Editing Politics of New Zealand (section)

==History==
{{Main|Political history of New Zealand}}

===Pre-colonial politics===
{{Further|Māori politics#Pre-colonial Māori governance}}
Before New Zealand becoming a British colony in 1840, politics in New Zealand was dominated by Māori chiefs as leaders of [[hapū]] and [[iwi]], utilising [[tikanga|Māori customs]] as a political system.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ballara|first=Angela|title=Iwi: The Dynamics of Māori Tribal Organisation from C.1769 to C.1945 |year=1998|publisher=Victoria University Press|location=Wellington|isbn=9780864733283|edition=1st}}</ref> The Māori were organised into large, extended family groups known as iwi, and these iwi were further divided into smaller hapū (subtribes). Each hapū had its own leadership structure, with chiefs ([[rangatira]]) who were responsible for the well-being and governance of their people.<ref>Rāwiri Taonui, 'Tribal organisation', Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, published 8 February 2005, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/tribal-organisation (accessed 6 October 2024).</ref>

===Colonial politics===
[[File:The Treaty of Waitangi (in Maori).jpeg|thumb|Manuscript copy of the [[Treaty of Waitangi]] (in [[Māori language|Māori]])]]

After the 1840 [[Treaty of Waitangi]], a colonial governor and his small staff acted on behalf of the British Government based on the British political system.<ref name="Timeline" /> Whereas Māori systems had dominated before 1840, governors attempting to introduce British systems met with mixed success in Māori communities. More isolated Māori were little influenced by the Government. Most influences were felt in and around [[Okiato|Old Russell]], the [[Capital of New Zealand|first capital]], and [[Auckland]], the second capital.

The first voting rights in New Zealand were legislated in 1852 as the [[New Zealand Constitution Act 1852|New Zealand Constitution Act]] for the 1853 elections and reflected contemporary British practice.<ref name="Timeline">{{cite web |title = Political and constitutional timeline |url= https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/milestones |publisher=New Zealand History Online|website=nzhistory.govt.nz|access-date=1 May 2017|date=4 November 2016}}</ref> The [[electoral franchise]] was limited to property-owning male [[British subject]]s over 21 years old. The [[property qualification]] was relatively liberal in New Zealand compared to Britain, such that by the late 1850s 75% of adult New Zealand European males were eligible to vote, compared to 20% in England and 12% in Scotland.<ref name="Atkinson1">{{cite encyclopedia |last1=Atkinson |first1=Neil |title=Voting rights – First voting rights, 1852 |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/voting-rights/page-1 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=24 January 2022 |date=17 February 2015}}</ref> Around 100 Māori chiefs voted in the 1853 election.<ref>{{cite web |title = Setting up the Māori seats |url = https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/maori-and-the-vote/setting-up-seats |publisher=New Zealand History Online |website=nzhistory.govt.nz |access-date=1 May 2017|date=28 November 2016}}</ref>

During the 1850s [[Provinces of New Zealand|provincial]]-based government was the norm. Provincial councils were abolished in 1876.<ref name="Timeline" /> Politics was initially dominated by [[Historic conservatism in New Zealand|conservative]] and wealthy "wool lords" who owned multiple sheep farms, mainly in [[Canterbury Region|Canterbury]]. During the [[gold rush]] era starting 1858 suffrage was extended to all British gold miners who owned a one-pound mining license. The conservatives had been influenced by the militant action of gold miners in [[Colony of Victoria|Victoria]] at Eureka. Many gold miners had moved to the New Zealand fields bringing their radical ideas. The extended franchise was modelled on the Victorian system.<ref name="Atkinson2">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Atkinson|first=Neill|title=Voting rights – Miners and Māori |url = https://teara.govt.nz/en/voting-rights/page-2 |encyclopedia = Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=1 May 2017 |date=17 February 2015 }}</ref> In 1863 the mining franchise was extended to goldfield business owners. In 1870, the number of registered voters was only 41,500, but an additional 20,000 miners were also entitled to vote.<ref name="Atkinson2"/>

After the brief Land War period ending in 1864, Parliament moved to extend the franchise to more Māori. [[Donald McLean (New Zealand politician)|Donald McLean]] introduced a bill for four temporary [[Māori electorates]] and extended the franchise to all Māori men over 21 in 1867. As such, Māori were universally franchised 12 years before European men.<ref name="Atkinson2"/>

In 1879 an [[economic depression]] hit, resulting in poverty and many people, especially miners, returning to Australia. Between 1879 and 1881 Government was concerned at the activities of Māori activists based on confiscated land at [[Parihaka]]. Activists destroyed settlers' farm fences and ploughed up roads and land, which incensed local farmers.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowan |first1=James |title=The New Zealand Wars: a History of the Maori Campaigns and the Pioneering Period. Volume II: The Hauhau Wars, 1864–72 |date=1983 |page=478}}</ref> Arrests followed but the activities persisted. Fears grew among settlers that the resistance campaign was a prelude to armed conflict.<ref>King, Michael (2003). ''The Penguin History of New Zealand''. Chapter 15.</ref> The Government itself was puzzled as to why the land had been confiscated and offered a huge 25,000-acre reserve to the activists, provided they stopped the destruction.{{sfn|Riseborough|2002|pp=95,98,111}} Commissioners set up to investigate the issue said that the activities "could fairly be called hostile".{{sfn|Riseborough|2002|pp=95,98,111}} A power struggle ensued resulting in the arrest of all the prominent leaders by a large government force in 1881. Historian Hazel Riseborough describes the event as a conflict over who had authority or ''[[Mana (Oceanian mythology)|mana]]''—the Government or the Parihaka protestors.{{sfn|Riseborough|2002|p=212}}

[[File:Seddon Statue, Wellington, New Zealand (94).JPG|thumb|right|upright|[[Richard Seddon]]'s statue stands outside Parliament buildings in Wellington.]]
In 1882 the export of meat in the first refrigerated ship started a period of sustained economic export-led growth. This period is notable for the influence of new social ideas and movements such as the [[Fabians]] and the creation in 1890 of the first political party, the [[New Zealand Liberal Party|Liberals]]. Their leader, former gold miner [[Richard Seddon]] from Lancashire, was premier from 1893 to 1906. The Liberals introduced new [[Taxation in New Zealand|taxes]] to break the influence of the wealthy conservative sheep farm owners. They also purchased more land from Māori.<ref>{{DNZB|last=Hamer |first=David |id=2s11 |title= Seddon, Richard John |access-date=1 May 2017}}</ref> (By 1910, Māori in parts of the North Island retained very little land, and the amount of Māori land would decrease precipitously as a result of government purchases.<ref>{{cite web |title = Maori land loss, 1860–2000 |url = https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/interactive/maori-land-1860-2000 |website=nzhistory.govt.nz |publisher = New Zealand History Online |access-date=17 July 2020}} Map adapted from Appendix four of [[Claudia Orange]] (2004), ''Illustrated History of the Treaty of Waitangi''.</ref>)

The early 20th century saw the rise of the [[trade union movement]] and labour parties {{Crossreference|(see {{section link|Socialism in New Zealand|Unions and workers' parties}})}}, which represented organised workers. The [[West Coast Region|West Coast]] town of [[Blackball, New Zealand|Blackball]] is often regarded as the birthplace of the labour movement in New Zealand,<ref>{{cite web|date=18 April 2016|title=Returning to Labour's Roots|url=http://www.labour.org.nz/returning_to_labours_roots|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403123839/https://www.labour.org.nz/returning_to_labours_roots|archive-date=3 April 2019|access-date=19 June 2017|website=www.labour.org.nz|publisher=New Zealand Labour Party|language=en}}</ref> as it was the location of the founding of one of the main political organisations which became part of the New Zealand Labour Party.

=== Māori politics and legislation ===
{{Main|Māori politics}}
{{See also|Māori protest movement}}
Māori political affairs have been developing through legislation<ref name="Taonga">{{cite encyclopedia |url = https://teara.govt.nz/en/te-ture-maori-and-legislation/page-5 |title = Te ture – Māori and legislation |language = en-NZ |access-date = 28 May 2018 |encyclopedia = Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand }}</ref> such as the [[Resource Management Act 1991]] and the [[Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993]] and many more.<ref name="Taonga" /> Since colonisation in the 1800s, Māori have had their customary laws oppressed, with the imposition of a Westminster democracy and political style. As reparations from the colonial war and general discrepancies during colonisation, the New Zealand Government has formally apologised to those ''[[iwi]]'' affected, through settlements and legislation. In the 1960s Māori Politics Relations began to exhibit more positivity. The legislature enacted a law to help Māori retrieve back their land, not hinder them, through the Māori Affairs Amendment Act 1967.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-HilMaor-t1-body-d7-d4.html |title = The Maori Affairs Amendment Act {{!}} NZETC |website = nzetc.victoria.ac.nz |access-date = 28 May 2018 }}</ref> Since then, this progressive change in attitude has materialised as legislation to protect the natural environment or Taonga, and the courts by establishing treaty principles that always have to be considered when deciding laws in the courts.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/treaty/treaty-timeline/treaty-events-1950 |title = Treaty events since 1950 – Treaty timeline |website = New Zealand History Online |language = en-NZ |access-date = 28 May 2018 }}</ref> Moreover, the Māori Lands Act 2016 was printed both in {{lang|mi|[[te reo Māori]]}} and English—the act itself affirms the equal legal status of {{lang|mi|te reo}}.

=== Women in politics ===
{{Further|Women's suffrage in New Zealand}}
{{See also|Women in New Zealand}}

[[File:Mrs. K. W. Sheppard (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.65|[[Kate Sheppard]] is the country's most famous [[suffragist]].]]

Women's suffrage was granted after about two decades of campaigning by women such as [[Kate Sheppard]] and [[Mary Ann Müller]] and organisations such as the New Zealand branch of the [[Women's Christian Temperance Union]]. On 19 September 1893 the governor, [[David Boyle, 7th Earl of Glasgow|Lord Glasgow]], signed a new Electoral Act into law.<ref name="womens_suffrage">{{cite web |title = Women and the vote – Brief history |url = https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/womens-suffrage/brief-history |publisher = New Zealand History Online |website = nzhistory.govt.nz |access-date = 31 January 2017 |date = 13 January 2016 }}</ref> As a result, New Zealand became the first self-governing nation in the world in which all women had the right to vote in parliamentary elections.<ref name="suffrage">{{cite web |title = Votes for Women |url = http://www.elections.org.nz/book/export/html/646 |website = elections.org.nz |publisher = Electoral Commission |access-date = 31 January 2017 |language = en-NZ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190125071304/https://www.elections.org.nz/book/export/html/646 |archive-date = 25 January 2019 |url-status = dead }}</ref> Women first voted in the [[1893 New Zealand general election|1893 election]], with a high 85% turnout (compared to 70% of men).<ref>{{cite web |title = Women, the vote and the 1893 election |url = https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/features-pre-2016/document/00NZPHomeNews201311281/women-the-vote-and-the-1893-election |website = parliament.nz |publisher = New Zealand Parliament |access-date = 31 January 2017 |language = en-NZ }}</ref> The achievement of women's suffrage in New Zealand was groundbreaking, as most other democracies did not grant women the right to vote until after World War I.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/womens-suffrage |title=Women's Suffrage |publisher=New Zealand History |access-date=28 July 2024}}</ref>

Women were not eligible to be elected to the House of Representatives until {{NZ election link year|1919}} though, when three women, including [[Ellen Melville]] stood. The first woman to win an election (to the seat held by her late husband) was [[Elizabeth McCombs]] in 1933.<ref name="womens_suffrage" /> [[Mabel Howard]] became the first female cabinet minister in 1947, being appointed to the First Labour Government.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mabel Howard becomes first female Cabinet minister|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/mabel-howard-becomes-first-woman-cabinet-minister|publisher=New Zealand History Online|website=nzhistory.govt.nz|access-date=31 January 2017|date=21 December 2016}}</ref> 

New Zealand was the first country in the world in which all the highest offices were occupied by women, between March 2005 and August 2006: the Sovereign [[Queen Elizabeth II]], Governor-General [[Silvia Cartwright|Dame Silvia Cartwright]]<!-- This is the GG in 2005, don't change to the current one -->, Prime Minister [[Helen Clark]], [[Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]] [[Margaret Wilson]], and [[Chief Justice of New Zealand|Chief Justice]] [[Sian Elias|Dame Sian Elias]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Women run the country but it doesn't show in pay packets|first=Simon|last=Collins|date=May 2005|work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10127960|access-date=31 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Paxton |first1=Pamela |last2=Hughes |first2=Melanie M. |title=Women, Politics, and Power: A Global Perspective |date=2015 |publisher=CQ Press |isbn=978-1-48-337701-8 |page=107 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=lf4QCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT107 |access-date=25 July 2017}}</ref>

After the 2020 election, women made up half of the 120 MPs in the House of Representatives, marking the highest level of [[Women in government|women's political representation]] since they were first allowed to stand for Parliament in 1919.<ref>{{cite web |title=Women members of the New Zealand Parliament, 1933 onwards |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/visit-and-learn/mps-and-parliaments-1854-onwards/women-members-of-the-new-zealand-parliament-1933-onwards/ |website=www.parliament.nz |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |access-date=25 November 2020 |language=en |date=9 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Election 2020: 'Historical high' – New Zealand Parliament readies for more diversity |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/428672/election-2020-historical-high-new-zealand-parliament-readies-for-more-diversity |access-date=25 November 2020 |work=[[RNZ]] |date=19 October 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
{{Clear}}

===Modern political history===
{{See also|List of New Zealand governments}}
{{New Zealand postwar governments timeline}}
The right-leaning [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]] and the left-leaning [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]] have dominated New Zealand political life since a Labour government came to power in 1935. During fourteen years in office (1935–1949), the Labour Party implemented a broad array of social and economic legislation, including comprehensive [[social security]], a large-scale [[public works]] programme, a forty-hour working week, and compulsory [[Trade union|union]]ism.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last1=McLintock |first1=A. H. |author-link1=Alexander Hare McLintock |title=1935–49 The Labour Regime |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/history-settlement-and-development/page-19 |encyclopedia=[[An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand]] |date=1966 |access-date=18 August 2019}}</ref><ref name="Aimer2">{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Aimer |first1=Peter |title=Labour Party – First Labour government, 1935 to 1949 |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/labour-party/page-2 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=18 August 2019 |date=20 June 2012}}</ref> The National Party won control of the government in 1949, accepting most of Labour's welfare measures. Except for two brief periods of Labour governments in 1957–1960 and 1972–1975, National held power until 1984.<ref name="Aimer2"/>

The greatest challenge to the first and later Labour governments' policies on the welfare state and a regulated economy that combined state and private enterprise came from the Labour Party itself.<ref name=Aimer4>{{cite web |last=Aimer |first=Peter |title=Labour Party – Fourth, fifth and sixth Labour governments |url = https://teara.govt.nz/en/labour-party/page-4 |access-date=18 August 2019 |date=20 June 2012}}</ref> After regaining control in 1984, the fourth Labour government instituted a series of radical [[free market|market]]-oriented reforms. It privatised state assets and reduced the role of the state in the economy.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mitchell |first1=Austin |title=Roger's Revolution: Blitzkrieg in Kiwiland |journal=The Journal of Legislative Studies |date=March 2005 |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=1–15 |doi=10.1080/13572330500158219 |s2cid=153653062 }}</ref> It also instituted several other more left-wing reforms, such as allowing the [[Waitangi Tribunal]] to hear claims of breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi to be made back to 1840.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Derby |first1=Mark |title=Waitangi Tribunal – Te Rōpū Whakamana – Developing the tribunal, 1980s |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/waitangi-tribunal-te-ropu-whakamana/page-2 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=18 August 2019 |language=en |date=20 June 2012}}</ref> In 1987, the government introduced the [[New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act]], banning visits by nuclear powered ships; the implementation of a [[New Zealand nuclear-free zone|nuclear-free zone]] brought about New Zealand's suspension from the [[ANZUS]] [[Military alliance|security alliance]] with the United States and Australia.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last1=Ayson |first1=Robert |last2=Phillips |first2=Jock |title=United States and New Zealand – Nuclear-free 1980s |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/united-states-and-new-zealand/page-3 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=20 June 2012}}</ref>

In October 1990, the National Party again formed a government, for the first of three three-year terms. Despite [[election promise]]s to halt the unpopular reform process, the new National government largely advanced the free-market policies of the preceding government. Public disillusionment resulting from perceived "broken promises" of the previous two governments fuelled demand for [[electoral reform in New Zealand]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roberts |first1=Nigel S. |title=Electoral systems – The call for electoral reform |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/electoral-systems/page-4 |website=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |language=en-NZ |date=1 February 2015}}</ref> In 1996, New Zealand inaugurated the new electoral system (mixed-member proportional representation, or MMP) to [[Electoral system of New Zealand|elect its Parliament]].<ref>{{cite web|title=New Zealand's Change to MMP |url=http://aceproject.org/main/english/ei/eiy_nz01.htm |website=aceproject.org |publisher=ACE Electoral Knowledge Network |access-date=24 June 2017 |language=en}}</ref> The MMP system was expected (among numerous other goals) to increase representation of smaller parties in Parliament and appears to have done so in the MMP elections to date. Between 1996 and 2020, neither National nor Labour had an absolute majority in Parliament, and for all but two of those years a [[minority government]] ruled (however, every government has been led by one or other of the two main parties).<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Roberts |first1=Nigel S. |title=Electoral systems – MMP in practice |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/electoral-systems/page-6 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=18 August 2019 |date=17 February 2015}}</ref>

MMP parliaments have been markedly more diverse, with greater representation of women, ethnic minorities and other [[minority group]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Barker |first1=Fiona |last2=Coffé |first2=Hilde |title=Representing Diversity in Mixed Electoral Systems: The Case of New Zealand |journal=Parliamentary Affairs |date=1 July 2018 |volume=71 |issue=3 |pages=603–632 |doi=10.1093/pa/gsx073 |url=https://academic.oup.com/pa/article-abstract/71/3/603/4781509 |access-date=8 May 2020 |language=en |issn=0031-2290}}</ref> In 1996, [[Tim Barnett (politician)|Tim Barnett]] was the first of several New Zealand MPs to be elected as an openly gay person.<ref>{{cite web |title=I used to be the only gay in the House – Barnett |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/645363/I-used-to-be-the-only-gay-in-the-House-Barnett |date=31 January 2009 |work=Stuff |access-date=8 May 2020 |language=en}}</ref> In 1999, [[Georgina Beyer]] became the world's [[List of transgender political office-holders|first openly transgender MP]] elected to a national parliament.<ref>{{cite news |title=Georgina Beyer: The double life of Georgie |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/georgina-beyer-the-double-life-of-georgie-184803.html |access-date=19 October 2022 |work=The Independent |date=18 July 2002 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Anderson |first1=Atholl |last2=Binney |first2=Judith |last3=Harris |first3=Aroha |title=Tangata Whenua: A History |date=19 November 2015 |publisher=Bridget Williams Books |isbn=978-0-908321-54-4 |page=418 |language=en}}</ref>

After nine years in government, the National Party lost the [[1999 New Zealand general election|November 1999 election]]. Labour under [[Helen Clark]] out-polled National and formed a coalition government with [[Jim Anderton]]'s [[Alliance (New Zealand political party)|Alliance]], a party to the left of Labour. The coalition partners pioneered "agree to disagree" procedures to manage policy differences.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Palmer |first1=Matthew |title=Constitution – Constitutional change |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/35909/helen-clark-and-jim-anderton-with-their-coalition-agreement-1999 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=18 August 2019 |date=20 June 2012}}</ref> The minority government often relied on support from the [[Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand|Green Party]] to pass legislation. Labour retained power in the [[2002 New Zealand general election|July 2002 election]], forming a coalition with Anderton's new [[New Zealand Progressive Party|Progressive Party]], and reaching an agreement for support with the [[United Future]] party. Helen Clark remained prime minister. In early 2004, Labour came under attack for its policies on the [[New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy|ownership of the foreshore and seabed]],<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Barker|first1=Fiona|title=Debate about the foreshore and seabed|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/34605/debate-about-the-foreshore-and-seabed|encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand|access-date=22 November 2019|date=June 2012}}</ref> eventually culminating in the establishment of a new break-away party, the [[Māori Party]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dunne|first1=Peter|title=What to do about that foreshore and seabed?|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/3236512/What-to-do-about-that-foreshore-and-seabed|access-date=22 November 2019|work=[[The Dominion Post (Wellington)|The Dominion Post]]|date=18 January 2010|language=en}}</ref> Following the [[2005 New Zealand general election|September 2005 election]], negotiations between parties culminated in Clark announcing a third consecutive term of Labour-led government. The Labour Party again formed a coalition with the Progressive Party, with confidence and supply from [[Winston Peters]]' [[New Zealand First]] and [[Peter Dunne]]'s United Future.<ref>{{cite work |last = Hicks |first = Bruce M. |title = New Zealand: Learning How to Govern in Coalition or Minority |url = http://revparl.ca/36/4/36n4e_13_Hicks.pdf |publisher=[[Canadian Parliamentary Review]] |page = 35 |year=2013 }}</ref>

After the [[2008 New Zealand general election|general election in November 2008]], the National Party moved quickly to form a minority government with [[ACT New Zealand|ACT]], the Māori Party and United Future. This arrangement allowed National to decrease its reliance on the right-wing ACT party, whose free-market policies are sometimes controversial with the greater New Zealand public. In 2008, [[John Key]] was appointed prime minister, with [[Bill English]] as his deputy. This arrangement conformed to a tradition of having a north-south split in the major parties' leadership, as Key's residence is in Auckland and English's electorate is in the South Island. On 12 December 2016, English was elected as leader, and thus prime minister, by the National Party caucus after Key's unexpected resignation a week earlier. [[Paula Bennett]] (member for [[Upper Harbour (New Zealand electorate)|Upper Harbour]]) was appointed [[Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand|deputy prime minister]], thus continuing the tradition.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.smh.com.au/world/bill-english-is-nzs-new-prime-minister-paula-bennett-new-deputy-20161211-gt8wmf.html|title=Bill English is NZ's new Prime Minister, Paula Bennett new Deputy|date=12 December 2016|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=1 May 2017}}</ref>{{original research?|date=November 2022}} This north-south arrangement ceased with the next government.

Following the [[2017 New Zealand general election|September 2017 general election]] National retained its [[Plurality (voting)|plurality]] in the House of Representatives, while Labour greatly increased its proportion of the vote and number of seats. Following negotiations between the major and minor parties, Labour formed a minority government after securing a coalition arrangement with New Zealand First. The new government also agreed on a confidence-and-supply arrangement with the Green Party.<ref name="Phipps">{{cite news|last1=Phipps|first1=Claire|title=Jacinda Ardern is next prime minister of New Zealand, Winston Peters confirms – as it happened|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/oct/19/new-zealand-election-winston-peters-prime-minister-bill-english-jacinda-ardern-live|access-date=27 October 2017|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=19 October 2017}}</ref> On 26 October 2017, Labour leader [[Jacinda Ardern]] was sworn in as prime minister and Winston Peters became her deputy.<ref name="Walters">{{cite news|last1=Walters|first1=Laura|title=Jacinda Ardern's new government sworn in|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98242220/jacinda-arderns-new-government-sworn-in|access-date=27 October 2017|work=Stuff|date=26 October 2017}}</ref> In the [[2020 New Zealand general election|2020 general election]] Labour won by a [[landslide election|landslide]] and gained an overall majority of seats in Parliament, sufficient to govern alone—a first under the MMP system.<ref name="Ardern_government">{{cite news |title=New Zealand's Ardern sworn in for second term |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20201106-new-zealand-s-ardern-sworn-in-for-second-term |access-date=13 January 2021 |publisher=[[France 24]]|date=6 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=New Zealand election: Jacinda Ardern's Labour Party scores landslide win |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-54519628 |access-date=19 October 2020 |work=BBC News |date=17 October 2020}}</ref> Labour's coalition partner New Zealand First lost its representation in Parliament.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=David |last2=Jones |first2=Nicholas |title=Election results 2020: Winston Peters concedes defeat – 'wait and see' for his next move |url = https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/election-results-2020-winston-peters-concedes-defeat-wait-and-see-for-his-next-move/VYWEU62LJV3TKUEFHKER5GMEME/#:~:text=New%20Zealand%20First%20is%20out%20of%20Parliament%20-,volunteers%20and%20NZ%20First%20staff%20around%20New%20Zealand. |access-date=1 November 2020 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=17 October 2020 |language=en-NZ}}</ref> Ardern's government was sworn in for a second term on 6 November 2020.<ref name="Ardern_government"/> [[Chris Hipkins]] became prime minister after [[resignation of Jacinda Ardern|Ardern's resignation]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Neilson |first1=Michael |last2=Pearse |first2=Adam |last3=Coughlan |first3=Thomas |title=Chris Hipkins sworn in as Prime Minister, Carmel Sepuloni as deputy, Jacinda Ardern vacates top job |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/chris-hipkins-sworn-in-as-prime-minister-carmel-sepuloni-as-deputy-jacinda-ardern-vacates-top-job/IERZGZV2BFAE5AWLNJHMMGHYQ4/ |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=25 January 2023 |access-date=28 January 2023 |language=en-NZ}}</ref>

The [[2023 New Zealand general election|2023 general election]] saw the worst defeat of a sitting government since the introduction of the MMP system, with Labour losing nearly half of its seats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/133123290/devastating-defeat-how-the-world-reacted-to-the-new-zealand-election-result|title='Devastating defeat': How the world reacted to the New Zealand election result|first=Troels|last=Sommerville|date=15 October 2023|website=Stuff|access-date=22 October 2023|archive-date=16 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016071552/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/133123290/devastating-defeat-how-the-world-reacted-to-the-new-zealand-election-result|url-status=live}}</ref> Subsequently, National, ACT and New Zealand First formed the country's first [[Sixth National Government of New Zealand|three-party coalition government]]. National leader [[Christopher Luxon]] became prime minister. In another first, Winston Peters and [[David Seymour]] will take turns as deputy prime minister.<ref name="Sixth National Government"/>