13 daysAppointment of Edward Stafford2Henry Sewell
William Fox
2 June 18566 August 1862Appointment of Edward Stafford6 years, 65 daysAppointment of Alfred Domett3Henry Sewell
William Fox
Edward Stafford
6 August 186230 October 1863Appointment of Alfred Domett1 year, 85 daysAppointment of Frederick Whitaker4Henry Sewell
William Fox
Edward Stafford
Alfred Domett
30 October 186324 November 1864Appointment of Frederick Whitaker1 year, 25 daysAppointment of Frederick Weld5Henry Sewell
William Fox
Edward Stafford
Alfred Domett
Frederick Whitaker
24 November 186411 October 1872Appointment of Frederick Weld7 years, 322 daysAppointment of George Waterhouse6Henry Sewell
William Fox
Edward Stafford
Alfred Domett
Frederick Whitaker
Frederick Weld
11 October 18728 April 1873Appointment of George Waterhouse179 daysAppointment of Julius Vogel7Henry Sewell
William Fox
Edward Stafford
Alfred Domett
Frederick Whitaker
Frederick Weld
George Waterhouse
8 April 18736 July 1875Appointment of Julius Vogel2 years, 89 daysAppointment of Daniel Pollen8Henry Sewell
William Fox
Edward Stafford
Alfred Domett
Frederick Whitaker
Frederick Weld
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
6 July 18751 September 1876Appointment of Daniel Pollen1 year, 57 daysAppointment of Harry Atkinson9Henry Sewell
William Fox
Edward Stafford
Alfred Domett
Frederick Whitaker
Frederick Weld
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
1 September 187613 October 1877Appointment of Harry Atkinson1 year, 42 daysAppointment of George Grey10Henry Sewell
William Fox
Edward Stafford
Alfred Domett
Frederick Whitaker
Frederick Weld
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
Harry Atkinson
13 October 187714 May 1879Appointment of George Grey1 year, 213 daysDeath of Henry Sewell11Henry Sewell
William Fox
Edward Stafford
Alfred Domett
Frederick Whitaker
Frederick Weld
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
Harry Atkinson
George Grey
14 May 18798 October 1879Death of Henry Sewell147 daysAppointment of John Hall10William Fox
Edward Stafford
Alfred Domett
Frederick Whitaker
Frederick Weld
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
Harry Atkinson
George Grey
8 October 187916 August 1884Appointment of John Hall4 years, 313 daysAppointment of Robert Stout11William Fox
Edward Stafford
Alfred Domett
Frederick Whitaker
Frederick Weld
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
Harry Atkinson
George Grey
John Hall
16 August 18842 November 1887Appointment of Robert Stout3 years, 78 daysDeath of Alfred Domett12William Fox
Edward Stafford
Alfred Domett
Frederick Whitaker
Frederick Weld
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
Harry Atkinson
George Grey
John Hall
Robert Stout
2 November 188724 January 1891Death of Alfred Domett3 years, 83 daysAppointment of John Ballance11William Fox
Edward Stafford
Frederick Whitaker
Frederick Weld
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
Harry Atkinson
George Grey
John Hall
Robert Stout
24 January 189120 July 1891Appointment of John Ballance177 daysDeath of Frederick Weld12William Fox
Edward Stafford
Frederick Whitaker
Frederick Weld
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
Harry Atkinson
George Grey
John Hall
Robert Stout
John Ballance
20 July 18914 December 1891Death of Frederick Weld137 daysDeath of Frederick Whitaker11William Fox
Edward Stafford
Frederick Whitaker
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
Harry Atkinson
George Grey
John Hall
Robert Stout
John Ballance
4 December 189128 June 1892Death of Frederick Whitaker207 daysDeath of Harry Atkinson10William Fox
Edward Stafford
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
Harry Atkinson
George Grey
John Hall
Robert Stout
John Ballance
28 June 189227 April 1893Death of Harry Atkinson303 daysDeath of John Ballance9William Fox
Edward Stafford
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
George Grey
John Hall
Robert Stout
John Ballance
27 April 189323 June 1893Appointment of Richard Seddon57 daysDeath of William Fox9William Fox
Edward Stafford
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
George Grey
John Hall
Robert Stout
Richard Seddon
23 June 189318 May 1896Death of William Fox2 years, 330 daysDeath of Daniel Pollen8Edward Stafford
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
Daniel Pollen
George Grey
John Hall
Robert Stout
Richard Seddon
18 May 189619 September 1898Death of Daniel Pollen2 years, 124 daysDeath of George Grey7Edward Stafford
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
George Grey
John Hall
Robert Stout
Richard Seddon
19 September 189812 March 1899Death of George Grey174 daysDeath of Julius Vogel6Edward Stafford
George Waterhouse
Julius Vogel
John Hall
Robert Stout
Richard Seddon
12 March 189914 February 1901Death of Julius Vogel1 year, 339 daysDeath of Edward Stafford5Edward Stafford
George Waterhouse
John Hall
Robert Stout
Richard Seddon
14 February 190110 June 1906Death of Edward Stafford5 years, 116 daysDeath of Richard Seddon4George Waterhouse
John Hall
Robert Stout
Richard Seddon
10 June 19066 August 1906Appointment of William Hall-Jones57 daysAppointment of Joseph Ward4George Waterhouse
John Hall
Robert Stout
William Hall-Jones
6 August 19066 August 1906Appointment of Joseph Ward0 daysDeath of George Waterhouse5George Waterhouse
John Hall
Robert Stout
William Hall-Jones
Joseph Ward
6 August 190625 June 1907Death of George Waterhouse323 daysDeath of John Hall4John Hall
Robert Stout
William Hall-Jones
Joseph Ward
25 June 190728 March 1912Death of John Hall4 years, 277 daysAppointment of Thomas Mackenzie3Robert Stout
William Hall-Jones
Joseph Ward
28 March 191210 July 1912Appointment of Thomas Mackenzie104 daysAppointment of William Massey4Robert Stout
William Hall-Jones
Joseph Ward
Thomas Mackenzie
10 July 191210 May 1925Appointment of William Massey12 years, 304 daysDeath of William Massey5Robert Stout
William Hall-Jones
Joseph Ward
Thomas Mackenzie
William Massey
10 May 192530 May 1925Appointment of Francis Bell20 daysAppointment of Gordon Coates5Robert Stout
William Hall-Jones
Joseph Ward
Thomas Mackenzie
Francis Bell
30 May 192514 February 1930Appointment of Gordon Coates4 years, 260 daysDeath of Thomas Mackenzie6Robert Stout
William Hall-Jones
Joseph Ward
Thomas Mackenzie
Francis Bell
Gordon Coates
14 February 193028 May 1930Death of Thomas Mackenzie103 daysAppointment of George Forbes5Robert Stout
William Hall-Jones
Joseph Ward
Francis Bell
Gordon Coates
28 May 19308 July 1930Appointment of George Forbes41 daysDeath of Joseph Ward6Robert Stout
William Hall-Jones
Joseph Ward
Francis Bell
Gordon Coates
George Forbes
8 July 193019 July 1930Death of Joseph Ward11 daysDeath of Robert Stout5Robert Stout
William Hall-Jones
Francis Bell
Gordon Coates
George Forbes
19 July 19306 December 1935Death of Robert Stout5 years, 140 daysAppointment of Michael Joseph Savage4William Hall-Jones
Francis Bell
Gordon Coates
George Forbes
6 December 193513 March 1936Appointment of Michael Joseph Savage98 daysDeath of Francis Bell5William Hall-Jones
Francis Bell
Gordon Coates
George Forbes
Michael Joseph Savage
13 March 193619 June 1936Death of Francis Bell98 daysDeath of William Hall-Jones4William Hall-Jones
Gordon Coates
George Forbes
Michael Joseph Savage
19 June 193627 March 1940Death of William Hall-Jones3 years, 282 daysDeath of Michael Joseph Savage3Gordon Coates
George Forbes
Michael Joseph Savage
27 March 194027 May 1943Appointment of Peter Fraser3 years, 61 daysDeath of Gordon Coates3Gordon Coates
George Forbes
Peter Fraser
27 May 194317 May 1947Death of Gordon Coates3 years, 355 daysDeath of George Forbes2George Forbes
Peter Fraser
17 May 194713 December 1949Death of George Forbes2 years, 210 daysAppointment of Sidney Holland1Peter Fraser
12 December 194912 December 1950Appointment of Sidney Holland364 daysDeath of Peter Fraser2Peter Fraser
Sidney Holland
12 December 195020 September 1957Death of Peter Fraser6 years, 282 daysAppointment of Keith Holyoake1Sidney Holland
20 September 195712 December 1957Appointment of Keith Holyoake83 daysAppointment of Walter Nash2Sidney Holland
Keith Holyoake
12 December 19575 August 1961Appointment of Walter Nash3 years, 236 daysDeath of Sidney Holland3Sidney Holland
Keith Holyoake
Walter Nash
5 August 19614 June 1968Death of Sidney Holland6 years, 304 daysDeath of Walter Nash2Keith Holyoake
Walter Nash
4 June 19687 February 1972Death of Walter Nash3 years, 248 daysAppointment of Jack Marshall1Keith Holyoake
7 February 19728 December 1972Appointment of Jack Marshall305 daysAppointment of Norman Kirk2Keith Holyoake
Jack Marshall
8 December 197231 August 1974Appointment of Norman Kirk1 year, 266 daysDeath of Norman Kirk3Keith Holyoake
Jack Marshall
Norman Kirk
6 September 197412 December 1975Appointment of Bill Rowling1 year, 97 daysAppointment of Robert Muldoon3Keith Holyoake
Jack Marshall
Bill Rowling
12 December 19758 December 1983Appointment of Robert Muldoon7 years, 361 daysDeath of Keith Holyoake4Keith Holyoake
Jack Marshall
Bill Rowling
Robert Muldoon
8 December 198326 July 1984Death of Keith Holyoake231 daysAppointment of David Lange3Jack Marshall
Bill Rowling
Robert Muldoon
26 July 198430 August 1988Appointment of David Lange4 years, 35 daysDeath of Jack Marshall4Jack Marshall
Bill Rowling
Robert Muldoon
David Lange
30 August 19888 August 1989Death of Jack Marshall343 daysAppointment of Geoffrey Palmer3Bill Rowling
Robert Muldoon
David Lange
8 August 19894 September 1990Appointment of Geoffrey Palmer1 year, 27 daysAppointment of Mike Moore4Bill Rowling
Robert Muldoon
David Lange
Geoffrey Palmer
4 September 19902 November 1990Appointment of Mike Moore59 daysAppointment of Jim Bolger5Bill Rowling
Robert Muldoon
David Lange
Geoffrey Palmer
Mike Moore
2 November 19905 August 1992Appointment of Jim Bolger1 year, 277 daysDeath of Robert Muldoon6Bill Rowling
Robert Muldoon
David Lange
Geoffrey Palmer
Mike Moore
Jim Bolger
5 August 199231 October 1995Death of Robert Muldoon3 years, 87 daysDeath of Bill Rowling5Bill Rowling
David Lange
Geoffrey Palmer
Mike Moore
Jim Bolger
31 October 19958 December 1997Death of Bill Rowling2 years, 38 daysAppointment of Jenny Shipley4David Lange
Geoffrey Palmer
Mike Moore
Jim Bolger
8 December 199710 December 1999Appointment of Jenny Shipley1 year, 362 daysAppointment of Helen Clark5David Lange
Geoffrey Palmer
Mike Moore
Jim Bolger
Jenny Shipley
10 December 199913 August 2005Appointment of Helen Clark5 years, 251 daysDeath of David Lange6David Lange
Geoffrey Palmer
Mike Moore
Jim Bolger
Jenny Shipley
Helen Clark
13 August 200519 November 2008Death of David Lange3 years, 98 daysAppointment of John Key5Geoffrey Palmer
Mike Moore
Jim Bolger
Jenny Shipley
Helen Clark
19 November 200812 December 2016Appointment of John Key8 years, 23 daysAppointment of Bill English6Geoffrey Palmer
Mike Moore
Jim Bolger
Jenny Shipley
Helen Clark
John Key
12 December 201626 October 2017Appointment of Bill English318 daysAppointment of Jacinda Ardern7Geoffrey Palmer
Mike Moore
Jim Bolger
Jenny Shipley
Helen Clark
John Key
Bill English
26 October 20172 February 2020Appointment of Jacinda Ardern2 years, 99 daysDeath of Mike Moore8Geoffrey Palmer
Mike Moore
Jim Bolger
Jenny Shipley
Helen Clark
John Key
Bill English
Jacinda Ardern
2 February 2020presentDeath of Mike Moore1 year, 212 dayspresent7Geoffrey Palmer
Jim Bolger
Jenny Shipley
Helen Clark
John Key
Bill English
Jacinda Ardern

See also

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References

  1. Davidson, Isaac (29 September 2017). "Former MPs and their perks – salary, free travel and taxpayer-funded cars". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  2. "The 9th Floor: Sir Geoffrey Palmer". National Business Review . 7 April 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  3. Espiner, Guyon; Watkin, Tim (2017). The 9th Floor: Conversations with five New Zealand Prime Ministers. Bridget Williams Books. p. viii. ISBN   978-1988533223.
  4. Barnett, Tracey (31 July 2017). "The issue that four ex-prime ministers agree on". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  5. Appointment dates are available at https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/premiers-and-prime-ministers; death dates in the individual biographies linked from that page.