Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Encyclopedia
In New Zealand
the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives
(often also referred to as 'Parliament'). The Speaker fulfils a number of important functions in relation to the operation of the House, which is based upon the British Westminster Parliamentary system.
The Speaker presides over the business of Parliament from the elevated 'Speaker's Chair' behind The Table in the debating chamber.
The Speaker is third in the New Zealand order of precedence
behind the Governor-General and the Prime Minister
.
(an independent, but formerly a member of the Reform Party
) was backed by Reform so as not to endanger the party's slim majority, and later retained his position under the Liberal Party
. In 1993, Peter Tapsell
(a member of the Labour Party) was backed by the National Party for the same reason. Bill Barnard
, who had been elected Speaker in 1936, resigned from the Labour Party in 1940 but retained his position.
Historically, a Speaker lost the right to cast a vote, except when both sides were equally balanced. Now, however, the Speaker votes in the same way that any other MP does. In the past, the Speaker's lack of a vote created problems for a governing party - when the party's majority was small, the loss of the Speaker's vote could be problematic.
.
, a member of the National Party
, which is the largest party in Parliament and governs as a minority. There are also a Deputy Speaker (since 1992) and two Assistant Speakers.
Between 1854 and 1992, the Chairman of Committees
chaired the House of representatives, and the Chairmen of Committees presided in the absence of the Speaker, or when the Speaker requested this. These arrangements were based on 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 a permanent role, where the appointee is a full deputy for the purposes of the Standing Orders. The first Deputy Speaker was appointed on 10 November 1992. The role of Chairman of Committees was discontinued.
Twenty-eight people have held the office of Speaker since the creation of Parliament. Two people have held the office on more than one occasion. A full list of Speakers is below.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
(often also referred to as 'Parliament'). The Speaker fulfils a number of important functions in relation to the operation of the House, which is based upon the British Westminster Parliamentary system.
In the Debating Chamber
The Speaker's most visible role is that of presiding over the House when in session. 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 ruling on matters of procedure known as 'Points of order' based on Standing Orders and previously made Speaker's Rulings. This has a large bearing on the smooth running of each parliamentary session. Included in these rules are certain powers available to the Speaker to ensure reasonable behaviour by MPs, including the ability to remove disruptive MPs from the debating chamber.The Speaker presides over the business of Parliament from the elevated 'Speaker's Chair' behind The Table in the debating chamber.
Outside the Debating Chamber
The Speaker is also responsible for administering the upkeep and security of the buildings and grounds of Parliament (including the Beehive, Parliament House, Bowen House and the Parliamentary Library building). These duties are mainly fulfilled through presiding over select committees, including the Standing Orders Committee, the Business Committee, and The Officers of Parliament Committee. The Speaker also chairs the Parliamentary Service Commission. The Speaker also has some other statutory responsibilities.The Speaker is third in the New Zealand order of precedence
New Zealand order of precedence
The Order of precedence in New Zealand was approved by the Queen Elizabeth II on 9 January 1974, and amended to include former Governors-General on 10 September 1981...
behind the Governor-General and the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
.
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. Only three people have held the office despite not being from the governing party. In 1923, Charles StathamCharles Statham
Sir Charles Ernest Statham was a New Zealand politician, and the ninth Speaker of the House of Representatives, from 1923 to 1935.He was born in Dunedin, and trained in law, practicing from 1904 in Dunedin...
(an independent, but formerly a member of the Reform Party
New Zealand Reform Party
The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party...
) was backed by Reform so as not to endanger the party's slim majority, and later retained his position under the Liberal Party
New Zealand Liberal Party
The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...
. In 1993, Peter Tapsell
Peter Tapsell (New Zealand)
Sir Peter Wilfred Tapsell, KNZM, MBE, FRCS, FRCSEd was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 1993 to 1996...
(a member of the Labour Party) was backed by the National Party for the same reason. Bill Barnard
Bill Barnard
William Edward Barnard CBE was a New Zealand politician. He was a member of Parliament from 1928 until 1943, and was its Speaker from 1936 till 1943. He was known for his association with John A. Lee, a prominent left-wing politician.-Early life:Barnard was born in Carterton, a town in the...
, who had been elected Speaker in 1936, resigned from the Labour Party in 1940 but retained his position.
Historically, a Speaker lost the right to cast a vote, except when both sides were equally balanced. Now, however, the Speaker votes in the same way that any other MP does. In the past, the Speaker's lack of a vote created problems for a governing party - when the party's majority was small, the loss of the Speaker's vote could be problematic.
Election of the Speaker
The Speaker is always a Member of Parliament, and is elected by the House at the beginning of a parliamentary term. By convention, the Speaker is elected unopposed—any party able to form a government is presumably able to have its candidate installed as Speaker whether there is opposition or not. Recently this has not been the case. In March 2005, several MPs challenged for the Speakership following the resignation of Rt. Hon. Jonathan HuntJonathan Hunt (New Zealand)
Jonathan Lucas Hunt, ONZ is a New Zealand politician, and was New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2005 to March 2008. He formerly served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He is a member of the Labour Party, and was until recently the longest-serving MP...
.
Holders of the office
The current Speaker is Lockwood SmithLockwood Smith
Alexander Lockwood Smith is a New Zealand politician, the 28th and current Speaker of the House of Representatives. Smith is a member of the New Zealand National Party, who has served as a Member of Parliament since 1984...
, a member of the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
, which is the largest party in Parliament and governs as a minority. There are also a Deputy Speaker (since 1992) and two Assistant Speakers.
Between 1854 and 1992, the Chairman of Committees
Chairman of Committees (New Zealand)
The Chairman of Committees was an elected position of the New Zealand House of Representatives. The role existed between 1854 and 1992. The roles of the Chairman of Committees were to deputise for the Speaker, and to chair the House when it was in committee...
chaired the House of representatives, and the Chairmen of Committees presided in the absence of the Speaker, or when the Speaker requested this. These arrangements were based on 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 a permanent role, where the appointee is a full deputy for the purposes of the Standing Orders. The first Deputy Speaker was appointed on 10 November 1992. The role of Chairman of Committees was discontinued.
Twenty-eight people have held the office of Speaker since the creation of Parliament. Two people have held the office on more than one occasion. A full list of Speakers is below.
| # | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Speaker's Party | Governing Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Clifford | 1854 | 1860 | None | None |
| 2 | David Monro David Monro Sir David Monro was a New Zealand politician. He served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 1861 to 1870.-Early life:... |
1861 | 1870 | None | None |
| 3 | Dillon Bell Dillon Bell Sir Francis Dillon Bell KCMG CB MLC was a New Zealand politician of the late 19th century. He served as New Zealand's third Minister of Finance , and later as its third Speaker of the House... |
1871 | 1875 | None | None |
| 4 | William Fitzherbert William Fitzherbert (New Zealand) Sir William Fitzherbert KCMG MLC was a New Zealand politician. He served as Minister of Finance, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Speaker of the Legislative Council.-Early life:... |
1876 | 1879 | None | None |
| 5 | Maurice O'Rorke Maurice O'Rorke Sir George Maurice O’Rorke was a New Zealand politician, representing the Auckland seat of Onehunga, and later Manukau, and was Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was a committed provincialist and was the eighth Superintendent of the Auckland Province... |
1879 | 1890 | None | None |
| 6 | William Steward William Steward (New Zealand politician) Sir William Jukes Steward was a New Zealand politician and the first Liberal Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He represented South Canterbury electorates in Parliament for a total of 34 years, before being appointed to the Legislative Council... |
1891 | 1893 | Liberal | Liberal |
| Maurice O'Rorke Maurice O'Rorke Sir George Maurice O’Rorke was a New Zealand politician, representing the Auckland seat of Onehunga, and later Manukau, and was Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was a committed provincialist and was the eighth Superintendent of the Auckland Province... , 2nd time |
1894 | 1902 | Liberal | Liberal | |
| 7 | Arthur Guinness Arthur Guinness (New Zealand) Sir Arthur Robert Guinness was a New Zealand politician, and Speaker of the House of Representatives.-Personal information:... |
1903 | 1913 | Liberal | Liberal |
| 8 | Frederic Lang | 1913 | 1922 | Reform | Reform |
| 9 | Charles Statham Charles Statham Sir Charles Ernest Statham was a New Zealand politician, and the ninth Speaker of the House of Representatives, from 1923 to 1935.He was born in Dunedin, and trained in law, practicing from 1904 in Dunedin... |
1923 | 1928 | None | Reform |
| |Charles Statham Charles Statham Sir Charles Ernest Statham was a New Zealand politician, and the ninth Speaker of the House of Representatives, from 1923 to 1935.He was born in Dunedin, and trained in law, practicing from 1904 in Dunedin... , continued |
1928 | 1935 | None | Liberal | |
| 10 | Bill Barnard Bill Barnard William Edward Barnard CBE was a New Zealand politician. He was a member of Parliament from 1928 until 1943, and was its Speaker from 1936 till 1943. He was known for his association with John A. Lee, a prominent left-wing politician.-Early life:Barnard was born in Carterton, a town in the... |
1936 | 1940 | Labour | Labour |
| Bill Barnard Bill Barnard William Edward Barnard CBE was a New Zealand politician. He was a member of Parliament from 1928 until 1943, and was its Speaker from 1936 till 1943. He was known for his association with John A. Lee, a prominent left-wing politician.-Early life:Barnard was born in Carterton, a town in the... , continued |
1940 | 1943 | Democratic Labour | Labour | |
| 11 | Frederick Schramm Frederick Schramm Frederick William Schramm was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party He was the eleventh Speaker of the House of Representatives, from 1944 to 1946.... |
1944 | 1946 | Labour | Labour |
| 12 | Robert McKeen Robert McKeen Robert McKeen, CMG was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party He was the twelfth Speaker of the House of Representatives, from 1947 to 1950.... |
1947 | 1950 | Labour | Labour |
| 13 | Matthew Oram Matthew Oram Sir Matthew Henry Oram MBE was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. He was the 13th Speaker of the House of Representatives, from 1950 to 1957.... |
1950 | 1957 | National | National |
| 14 | Robert Macfarlane Robert Macfarlane (New Zealand) Sir Robert Mafeking Macfarlane, KCMG was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was a Member of Parliament, served as Speaker of the House of Representatives and was a Mayor of Christchurch.-Local body politics:... |
1958 | 1960 | Labour | Labour |
| 15 | Ronald Algie Ronald Algie Sir Ronald Macmillan Algie was a New Zealand politician who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives for six years in the 1960s. He described himself as "a Tory in the old tradition".-Early life:... |
1961 | 1966 | National | National |
| 16 | Roy Jack Roy Jack Sir Roy Emile Jack was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1967 to 1972 and 1976 to 1977, and a cabinet minister.... |
1967 | 1972 | National | National |
| 17 | Alfred Allen Alfred E. Allen Alfred Ernest "Alf" Allen, CMG was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. He was the seventeenth Speaker of the House of Representatives, in 1972.He unsuccessfully stood as the Hamilton candidate for breakaway Labour MP John A... |
1972 | 1972 | National | National |
| 18 | Stanley Whitehead Stanley Whitehead Sir Stanley Austin Whitehead was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was the fifteenth Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1972 to 1976, and Member of Parliament for the Nelson electorate from 1957 to 1976.-Early life and family:Whitehead was born in Reefton, on the West... |
1973 | 1976 | Labour | Labour |
| Roy Jack Roy Jack Sir Roy Emile Jack was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1967 to 1972 and 1976 to 1977, and a cabinet minister.... , 2nd time |
1976 | 1977 | National | National | |
| 19 | Richard Harrison | 1978 | 1984 | National | National |
| 20 | Basil Arthur Basil Arthur Sir Basil Malcolm Arthur, 5th Baronet served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 1984 to 1985. He was a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:... † |
1984 | 1985 | Labour | Labour |
| 21 | Gerard Wall Gerard Wall Gerard Aloysius Wall, FRCS, was a surgeon and a politician in New Zealand. He was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 1985 to 1987.... |
1985 | 1987 | Labour | Labour |
| 22 | Kerry Burke Kerry Burke Sir Thomas Kerry Burke served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 1987 to 1990. He was a member of the Labour Party, and served throughout the second term of the Fourth Labour Government.-Early life:... |
1987 | 1990 | Labour | Labour |
| 23 | Robin Gray Robin Gray (New Zealand) Sir Robert "Robin" McDowall Gray is a former New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1978 to 1996, and served as Speaker of the House of Representatives between 1990 and 1993.-Early life:Gray was born in Borgue, Scotland... |
1990 | 1993 | National | National |
| 24 | Peter Tapsell Peter Tapsell (New Zealand) Sir Peter Wilfred Tapsell, KNZM, MBE, FRCS, FRCSEd was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 1993 to 1996... |
1993 | 1996 | Labour | National |
| 25 | Doug Kidd Doug Kidd Sir Douglas Lorimer Kidd, KNZM is a former New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1978 to 2002, representing the National Party. He served for three years as Speaker of the House of Representatives.-Early life:... |
1996 | 1999 | National | National (in coalition) |
| 26 | Jonathan Hunt Jonathan Hunt (New Zealand) Jonathan Lucas Hunt, ONZ is a New Zealand politician, and was New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2005 to March 2008. He formerly served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He is a member of the Labour Party, and was until recently the longest-serving MP... |
1999 | 2005 | Labour | Labour (in coalition) |
| 27 | Margaret Wilson Margaret Wilson Dame Margaret Wilson DCNZM is a New Zealand academic and former politician. She was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives during the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand. She is a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:... |
2005 | 2008 | Labour | Labour (in coalition) |
| 28 | Lockwood Smith Lockwood Smith Alexander Lockwood Smith is a New Zealand politician, the 28th and current Speaker of the House of Representatives. Smith is a member of the New Zealand National Party, who has served as a Member of Parliament since 1984... |
2008 | Incumbent | National | National (minority government) |