Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives

In New Zealand, the speaker of the House of Representatives, commonly known as the speaker of the House (), is the presiding officer and highest authority of the New Zealand House of Representatives. The individual who holds the position is elected by members of the House from among their number in the first session after each general election. They hold one of the highest-ranking offices in New Zealand. The current Speaker is Gerry Brownlee, who was elected on 5 December 2023.

The speaker's role – similar to that of speakers in other countries that use the Westminster system – involves presiding over debates by determining who may speak, maintaining order during debate, and disciplining members who break the rules of the House. Aside from duties relating to presiding over the House, the speaker also performs administrative and procedural functions, and remains a member of Parliament (MP).

thumb|Current Speaker [[Gerry Brownlee at his confirmation as Speaker with Governor-General Cindy Kiro]]

Role

In the debating chamber

thumb|The Speaker, [[Ronald Algie (wearing the wig and gown), seated in the chair in the debating chamber, 1966]]

The speaker's most visible role is that of presiding over the House of Representatives when it is in session. The speaker presides from an elevated chair behind the Table in the debating chamber. This involves overseeing the order in which business is conducted, and determining who should speak at what time. The speaker is also responsible for granting or declining requests for certain events, such as a snap debate on a particular issue.

An important part of the speaker's role is enforcing discipline in the House. The speaker defers to 'Standing Orders', which are the written rules of conduct governing the business of the House. Included in these rules are certain powers available to the speaker to ensure reasonable behaviour by MPs, including the ability to order disruptive MPs to leave the debating chamber.

By convention, speakers have traditionally been addressed inside the debating chamber as "Mr Speaker" or "Madam Speaker".

Outside the debating chamber

The speaker is also responsible for directing and overseeing the administration and security of the buildings and grounds of Parliament, and the general provision of services to members.

As the most senior office of Parliament, the speaker has other statutory responsibilities, for example under the Electoral Act 1993. In this role a portion of the Parliament Buildings are given over to the speaker. Known as the Speaker's Apartments these include his personal office, sitting rooms for visiting dignitaries, and a small residential flat which the speaker may or may not use as living quarters.

The speaker chairs three select committees:

the Standing Orders Committee
the Business Committee
the Officers of Parliament Committee.

The Business Committee chaired by the speaker controls the organisation of the business of the House. Also on the committee, established after the first mixed member proportional (MMP) election in 1996, is the leader of the House, the Opposition shadow leader, and the party whips.

Neutrality

The speaker is expected to conduct the functions of the office in a neutral manner, even though the speaker is generally a member of the governing party. In the event of a tied vote the motion in question lapses.

Election

The speaker is always a member of Parliament (MP), and is elected to the position by other MPs at the beginning of a parliamentary term, or when a speaker dies, resigns or is removed from the position (via a vote of no confidence) intra-term. It took 73 years for the second contested vote for Speaker in 1996. If there are two candidates, members vote in the lobbies for their preferred candidate. In the case of three or more candidates, a roll-call vote is conducted and the candidate with the fewest votes eliminated, with the process continuing (or reverting to a two-way run-off) until one candidate has a majority. Members may vote only if they are present in person: no proxy votes are permitted. in a practice dating from the days when British speakers risked execution if the news they reported to the king was displeasing.

After being elected by the House, the speaker-elect is formally confirmed in office by the governor-general. At the start of a term of Parliament, the newly confirmed speaker follows the tradition of claiming the privileges of the House.

Precedence, salary and privileges

thumb|Speaker [[Arthur Guinness (New Zealand politician)|Sir Arthur Guinness, wearing the speaker's wig, 1911. The formal wig fell into disuse some decades later.]]

Each day, prior to the sitting of the House of Representatives, the speaker and other officials travel in procession from the speaker's personal apartments to the debating chamber. The procession includes the doorkeeper, the serjeant-at-arms, the speaker and the speaker's assistant. When the speaker reaches the chamber, the serjeant-at-arms announces their arrival and places the mace on the Table of the House.

The office is third most important constitutionally, after the governor-general and the prime minister. (See New Zealand order of precedence.)

Official dress

Originally, speakers wore a gown and formal wig in the chamber. This practice has fallen into disuse since the 1990s.

Holders of the office

The current Speaker is Gerry Brownlee, a member of the National Party.

Since the creation of Parliament, 32 people have held the office of speaker. Two people have held the office on more than one occasion. A full list of speakers is below.

;Key

† indicates Speaker died in office.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |No.

! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" scope="col" width="200px" | Name Electorate (Birth–Death)

! colspan="2" scope="col" width="100px" | Term of office

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Party

! rowspan="2" |Parliament

!width="95px" |Term start

!width="95px" |Term end

| rowspan="2" | 1

| rowspan="2" | 100px

| rowspan="2" | Sir Charles Clifford MP for City of Wellington (1813–1893)

| rowspan="2" | 31 May 1854

| rowspan="2" | 12 December 1860

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" | Independent

|1st

|2nd

| rowspan="2" | 2

| rowspan="2" | 100px

| rowspan="2" | Sir David Monro MP for Picton (until 1866) MP for Cheviot (from 1866) (1813–1877)

| rowspan="2" | 3 June 1861

| rowspan="2" | 13 September 1870

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" | Independent

|3rd

|4th

|100px

|Sir Dillon Bell MP for Mataura (1822–1898)

| 14 August 1871

| 21 October 1875

|style="background:"|

| Independent

|5th

|100px

|Sir William Fitzherbert MP for Hutt (1810–1891)

|15 June 1876

|11 August 1879

|style="background:"|

|Independent

|6th

| rowspan="4" |5

| rowspan="4" |100px

| rowspan="4" |Sir Maurice O'Rorke MP for Onehunga (until 1881) MP for Manukau (from 1881) (1830–1916)

| rowspan="4" |24 September 1879

| rowspan="4" |17 September 1890

| rowspan="4" style="background:"|

| rowspan="4" |Independent

|7th

|8th

|9th

|10th

|100px

|William Steward MP for Waimate (1841–1912)

|23 January 1891

|8 November 1893

|style="background:"|

|Liberal

|11th

| rowspan="3" |(5)

| rowspan="3" |100px

| rowspan="3" |Sir Maurice O'Rorke MP for Manukau (1830–1916)

| rowspan="3" |21 June 1894

| rowspan="3" |3 October 1902

| rowspan="3" style="background:"|

| rowspan="3" |Liberal

|12th

|13th

|14th

| rowspan="4" |7

| rowspan="4" |100px

| rowspan="4" |Sir Arthur Guinness MP for Grey (1846–1913)

| rowspan="4" |29 June 1903

| rowspan="4" |10 June 1913†

| rowspan="4" style="background:"|

| rowspan="4" |Liberal

|15th

|16th

|17th

| rowspan="2" |18th

| rowspan="3" |8

| rowspan="3" |100px

| rowspan="3" |Sir Frederic Lang MP for Manukau (1852–1937)

| rowspan="3" |26 June 1913

| rowspan="3" |31 October 1922

|style="background:"|

|Independent

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |Reform

|19th

|20th

| rowspan="4" |9

| rowspan="4" |100px

| rowspan="4" |Sir Charles Statham MP for Dunedin Central (1875–1946)

| rowspan="4" |7 February 1923

| rowspan="4" |1 November 1935

| rowspan="4" style="background:"|

| rowspan="4" |Independent

|21st

|22nd

|23rd

|24th

| rowspan="3" |10

| rowspan="3" |100px

| rowspan="3" |Bill Barnard MP for Napier (1886–1958)

| rowspan="3" |25 March 1936

| rowspan="3" |25 September 1943

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |Labour

|25th

| rowspan="2" |26th

|style="background:"|

|Democratic Labour

|11

|100px

|Bill Schramm MP for Auckland East (1886–1962)

|22 February 1944

|12 October 1946

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|27th

|12

|100px

|Robert McKeen MP for Island Bay (1884–1974)

|24 June 1947

|21 October 1949

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|28th

| rowspan="2" |13

| rowspan="2" |100px

| rowspan="2" |Matthew Oram MP for Manawatu (1885–1969)

| rowspan="2" |27 June 1950

| rowspan="2" |25 October 1957

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |National

|30th

|31st

|14

|100px

|Robert Macfarlane MP for Christchurch Central (1900–1981)

|21 January 1958

|28 October 1960

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|32nd

| rowspan="2" |15

| rowspan="2" |100px

| rowspan="2" |Ronald Algie MP for Remuera (1888–1978)

| rowspan="2" |20 June 1961

| rowspan="2" |26 November 1966

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |National

|33rd

|34th

| rowspan="2" |16

| rowspan="2" |100px

| rowspan="2" |Sir Roy Jack MP for Waimarino (1914–1977)

| rowspan="2" |26 April 1967

| rowspan="2" |9 February 1972

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |National

|35th

| rowspan="2" |36th

|17

|100px

|Alf Allen MP for Franklin (1912–1987)

|7 June 1972

|26 October 1972

|style="background:"|

|National

|18

|100px

|Stan Whitehead MP for Nelson (1907–1976)

|14 February 1973

|10 October 1975

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|37th

|(16)

|100px

|Sir Roy Jack MP for Rangitikei (1914–1977)

|22 June 1976

|24 December 1977†

|style="background:"|

|National

|38th

| rowspan="2" |19

| rowspan="2" |100px

| rowspan="2" |Sir Richard Harrison MP for Hawke's Bay (1921–2003)

| rowspan="2" |10 May 1978

| rowspan="2" |14 July 1984

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |National

|39th

|40th

|20

|100px

|Sir Basil Arthur MP for Timaru (1928–1985)

|15 August 1984

|1 May 1985†

|style="background:"|

|Labour

| rowspan="2" |41st

|21

|Sir Gerry Wall MP for Porirua (1920–1992)

|28 May 1985

|16 September 1987

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|22

|Sir Kerry Burke MP for West Coast (born 1942)

|16 September 1987

|28 November 1990

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|42nd

|23

|Robin Gray MP for Clutha (1931–2022)

|28 November 1990

|21 December 1993

|style="background:"|

|National

|43rd

|24

|100px

|Peter Tapsell MP for Eastern Maori (1930–2012)

|21 December 1993

|12 December 1996

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|44th

|25

|133x133px

|Doug Kidd MP for Kaikoura (born 1941)

|12 December 1996

|20 December 1999

|style="background:"|

|National

|45th

| rowspan="2" |26

| rowspan="2" |133x133px

| rowspan="2" |Jonathan Hunt List MP (1938–2024)

| rowspan="2" |20 December 1999

| rowspan="2" |3 March 2005

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |Labour

|46th

| rowspan="2" |47th

|-style="height:70px"

| rowspan="2" |27

| rowspan="2" |133x133px

| rowspan="2" |Margaret Wilson List MP (born 1947)

| rowspan="2" |3 March 2005

| rowspan="2" |8 December 2008

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |Labour

|48th

| rowspan="2" |28

| rowspan="2" |100px

| rowspan="2" |Lockwood Smith MP for Rodney (until 2011) List MP (from 2011) (born 1948)

| rowspan="2" |8 December 2008

| rowspan="2" |31 January 2013

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |National

|49th

| rowspan="2" |50th

|-style="height:58px"

| rowspan="2" |29

| rowspan="2" |133x133px

| rowspan="2" |David Carter List MP (born 1952)

| rowspan="2" |31 January 2013

| rowspan="2" |7 November 2017

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |National

|51st

| rowspan="2" |30

| rowspan="2" |133x133px

| rowspan="2" |Trevor Mallard List MP (born 1954)

| rowspan="2" |7 November 2017

| rowspan="2" |24 August 2022

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |Labour

|52nd

| rowspan="2" |53rd

|31

|133x133px

|Adrian Rurawhe MP for Te Tai Hauāuru (born 1961)

|24 August 2022

|5 December 2023

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|32

| 100px

| Gerry Brownlee List MP (born 1956)

| 5 December 2023

| Incumbent

| style="background:"|

| National

| 54th

Deputies

There are currently four presiding officers appointed to deputise for the Speaker:

Deputy Speaker: Barbara Kuriger
First Assistant Speaker: Maureen Pugh
Second Assistant Speaker: Greg O'Connor
Third Assistant Speaker: Teanau Tuiono

Between 1854 and 1992, the Chairman of Committees chaired the House when in Committee of the whole House (i.e., taking a bill's committee stage) and presided in the absence of the Speaker or when the Speaker so requested. These arrangements were based on those of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. Until 1992, the Chairman of Committees was known as the Deputy Speaker only when presiding over the House. That year, the position of Deputy Speaker was made official, and the role of Chairman of Committees was discontinued. The first Deputy Speaker was appointed on 10 November 1992. Additionally, two Assistant Speakers are usually appointed. The first Assistant Speaker was appointed in 1996, replacing the position of Deputy Chairman of Committees, which had been established in 1975. The Deputy Speaker and Assistant Speakers take the chair and may exercise the Speaker's authority in his or her absence.

Notably during the 53rd New Zealand Parliament a succession of temporary Assistant Speakers were appointed. Ian McKelvie was appointed as a third Assistant Speaker from 1 March 2022 but only while the House was sitting with some members participating remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two further temporary Assistant Speakers (David Bennett and Greg O'Connor) were added for the sitting week of 9 to 11 August 2022, to cover absences. Barbara Kuriger was added for the period of 22 to 26 November 2022, when the government accorded urgency to business as a result of the sitting time lost from the death of Elizabeth II. Poto Williams was reappointed as Assistant Speaker during the final week of the Parliament, from 29 to 31 August. A review of standing orders at the end of the Parliament recommended a permanent appointment of a third Assistant Speaker starting from the 54th Parliament.

Deputy speakers

;Key

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |No.

! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" scope="col" width="200px" | Name Electorate (Birth–Death)

! colspan="2" scope="col" width="100px" | Term of office

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Party

! rowspan="2" |Parliament

! width="95px" |Term start

! width="95px" |Term end

| rowspan="2" |1

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Jim Gerard MP for Rangiora (born 1936)

| rowspan="2" |10 November 1992

| rowspan="2" |12 October 1996

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |National

|43rd

|44th

|Ian Revell MP for Northcote (born 1948)

|13 December 1996

|18 February 1999

|style="background:"|

|National

| rowspan="2" |45th

|-style="height:30px"

| rowspan="2" |3

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" |Geoff Braybrooke MP for Napier (1935–2013)

| rowspan="2" |17 March 1999

| rowspan="2" |27 July 2002

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |Labour

|46th

|147x147px

|Ann Hartley MP for Northcote (1942–2024)

|27 August 2002

|19 September 2005

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|47th

|144x144px

|Clem Simich List MP (born 1939)

|8 November 2005

|8 November 2008

|style="background:"|

|National

|48th

|143x143px

|Lindsay Tisch MP for Waikato (born 1947)

|9 December 2008

|26 November 2011

|style="background:"|

|National

|49th

|120x120px

|Eric Roy MP for Invercargill (born 1948)

|21 December 2011

|20 September 2014

|style="background:"|

|National

|50th

|136x136px

|Chester Borrows MP for Whanganui (1957–2023)

|21 October 2014

|23 September 2017

|style="background:"|

|National

|51st

|133x133px

|Anne Tolley MP for East Coast (born 1953)

|8 November 2017

|17 October 2020

|style="background:"|

|National

|52nd

|10

|133x133px

|Adrian Rurawhe MP for Te Tai Hauāuru (born 1961)

|26 November 2020

|24 August 2022

|style="background:"|

|Labour

| rowspan="2" |53rd

|11

|133x133px

|Greg O'Connor MP for Ōhāriu (born 1958)

|25 August 2022

|6 December 2023

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|12

|125x125px

|Barbara Kuriger MP for Taranaki-King Country (born 1961)

|6 December 2023

|Incumbent

|style="background:"|

|National

|54th

First assistant speakers

;Key

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |No.

! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" scope="col" width="200px" | Name Electorate (Birth–Death)

! colspan="2" scope="col" width="100px" | Term of office

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Party

! rowspan="2" |Parliament

! width="95px" |Term start

! width="95px" |Term end

|Peter Hilt MP for Glenfield (1942–2025)

|21 February 1996

|12 October 1996

|style="background:"|

|United NZ

|44th

|Geoff Braybrooke MP for Napier (1935–2013)

|18 February 1997

|17 March 1999

|style="background:"|

|Labour

| rowspan="2" |45th

|Brian Neeson MP for Waipareira (born 1945)

|17 March 1999

|27 November 1999

|style="background:"|

|National

|99x99px

|Jill Pettis MP for Whanganui (born 1952)

|21 December 1999

|27 July 2002

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|46th

| rowspan="2" |5

| rowspan="2" |131x131px

| rowspan="2" |Ross Robertson MP for Manukau East (born 1949)

| rowspan="2" |27 August 2002

| rowspan="2" |8 November 2008

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |Labour

|47th

|48th

|120x120px

|Eric Roy MP for Invercargill (born 1948)

|9 December 2008

|26 November 2011

|style="background:"|

|National

|49th

| rowspan="2" |7

| rowspan="2" |143x143px

| rowspan="2" |Lindsay Tisch MP for Waikato (born 1947)

| rowspan="2" |21 December 2011

| rowspan="2" |23 September 2017

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |National

|50th

|51st

|130x130px

|Poto Williams MP for Christchurch East (born 1962)

|8 November 2017

|3 July 2019

|style="background:"|

|Labour

| rowspan="2" |52nd

|128x128px

|Ruth Dyson MP for Port Hills (born 1957)

|3 July 2019

|17 October 2020

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|10

|98x98px

|Jenny Salesa MP for Panmure-Ōtāhuhu (born 1968)

|26 November 2020

|6 December 2023

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|53rd

|11

|128x128px

|Maureen Pugh MP for West Coast-Tasman (born 1958)

|6 December 2023

|Incumbent

|style="background:"|

|National

|54th

Second assistant speakers

;Key

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |No.

! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" scope="col" width="200px" | Name Electorate (Birth–Death)

! colspan="2" scope="col" width="100px" | Term of office

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Party

! rowspan="2" |Parliament

! width="95px" |Term start

! width="95px" |Term end

|Marie Hasler MP for Waitakere (born 1942)

|18 February 1997

|8 September 1998

|style="background:"|

|National

| rowspan="2" |45th

|-style="height:60px"

| rowspan="2" |2

| rowspan="2" |120x120px

| rowspan="2" |Eric Roy List MP (born 1948)

| rowspan="2" |10 September 1998

| rowspan="2" |27 July 2002

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |National

|46th

|144x144px

|Clem Simich MP for Tāmaki (born 1939)

|27 August 2002

|19 September 2005

|style="background:"|

|National

|47th

|147x147px

|Ann Hartley List MP (1942–2024)

|8 November 2005

|28 February 2008

|style="background:"|

|Labour

| rowspan="2" |48th

|144x144px

|Marian Hobbs MP for Wellington Central (born 1947)

|4 March 2008

|8 November 2008

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|132x132px

|Rick Barker List MP (born 1951)

|9 December 2008

|12 April 2011

|style="background:"|

|Labour

| rowspan="2" |49th

|-style="height:60px"

| rowspan="2" |7

| rowspan="2" |131x131px

| rowspan="2" |Ross Robertson MP for Manukau East (born 1949)

| rowspan="2" |12 April 2011

| rowspan="2" |20 September 2014

| rowspan="2" style="background:"|

| rowspan="2" |Labour

|50th

|133x133px

|Trevor Mallard MP for Hutt South (born 1954)

|21 October 2014

|23 September 2017

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|51st

|133x133px

|Adrian Rurawhe MP for Te Tai Hauāuru (born 1961)

|8 November 2017

|26 November 2020

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|52nd

|10

|133x133px

|Jacqui Dean MP for Waitaki (born 1957)

|26 November 2020

|14 October 2023

|style="background:"|

|National

|53rd

|11

|133x133px

|Greg O'Connor MP for Ōhāriu (born 1958)

|6 December 2023

|Incumbent

|style="background:"|

|Labour

|54th

Third assistant speakers

;Key

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |No.

! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" scope="col" width="200px" | Name Electorate (Birth–Death)

! colspan="2" scope="col" width="100px" | Term of office

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Party

! rowspan="2" |Parliament

! width="95px" |Term start

! width="95px" |Term end

|140x140px

|Teanau Tuiono List MP (born 1972)

|7 December 2023

|Incumbent

| style="background:" |

|Green

| rowspan="5" |54th

Temporary assistant speakers

;Key

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |No.

! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" scope="col" width="200px" | Name Electorate (Birth–Death)

! colspan="2" scope="col" width="100px" | Term of office

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Party

! rowspan="2" |Parliament

! width="95px" |Term start

! width="95px" |Term end

|Ian McKelvie MP for Rangitīkei (born 1952)

|1 March 2022

|8 September 2023

| style="background:" |

|National

| rowspan="5" |53rd

|David Bennett List MP (born 1970)

|9 August 2022

|11 August 2022

| style="background:" |

|National

|133x133px

|Greg O'Connor MP for Ōhāriu (born 1958)

|9 August 2022

|11 August 2022

| style="background:" |

|Labour

|133x133px

|Barbara Kuriger MP for Taranaki-King Country (born 1961)

|22 November 2022

|26 November 2022

| style="background:" |

|National

|130x130px

|Poto Williams MP for Christchurch East (born 1962)

|29 August 2023

|31 August 2023

| style="background:" |

|Labour

|98x98px

|Jenny Salesa MP for Panmure-Ōtāhuhu (born 1968)

|14 February 2024

|15 February 2024

| style="background:" |

|Labour

|54th

Notes

References

External links

Office of the Speaker – New Zealand House of Representatives (Official)

Role

In the debating chamber

Outside the debating chamber

Neutrality

Election

Precedence, salary and privileges

Official dress

Holders of the office

Deputies

Deputy speakers

First assistant speakers

Second assistant speakers

Third assistant speakers

Temporary assistant speakers

See also

Notes

References

External links