• Wellington is the capital
• Wellington is the southernmost capital in the
world
• Located to the SE of Australia
• 268.680 sq km
• About the size of Colorado
• Temperate climate with sharp regional contrasts
• Low point-ocean
• High point-Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754m (approx.
12,316 ft)
• 5.54% arable land, 6.92% permanent crops,
87.54% other
• 13.94 births/1,000 population
• 7 deaths/1000 population
• .937% growth rate
• 87% urban population, 1% annual rate of
urbanization
• 99% literacy
• Average 19 years of school
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69.8% European
7.9% Maori
5.7% Asian
4.4% Pacific Islander
.5% other
7.8% mixed
3.8% unspecified
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14.9% Anglican
12.4% Roman Catholic
10.9% Presbyterian
2.9% Methodist
1.7% Pentacostal
1.3% Baptist
9.4% Other Christian
3.3% Other
17.2% Unspecified
26% None
•1350-Maori ancestors arrived at New Zealand on seven legendary canoes from Hawaiki, the
mother-island of the east Polynesians.
•1642-Mar 12, Abel Tasman became the 1st European to land in New Zealand.
•1642-Nov 24, Abel Janszoon Tasman (d.1659) discovered Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania).
•1642-Dec 13, Dutch navigator and explorer Abel Janszoon sighted present-day New Zealand.
He fled after Maori cannibals feasted on the “friendship party” he sent ashore.
•1769-70-Capt. James Cook charted the coasts of both the north and south islands of New
Zealand. Cook made his historic voyages in colliers, slow but strong ships designed primarily
for carrying coal. His ship was named the Resolution.
•1840-May 21, The Treaty of Waitangi was signed by Maori chiefs of New Zealand and
representatives of Queen Victoria. It granted sovereignty over all New Zealand to Queen
Victoria, but only guaranteed the Maoris the land they wished to retain. The treaty remained a
source of friction to the present day.
•1844-Beginning in this year the Ngai Tahu people lost 80% (86 million acres) of South Island.
•1845-Mar 11, Seven hundred Maoris led by their chief, Hone-Heke, burned the small town of
Kororareka in protest at the settlement of Maoriland by Europeans, in breach with the 1840
Treaty of Waitangi.
•1858-The Maori responded to Britain’s colonization of New Zealand by choosing a monarch of
their own.
•1861-Mar 19, Maori War in New Zealand ended
•1876-Feb 18, A direct telegraph link was established between Britain & New Zealand.
•1893-Sep 19, New Zealand became the first nation to grant women the right to vote.
•1894-New Zealand passed the world's first minimum wage law.
•1901-Jun 11, Cook Islands were annexed & proclaimed a part of New Zealand.
•1907-Sep 26, New Zealand went from being a colony to a dominion within the British Empire.
•c1914-When WW I began New Zealand pried Western Samoa from the Germans.
•1915-Apr 25, Australian and New Zealand troops landed at Gallipoli in Turkey in hopes of
attacking the Central Powers from below. Allied soldiers, ANZAC, invaded the Gallipoli
Peninsula in Turkey in an unsuccessful attempt to take the Ottoman Turkish Empire out of the
war. The allies were defeated in one of the deadliest battles of the war.
•1915-Dec 18, In a single night, about 20,000 Australian and New Zealand troops slipped away
from Gallipoli, undetected by the Turks defending the peninsula.
•1936-Mar 26, New Zealand radio aired a parliamentary debate for the 1st time.
•1939-Sep 3, Britain and France declared war on Germany, two days after the Nazi invasion of
Poland. After Germany ignored Great Britain's ultimatum to stop the invasion of Poland, Great
Britain declares war on Germany, marking the beginning of World War II in Europe. France
follows 6 hours later quickly joined by Australia, NZ, South Africa & Canada.
•1951-New Zealand did away with its Legislative Council.
•1954-Sep 8, SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization), a sister organization to NATO, was
created under the Manila Pact by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, to stop
communist spread in Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos). The United States,
Australia, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Thailand signed
the mutual defense treaty. SEATO dissolved in 1977.
•1962-Jan 1, Samoa became independent from New Zealand. Malietoa Tanumafili II nursed
Samoa to independence and presided as head of state jointly for 16 months and thereafter on
his own for 43 years.
•1969-At their peak in 1969, 68,889 combat troops from Australia, New Zealand, the Republic
of Korea, Thailand and the Philippines were deployed in Vietnam.
•1971-Jul 18, New Zealand and Australia announced they would pull their troops out of
Vietnam.
•1971-Australia joined with New Zealand and 14 independent of self-governing island nations
to form the South Pacific Forum. The name was changed in 2000 to Pacific Islands Forum.
Member states include: Australia, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji,
Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa,
the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Since 2006, associate members territories
are New Caledonia and French Polynesia.
•1975-Dec 12, In New Zealand Robert Muldoon (1921-1992) began serving as prime minister
and continued to July 26, 1984. His interventionist policies threatened to send the country to
the financial wall.
•1985-Mar 4, New Zealand floated its currency.
•1986-Jun 27, US informed New Zealand it will not defend it against attack.
•1989-New Zealand became the 1st country to introduce inflation targets.
•1999-Sep 10, Asian-Pacific leaders met for a summit in Auckland (City of Sails), New Zealand.
•2009-Jan 29, New Zealand’s central bank lowered its key interest 1.5 percentage points to a
record low of 3.5%, in response to a decelerating global growth outlook.
• Type- parliamentary democracy and a
commonwealth realm
• Capital-Wellington (17 hrs ahead of Washington,
DC
• Universal suffrage (first country to have suffrage
for women
• Head of State- Queen Elizabeth II, represented
by governor general- Anand Satyanand
• Head of government – Prime Minister John Key
• Deputy Prime Minister- Bill English
• Cabinet-Executive Council, appointed by
governor general recommended by the prime
minister
• Series of legal documents
• Includes certain actsof the UK and New
Zealand Parliaments
• The Constitution Act of 1986, principal formal
charter adopted on January 1st1987 and
effective on the same date
• The monarch is hereditary
• The governor general is appointed by the
monarch
• After legislative elections the head of the
majority party is usually appointed by the
governor general as the prime minister
• The deputy prime minister is also appointed
by the governor general
•Official full title: The Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in
and over New Zealand.
•Is the queen’s representative and is the highest ranking official in New
Zealand.
•Can exercise the reserve powers of the monarch
•Takes the Oath of Allegiance
•Role is limited to ceremonial and non-partisan functions
•Has executive authority
•Is toasted as the Queen or King of New Zealand
•Can be overruled by the Crown
•No term limit but usually only serves five years
•Can appoint ministers and judges
•Can dissolve parliament
• Appoints Prime Minister
•Cyril Louis Norton Newall 22 Feb 1941 - 19 Apr 1946 (+1963)
•Michael Myers 19 Apr 1946 - 17 Jun 1946 (+1950) (acting)
•Bernard Cyril Freyberg 17 Jun 1946 - 15 Aug 1952 (+1963)
•Humphrey Francis O'Leary 15 Aug 1952 - 2 Dec 1952 (+1953) (acting)
•Charles Willoughby Moke Norrie 2 Dec 1952 - 25 Jul 1957 (+1977)
•Harold Eric Barrowclough 25 Jul 1957 - 5 Sep 1957 (+1972) (acting)
•Charles John Lyttelton 5 Sep 1957 - 13 Sep 1962 (+1977)
•Harold Eric Barrowclough 13 Sep 1962 - 9 Nov 1962 (+1972) (acting)
•Bernard Fergusson 9 Nov 1962 - 20 Oct 1967 (+1980)
•Herbert Richard Churton Wild 20 Oct 1967 - 1 Dec 1967 (+1978) (acting)
•Arthur Espie Porritt 1 Dec 1967 - 7 Sep 1972 (+1994)
•Herbert Richard Churton Wild 7 Sep 1972 - 27 Sep 1972 (+1978) (acting)
•Edward Denis Blundell 27 Sep 1972 - 5 Oct 1977 (+1984)
•Keith Jacka Holyoake 5 Oct 1977 - 25 Oct 1980 (+1983)
•David Stuart Beattie 6 Nov 1980 - 22 Nov 1985 (+2001)
•Paul Reeves 22 Nov 1985 - 20 Nov 1990
•Catherine Tizard 20 Nov 1990 - 21 Mar 1996
•Michael Hardie Boys 22 Mar 1996 - 21 Mar 2001
•Sian Seerpoohl Elias 22 Mar 2001 - 4 Apr 2001 (acting)
•Silvia Cartwright 4 Apr 2001 - 4 Aug 2006
•Sian Seerpoohl Elias 4 Aug 2006 - 23 Aug 2006 (acting)
•Anand Satyanand 23 Aug 2006 -
•Appointed by the Governor-General
•Is the Head of Government
•Is also the leader of the majority party
•Sets the Cabinet agenda
•Can appoint and dismiss ministers
•Advises the Crown on the appointment and dismissal of the Governor
–General with the support of the House of Representatives
•Peter Fraser 1 Apr 1940 - 13 Dec 1949 (+1950) NZLP
•Sidney George Holland 13 Dec 1949 - 20 Sep 1957 (+1961) NP
•Keith Jacka Holyoake 20 Sep 1957 - 12 Dec 1957 (+1983) NP
•Walter Nash 12 Dec 1957 - 26 Nov 1960 (+1968) NZLP
•Keith Jacka Holyoake 26 Nov 1960 - 7 Feb 1972 (+1983) NP
•John (Jack) Ross Marshall 7 Feb 1972 - 8 Dec 1972 (+1988) NP
•Norman Eric Kirk 8 Dec 1972 - 31 Aug 1974 (+) NZLP
•Hugh Watt 1 Sep 1974 - 6 Sep 1974 (+1980) NZLP (acting)
•Wallace (Bill) Edward Rowling 6 Sep 1974 - 12 Dec 1975 (+1995) NZL
•Robert David Muldoon 12 Dec 1975 - 26 Jul 1984 (+1992) NP
•David Russel Lange 26 Jul 1984 - 8 Aug 1989 (+2005) NZLP
•Geoffrey Winston Russell Palmer 8 Aug 1989 - 4 Sep 1990 NZLP
•Michael (Mike) Kenneth Moore 4 Sep 1990 - 27 Oct 1990 NZLP
•James (Jim) Brendan Bolger 27 Oct 1990 - 8 Dec 1997 NP
•Jennifer (Jenny) Mary Shipley 8 Dec 1997 - 10 Dec 1999 NP
•Helen Elizabeth Clark 10 Dec 1999 - 19 Nov 2008 NZLP
•John Phillip Key 19 Nov 2008 - NP
•Second most senior officer in the Government
•Is also the deputy leader of the majority party
•Takes place of Prime Minister when he or she is absent or
incapable of fulfilling their duties
•Is like a Vice President
•Keith Jacka Holyoake 13 Dec 1949 - 20 Sep 1957 (+1983) NP
•John (Jack) Ross Marshall 20 Sep 1957 - 12 Dec 1957 (+1988) NP
•Clarence Farringdon Skinner 12 Dec 1957 - 12 Dec 1960 (+1962) NZLP
•John (Jack) Ross Marshall 12 Dec 1960 - 9 Feb 1972 (+1988) NP
•Robert David Muldoon 9 Feb 1972 - 8 Dec 1972 (+1992) NP
•Hugh Watt 8 Dec 1972 - 10 Sep 1974 (+1980) NZLP
•Robert (Bob) James Tizard 10 Sep 1974 - 12 Dec 1975 NZLP
•Brian Edward Talboys 12 Dec 1975 - 4 Mar 1981 NP
•Duncan MacIntyre 4 Mar 1981 - 15 Mar 1984 NP
•James (Jim) Kenneth McLay 15 Mar 1984 - 26 Jul 1984 NP
•Geoffrey Winston Russell Palmer 26 Jul 1984 - 8 Aug 1989 NZLP
•Helen Elizabeth Clark 8 Aug 1989 - 2 Nov 1990 NZLP
•Donald (Don) Charles McKinnon 2 Nov 1990 - 16 Dec 1996 NP
•Winston Raymond Peters 16 Dec 1996 - 14 Aug 1998 NZF
•Wyatt Beetham Creech 14 Aug 1998 - 5 Dec 1999 NP
•James (Jim) Patrick Anderton 5 Dec 1999 - 15 Aug 2002 Alliance
•Michael John Cullen 15 Aug 2002 - 19 Nov 2008 NZLP
•Simon William (Bill) English 19 Nov 2008 - NP
• Unicameral House of Representatives called
parliament
• 120 seats
– 69 seats by single member constituencies
including 7 Maori constituencies
– 51 proportional seats chosen from party lists
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Supreme Court
Court of Appeal
High Court
Governor General appoints judges
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National Party (NZNP)
Labour Party (NZLP)
Green Party
Maori Party
Progressive
United Future
ACT New Zealand
• Established in 1936
• In power:1949–1957, 1960–1972, 1975–1984,
1990–1999, and 2008• Currently 58 members in Parliament
– 41 from single-member districts
– 18 members drawn from party list
• Current leader and prime minister-John Key
• National party message:
–’National stands for freedom, choice,
independence and ambition. We
believe in less government not more
red tape. We stand firmly against
political correctness and strongly for
personal freedom and responsibility.’
• Established in 1916
• In power: 1935-1949, 1957-1960, 1972-1975,
1984-1990, and 1999-2008.
• 43 members currently in Parliament
– 21 from single-member districts
– 22 from lists
• Party leader is currently Hon Phil Goff
• ’The Labour Party stands for the ordinary hard working
family. Our party has a strong commitment to policies
promoting social justice and security and equality of
opportunity. Labour cares for the well-being of all New
Zealanders. New Zealand had become increasingly
divided and the gap between rich and poor was getting
wider after a decade of ideological "free-market"
economic policies had hit many people hard. Labour is
implementing policies aimed at addressing these issues
as it recognises that New Zealand needs a skilled,
confident and employed population to meet the
challenges of the 21st Century. We are restoring a sense
of balance in our society.’
• Established in 1995
• 9 members in the 49th parliament, all elected
from party lists
• Led by Metiria Turei and Russel Norman
• ’The Green Party:
• is working for a society that values caring, cooperation, nurturing, and sharing relationships
between its people
• accords equal opportunity (and obligations) to
people of all race, ages, and abilities; it does not
value one sex above another; and within those
constraints it respects the rights of people to act
to sustain their cultural and natural heritage
• guarantees the provision to all of the basic
human needs of food, shelter, health care, and
education.’
• Established in 1995
• 5 members in parliament, one elected
from a single member district, 4 from
the party lists
• Hon Rodney Hide and Hon Heather Roy
are Ministers outside Cabinet
• ‘ACT stands for individual freedom, less
government interference and rewarding
hard work’
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5 members in parliament, all from Māori electorates
Led by Hon Tariana Turia and Hon Dr Pita Sharples
‘The Māori Party is driven by values that come from a
Māori worldview, and believes strongly that such values
are of benefit to all who call Aotearoa home. The values
centre around building relationships between Māori
and the Crown, between communities, and in so doing,
provide a rich basis for development for the nation.’
• Established in 2002
• Progressive was in coalition with two Labourled governments from its inception in 2002
until November 2008
• Led by Hon Jim Anderton
• ‘The Progressive Party aims to:
• achieve economic and social justice by creating a
progressive, partnership economy with economic
and social policy based on full employment,
universal access to health care and education,
environmental sustainability and the public
ownership of our strategic assets;
• continue to foster a partnership between Maori and
other New Zealanders that is based on developing
Maori economic base through policies of regional
and economic development and the unique nature
of the foundation of our society.’
• Established in 2000
• Merger of the Future New Zealand and
United Party
• 1 member in parliament
• Member for Ohariu (one of the districts)
• United Future is a modern centre party, focused on
New Zealand's best interests. We promote strong
families and vibrant communities. We seek a fair,
and open society, free from poverty, ignorance and
prejudice, and based on innovation, self-reliance,
justice and integrity in business and personal
dealings.
• We promote a sustainable environment, and a
competitive economy which encourages growth,
prosperity, ownership and opportunity through
market policies where possible, and government
where necessary.
• We want all New Zealanders, whatever their
background, race or creed, to have the chance to
enjoy everything that is good in our country.’
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GDP-$135.7 billion
PPP-$116.6 billion
GDP per capita- $27,900
4.4% agriculture
26% industry
69.6% services
2.6 million people in the labor force
Labor force distribution-agriculture 7%, industry 19%,
services 4%
• 4% unemployement
• Currency New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
•British influence is ever present
•Women have the right to vote
•High Voter turnout
•High participation in voting is vital to political
legitimacy
•All questions in the Parliament’s Question Time are
to be checked to see that they meet the
requirements of the House's Standing orders.
•Race is the only social cleavage in New Zealand
•The country's major political parties have generally agreed on the broad
outlines of foreign policy, and the current coalition government has been
active in international assemblies on issues of recurring interest to New
Zealand--trade liberalization, environment, and arms control.
•New Zealand values its participation in the United Nations.
•New Zealand also participates in the World Trade Organization (WTO);
World Bank; International Monetary Fund (IMF); Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD); International Energy Agency; Asian
Development Bank; South Pacific Forum; The Pacific Community; Colombo
Plan; Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC); and the International
Whaling Commission.
•Member of the Commonwealth.
•Member of the ANZUS alliance.
•On April 7, 2008 New Zealand signed a free trade agreement with China, the
first developed country to do so.
•A leader in assistance for South Pacific Island nations.