Parliament is the supreme legislative power in New Zealand and is made up of
two parts: the Sovereign, represented by the Governor-General, whose role is to
open and dissolve Parliament at election time, as well as sign off laws once
Parliament has passed them. The second part is the House of Representatives,
which is made up of about 120 MPs. Parliament has five primary functions.
One: to represent the people of Aotearoa New Zealand. Two: to provide a
government. Three: to challenge and hold the government to account. Four: to make
laws, and five: to approve how taxpayers' money is spent. The shape of
Parliament is determined by an election, which happens usually every three years.
Kiwis cast two votes: one for who they want to represent them locally, and the
second for which party they want governing New Zealand. The party vote
determines the number of seats each party gets in Parliament and the
government is formed by the party or parties that together hold the majority
of seats in the House. The Prime Minister then appoints MPs
from the government party, or parties, to become Ministers. They are given
responsibility to oversee areas such as health, police, education, and transport.
The government's role is to run the country, propose policy and laws, and
decide how taxpayers' money is spent. The opposition's role is to hold the
government to account and provide an alternative government in waiting. They
do this through asking questions of Ministers through debates in the House
on major issues in legislation, and through the work of select committees.
Overseeing the order and business of Parliament is the speaker, who acts much
like Parliament's chairperson. Party whips or musterers act as party managers, making
sure MPs are where they need to be and they cast votes for their party in the
House. An important role of Parliament is
passing new laws and improving or repealing old ones. For a bill to become
law it must go through a rigorous process. First the bill is introduced to
Parliament for its first reading debate. Then it has a cross-party select
committee take a closer look. Select committees are small groups of MPs who
work together to do the detailed work of the House. The committee also invites the
public to have their say. The bill is then reported back to the House with any
recommended changes, and a second reading debate is held. If it survives a second
reading vote, MPs will then debate to the bill in detail in the Committee of the
Whole House. This is the last chance to change the bill. The bill then goes for
its third and final reading. If it passes, it's certified by the Clerk of the House
and then sent to the Governor-General for Royal Assent before becoming New
Zealand law.
There are five agencies on the parliamentary precinct that contribute
to the day-to-day running of New Zealand's Parliament. The first two,
Parliamentary Service and Office of the Clerk, directly serve our Parliament. The
Parliamentary Counsel Office drafts New Zealand's laws. The Department of the
Prime Minister and Cabinet provide advice and support across the public
sector, and Ministerial and Secretariat Services supports the Prime Minister and
executive government. The Parliamentary Service provides administrative and
support services to members of Parliament and the House of
Representatives. It also manages members' funding entitlements. The Office of the
Clerk supports House and select committee proceedings, gives advice on
parliamentary law and procedure, and records, publishes, and broadcasts the
debate from this chamber. We also provide drafting support for members'
legislation before it's introduced and for members' amendments to legislation.
Along with the Parliamentary Service, the Office of the Clerk plays an important
role in educating the public to encourage participation in our
democracy. The Parliamentary Counsel Office is New Zealand's law drafting and
publishing office. We draft government legislation and provide independent
advice to Ministers and departments on legislative matters. Together we aim to
produce legislation that is fit for purpose, constitutionally sound, and
accessible to all users. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
advises and coordinates and leads across the public sector, with a
particular focus on good governance , good policy, and national security. We provide
advice and support to the Prime Minister, to the Governor-General, and to Cabinet
Ministers. Ministerial Services supports the Prime Minister and executive
government with a range of services. These include staffing, administrative
support, advice on their entitlements, and VIP
transport services. We also plan and coordinate national commemorative events
such as ANZAC Day and provide logistical support for official guests of the New
Zealand government. In summary these are the five agencies that are on the
parliamentary precinct and that support the running of New Zealand Parliament:
Parliamentary Service, Office of the Clerk, the Parliamentary Counsel Office,
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and Ministerial and Secretariat
Services. If you have any further questions or need any other
information, everything is available on the official New Zealand Parliament
website.