Government and democracy in New Zealand

New Zealand is a democracy, with a parliamentary system based on the British Westminster system.

Members of parliament are elected in free and open elections held every three years. While voting is not compulsory, all New Zealand residents and citizens over the age of 18 are required to enrol to vote.

Constitution and Head of State

New Zealand has no single written constitution or any form of law that is higher than laws passed in Parliament. The rules about how our system of government works are contained in a number of Acts of Parliament, documents issued under the authority of the Queen, relevant English and United Kingdom Acts of Parliament, decisions of the court, and unwritten constitutional conventions.

New Zealand’s Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II and her personal representative in New Zealand is the Governor General. Although an integral part of government in New Zealand, both the Queen and the Governor General are required to be politically neutral and do not get involved in the 'business' of government. They are regarded more as a symbol of national unity and leadership.  This system is known as a constitutional monarchy.

International connections

New Zealand is a member of the British Commonwealth (along with Australia, Canada and 51 other countries) whose membership makes up 30 percent of the world’s population. New Zealand is also a member of numerous international organisations such as the UN, OECD, UNESCO and WHO, as well as being party to a number of international agreements like the Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol and Ozone Layer Protection.

Parliament and the Prime Minister

New Zealand has a single chamber of parliament, known as the House of Representatives. The political party which has the majority of popular support of the House of Representatives forms the Government.

The leader of the Government party becomes the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister’s formal role is to appoint Ministers to the Cabinet and chair the Cabinet, advise the Governor General, and be responsible for the effective operation of collective government.

In practice, the Prime Minister also acts as the key spokesperson for the Government and represents New Zealand at international meetings and events.

In Parliament, the Prime Minister leads the debate on new laws and issues of the day.
The laws governing New Zealand are made in Parliament once debate on the matter has completed and the proposed law achieves a majority vote of the Members of Parliament.

Members of Parliament

Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected as the people’s representatives for a term of up to 3 years. The usual number of members of Parliament is 120.

Voting system

New Zealand’s House of Representatives is elected using the mixed member proportional representation (MMP) voting system. This gives each voter two votes — one for a local (electorate) member of Parliament and one for their preferred political party.
On election day, the candidate winning the most votes in an electorate wins the seat for that electorate.

Then the party votes from throughout the country are tallied. Political parties win additional seats in Parliament in proportion to the share of party votes they win.

The political party with the most seats, either on their own or in coalition with another party, becomes the Government.

The right to vote

All New Zealand residents and citizens over the age of 18 are entitled to vote in all  parliamentary and local government elections.

It is not compulsory to vote, but if you are eligible, you are required to register as a voter.

Voters are free to vote for whichever candidate or party they choose, whether they belong to any political party or not.

Local government

Local government operates on two levels: regional councils, and district and city councils.
These councils are responsible for water supply, management of parks and reserves, local roading and transport, land use, building controls, as well as community development.

Local government elections are held every three years and once you are registered as a parliamentary voter you can also vote in local elections.

Treaty of Waitangi

The Treaty of Waitangi was signed on 6 February 1840 between representatives of the British Crown and Maori chiefs.

It is recognised as the first immigration agreement between Maori and Pakeha (European settlers) and provided settlement rights for Pakeha and protection of the rights of Maori as tangata whenua (the people of the land).

The Government is responsible for upholding the principles of the treaty, which is considered a ‘living’ agreement which must grow and develop with time. The Government has established three main points in regard to the Treaty:

1. Government makes law
2. Maori resources and way of life are protected
3. The basic rights of all people within Aoteoroa New Zealand are protected.

Today, the Waitangi Tribunal which was established in 1975 adjudicates on matters regarding the Treaty. The Tribunal is a permanent commission of inquiry charged with making recommendations on claims brought by Māori relating to actions or omissions of the Crown, which breach the promises made in the Treaty of Waitangi.

The Treaty of Waitangi is a significant aspect of life in New Zealand and you will find knowledge of the Treaty is important in understanding how Maori protocols and issues affect many workplaces, as well as politics, education and healthcare in New Zealand. 

More information

Parliament and the New Zealand Government:

www.parliament.nz
www.gov-gen.govt.nz

Local government:

www.localcouncils.govt.nz

Voting in New Zealand:

www.elections.org.nz

The Treaty of Waitangi:

www.nzhistory.net.nz
www.waitangi-tribunal.govt.nz