1.
Northland Region
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The Northland Region is the northernmost of New Zealands 16 local government regions. New Zealanders often call it the Far North, or, because of its mild climate, the main population centre is the city of Whangarei and the largest town is Kerikeri. The Northland Region occupies the northern 80% of the 330 kilometre-long Northland Peninsula and it is bounded to the west by the Tasman Sea, and to the east by the Pacific Ocean. The land is predominantly rolling hill country, farming and forestry occupy over half of the land, and are two of the regions main industries. Although many of the kauri forests were felled during the 19th century. New Zealands largest tree, Tane Mahuta, stands in the Waipoua Forest south of the Hokianga Harbour, the western coast is dominated by several long straight beaches, the most famous of which is the inaccurately named 88 kilometre-long stretch of Ninety Mile Beach in the regions far north. The slightly longer Ripiro Beach lies further south, two large inlets are also located on this coast, the massive Kaipara Harbour in the south, which Northland shares with the Auckland Region, and the convoluted inlets of the Hokianga Harbour. The east coast is rugged, and is dotted with bays. Numerous islands dot this coast, notably the Cavalli Islands, the Hen and Chickens Islands, Aorangaia Island, the northernmost points of the North Island mainland lie at the top of Northland. These include several points often confused in the mind as being the countrys northernmost points, Cape Maria van Diemen, Spirits Bay, Cape Reinga. The northernmost point of the North Island is actually the Surville Cliffs, close to North Cape, Cape Reinga and Spirits Bay do, however, have a symbolic part to play as the end of the country. In Māori mythology, it is here that the souls of the dead depart on their journey to the afterlife. Northland is New Zealands least urbanised region, with 50% of the population of 171,400 living in urban areas, Whangarei is the largest urban area, with a population of 56,400. The regions population is concentrated along the east coast. During the five-year period up to 2006, Northland recorded a growth of 6.0 percent. Northland includes one of the fastest growing towns in New Zealand, Mangawhai, the region of Northland has a sub-tropical oceanic climate with warm humid summers and mild wet winters. Due to its latitude and low elevation, Northland has the countrys highest average annual temperature, however, as with other parts of New Zealand, climate conditions are variable. In summer, temperatures range from 22 °C to 26 °C, in winter, maximum temperatures vary between 14 °C and 20 °C
2.
Auckland Region
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The Auckland Region is one of the sixteen regions of New Zealand, named for the city of Auckland, the countrys largest urban area. The region encompasses the Auckland metropolitan area, smaller towns, rural areas, with 34 percent of the nations residents, it has by far the biggest population and economy of any region of New Zealand, but the second-smallest land area. On 1 November 2010, the Auckland Region became a unitary authority controlled by the Auckland Council, replacing the previous regional council, in the process, an area in its southeastern corner was transferred to the neighbouring Waikato Region. The name Auckland Region remains present in casual usage, the region ends within a few kilometres of the mouth of the Waikato River. It is bordered in the north by the Northland Region, and it also includes the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. In land area it is smaller than all the other regions and its highest point is the summit of Little Barrier Island, at 722 metres. The Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea form the coastline around the Auckland region, the east coast is lapped by the waters of the Hauraki Gulf, an arm of the Pacific sheltered by a considerable number of small and large islands, notably Great Barrier Island in the northeast. An arm of the Gulf, the Waitemata Harbour, forms the main harbour of Auckland city, the mainland coastline is 1,613 kilometres long, with the total coastline being 3,100 kilometres. Much of the marine area comprises sensitive tidal inlets and estuaries and semi-enclosed Waitemata, Manukau. To the west lie two large natural harbours, the Kaipara and the Manukau, both of these have treacherous entrances and are little used by shipping. The Kaipara Harbour is one of the worlds largest natural harbours, Auckland Airport is located on the edge of the Manukau Harbour. The region is blessed with fine beaches, especially on the Tasman coast south of the Kaipara. These include Muriwai and Piha beaches, the Auckland Region is built on a basement of greywacke rocks that form many of the islands in the Hauraki Gulf, the Hunua Ranges, and land south of Port Waikato. The Waitakere Ranges in the west are the remains of a large andesitic volcano, the main isthmus and North Shore are composed of Waitemata sandstone and mudstone, and portions of the Northland Allochthon extend as far south as Albany. Little Barrier Island was formed by a relatively isolated andesitic volcano, the Manukau and South Kaipara Harbours are protected by the recent sand dune deposits of the Awhitu and South Kaipara Peninsulas. Recent basaltic volcanic activity has produced many volcanic cones throughout the Auckland Region, much of Aucklands urban area lies on top of the dormant Auckland Volcanic Field. The region is dotted by 49 volcanoes of varying age with the oldest being in the region of 150,000 years old, the most recent eruption occurred approximately 600 years ago, ending a few hundred years of activity during which Rangitoto Island was formed. Each volcanic eruption has tended to be bigger than the previous, all of the volcanoes are relatively small, most being less than 150 metres in height
3.
Waikato
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Waikato is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato, Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupo District and it is governed by the Waikato Regional Council. It is usually referred to by using the definite article, the Waikato, broadly, the extent of the region is the Waikato River catchment. Other major catchments are those of the Waihou, Piako, Awakino, the region is bounded by Auckland on the north, Bay of Plenty on the east, Hawkes Bay on the south-east, and Manawatu-Wanganui and Taranaki on the south. Waikato Region is the fourth largest region in the country in area and population, It has an area of 25,000 km², the region encompasses all or part of eleven territorial authorities, the most of any region of New Zealand. It is centred on the Waikato which consists of Waikato District, Matamata-Piako District, Waipa District, South Waikato District, the name for the region is taken from the Waikato River, waikato is a Māori word traditionally translated as flowing water. To the west, the region is bounded by the Tasman Sea, the coastal region is largely rough hill country, known locally as the Hakarimata Range, though it is more gently undulating in the north, closer to the mouth of the Waikato River. The coast is punctured by three natural harbours, Raglan Harbour, Aotea Harbour, and Kawhia Harbour. The area around Raglan is noted for its black sand beaches and for its fine surfing conditions at Manu Bay. To the east of the hills lies the broad floodplain of the Waikato River. The area around Cambridge has many thoroughbred stables, the north of the region around Te Kauwhata produces some of New Zealands best wines. Dozens of small lakes lie in this area, the largest of which is Lake Waikare. To the east, the land rises towards the slopes of the Kaimai. The upper reaches of the Waikato River are used for hydroelectricity, the lowest and earliest-created such lake is Lake Karapiro, now developed as a world-class rowing centre, where the world championships were held in 2010. The climate is mild and temperate with rainfall of 1200–1600mm per annum. Summers are drier with maximum temperatures of 25–28 degrees Celsius, summer droughts occur one year in ten. Winter maxima are 12–15 degrees Celsius, the lower areas experience regular morning fog, under anticyclonic conditions, which burns off by late morning to produce many still, clear sunny days. Morning frosts are common during winter anticyclones
4.
Bay of Plenty Region
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The Bay of Plenty, often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name. The bay was named by James Cook after he noticed the abundant food supplies at several Māori villages there, in the 2006 Census, the Bay of Plenty had an estimated resident population of 257,379, making it the fifth-most populous region in New Zealand. It also has the third-highest regional population density in New Zealand, the major population centres are Tauranga, Rotorua and Whakatane. Significant horticultural, forestry and tourism industries are established in the region. However, the Bay of Plenty is the third-most economically deprived region in New Zealand, however, in 2011 Business & Economic Research Limited identified the Bay of Plenty as one of the top performing regions in economic development, ranking second behind Auckland. It had the highest employment and GDP growth for 2011 and had the fastest growing medium term GDP, Tauranga, the regions largest commercial centre, was named New Zealands top city for economic performance for the 2011 year. According to local Māori traditions, the Bay of Plenty was the point of several migration canoes that brought Māori settlers to New Zealand. These include the Mataatua, Nukutere, Tākitimu, Arawa and Tainui canoes, early Māori settlement gave rise to many of the town and city names used today. The first recorded European contact came when James Cook sailed through the Bay of Plenty in 1769, Cook noted the abundance of food supplies, in comparison to Poverty Bay further back along the eastern coast of the North Island. Further reports of European contact are scarce prior to the arrival of missionary Samuel Marsden to the Tauranga area in 1820, however, the 1830s and 1840s saw increased contact between Bay of Plenty Māori and Europeans through trade, although few Europeans settled in the region. Missionary activity in the region also increased during this time, in 1853, New Zealand was subdivided into provinces, with the Bay of Plenty incorporated into Auckland Province. Conflict returned to the Bay of Plenty during the 1860s with the New Zealand Land Wars, initial conflicts in the region stemmed from Tauranga iwi supporting the Waikato iwi in their conflict with the government. In retaliation, British Crown and government-allied Māori forces attacked the Tauranga iwi, further conflict with the government arose in 1865 when German missionary Carl Völkner and interpreter James Fulloon were killed by local Māori at Opotiki and Whakatane, respectively. The ensuing conflict resulted in the confiscation of land from several Bay of Plenty iwi by the government. Confiscation of Māori land deprived local iwi of economic resources, the government established fortified positions, including at Tauranga, Whakatane and Opotiki. European settlers arrived throughout the half of the 19th century, establishing settlements in Katikati, Te Puke. In 1876, settlements were incorporated into counties following the dissolution of the provincial system. Initial settlements in the region struggled, the climate was ill-suited to sheep farming, by the end of the century the population had started to dwindle
5.
Gisborne Region
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The Gisborne District or Gisborne Region is an area of northeastern New Zealand governed by the Gisborne District Council. It is named after its largest settlement, the city of Gisborne, the region is also sometimes referred to as the East Cape, although that also refers specifically to the promontory at the northeastern extremity. More recently, it has been called Eastland, although that can also include Opotiki in the eastern Bay of Plenty to the northwest, and Wairoa to the south. Its Māori name, Te Tai Rāwhiti, means the Coast of the Sunrise, the district is located in the northeastern corner of the North Island. It ranges from the Wharerata Hills in the south, which divide it from the Wairoa district in the Hawkes Bay region, the western boundary runs along the Raukumara Range, which separates it from the Opotiki district. In the southwest, its boundary runs along the edge of Te Urewera National Park. It is sparsely inhabited and isolated, with small settlements mainly clinging to small bays along the shore including Tokomaru Bay. Three-quarters of the population –36,100 – lives in the city of Gisborne, no other settlement has a population of over 1000. The largest other settlements are the towns of Tolaga Bay and Ruatoria, inland, the land is rough, predominantly forested, hill country. A spine of rough ridges dominates the centre of the region and this mountain is the fifth highest mountain in the North Island, and the highest that is not a volcano. Regarded as sacred by the Māori, there is some justification to the claims that this is the first mountain to see the sun in summer. The regions population has higher than the average proportion of Māori - over 50% in some areas -. The predominant iwi are Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Ngai Tamanuhiri, Gisborne District Council is a unitary territorial authority, which means that it performs the functions of a regional council as well as those of a territorial authority. It includes a mayor,13 elected councillors, a chief executive officer,4 department managers. Its headquarters are in the city of Gisborne, the area it governs is constituted as both the Gisborne District and the Gisborne Region. Gisborne District Council was created as part of a major reform of local government in 1989. It was the unitary authority in New Zealand until three others were created in 1992. The sub-national GDP of the Gisborne region was estimated at US$1.031 billion in 2003, the region is sheltered by high country to the west and has a dry, sunny climate
6.
Hawke's Bay region
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Hawkes Bay Region is a region of New Zealand on the east coast of the North Island. It is recognised on the stage for its award-winning wines. Hawkes Bay Regional Council sits in both the cities of Napier and Hastings and it derives from Hawke Bay which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke who decisively defeated the French at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759. The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island and it bears the former name of what is now Hawke Bay, a large semi-circular bay that extends for 100 kilometres from northeast to southwest from Mahia Peninsula to Cape Kidnappers. Five major rivers flow down into the coast of Hawkes Bay, from north to south, they are the Wairoa River, Mohaka River, Tutaekuri River, Ngaruroro River and Tukituki River respectively. Lake Waikaremoana is situated in northern Hawkes Bay roughly 35 km from the coast and it is the largest lake in Hawkes Bay, 4th largest in the North Island and 16th largest in New Zealand. In June 2015, the Local Government Commission proposed the amalgamation of the four local councils with the Hawkes Bay Regional Council and this proposal was rejected by the affected communities. The region has a hill with the longest place name in New Zealand, taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is an otherwise unremarkable hill in southern Hawkes Bay, not far from Waipukurau. The regions population is 161,500 as of June 2016,3.4 percent of New Zealands population, around 81 percent of the regions population lives in the Napier-Hastings conurbation. Below is a list of areas that contain more than 1,000 population. The region has a significant Māori population,24.3 percent of the population identified as of Māori ethnicity at the 2013 census, a major local Māori tribe is Ngāti Kahungunu. Around 50.5 percent of Hawkes Bays population affiliate with Christianity at the 2013 Census, Hawkes Bay Province was founded in 1858 as a province of New Zealand, after being separated from the Wellington Province following a meeting in Napier in February 1858. The Province was abolished in 1876 along with all provinces in New Zealand. It was replaced with a Provincial District, on February 3,1931, Napier and Hastings were devastated by New Zealands worst natural disaster, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter magnitude scale, which killed 256 people. Napier rebuilt and now the city is world-famous for its Art Deco buildings, MTG Hawkes Bay, formerly Hawkes Bay Museum and Art Gallery, has an exhibition on the earthquake, its causes and impact. The GDP of the Hawkes Bay region was estimated at US$4.3 billion in 2003, the region is renowned for its horticulture, with large orchards and vineyards on the plains. In the hilly parts of the sheep and cattle farming predominates. The climate is dry and temperate, and the long, hot summers, missionaries in the mid 19th century planted the first vines in Hawkes Bay and it is now becoming an important place for full bodied red wines
7.
Taranaki
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Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealands North Island, administered by the Taranaki Regional Council. It is named for its main feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki. The main centre is the city of New Plymouth, the New Plymouth District has over 65% of the population of Taranaki. New Plymouth is in North Taranaki along with Inglewood and Waitara, South Taranaki towns include Hawera, Stratford and Etham. Since 2005, Taranaki has used the promotional brand Like no other, Taranaki is on the west coast of the North Island, surrounding the volcanic peak. The region has an area of 7258 km², the large bays north-west and south-west of Cape Egmont are the prosaically named North Taranaki Bight and South Taranaki Bight. Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont, the second highest mountain in the North Island, is the dominant feature of the region. A Māori legend says that Taranaki previously lived with the Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu mountains of the central North Island, a near-perfect cone, it last erupted in the mid-18th century. The mountain and its immediate surrounds form Egmont National Park, the mountain has two alternative official names, Mount Taranaki and Mount Egmont. The region is fertile, thanks to generous rainfall and the rich volcanic soil. Dairy farming predominates, with Fonterras Whareroa milk factory just outside of Hawera producing the largest volume of dairy ingredients from a single anywhere in the world. There are also oil and gas deposits in the region, both on- and off-shore, the Maui gas field off the south-west coast has provided most of New Zealands gas supply as well as, at one time supporting two methanol plants at Motunui. More fuel and fertiliser is produced from a well-complex at Kapuni, the way the land mass projects into the Tasman Sea with northerly, westerly and southerly exposures results in many excellent surfing and windsurfing locations, some of them considered world-class. Taranaki has a population of 116,600 as of Statistics New Zealands June 2016,2.5 percent of New Zealands population and it is the tenth most populous region of New Zealand. The median age of Taranakis population is 39.9 years, around 16.2 percent of the population is aged 65 or over while 21.1 percent is aged under 15. There are 95.7 males for every hundred females in Taranaki, just under half the residents live in New Plymouth, with Hawera being the only other town in the region with a population over 10,000. The region has had a strong Māori presence for centuries, the local iwi include Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Ruanui, Taranaki, Te Āti Awa, Nga Rauru, Ngāruahinerangi and Ngāti Tama. Around 50.2 percent of Taranakis population affiliate with Christianity and 2.7 percent affiliate with non-Christian religions, catholicism is the largest Christian denomination in Taranaki with 15.5 percent affiliating, while Anglicanism is the second-largest with 13.5 percent affiliating
8.
Manawatu-Wanganui
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Manawatu-Wanganui is a region in the lower half of the North Island of New Zealand, whose main population centres are the cities of Palmerston North and Whanganui. It is administered by the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council, which for trading purposes is known as Horizons Regional Council, although in recent years both the Whanganui River and Whanganui District have been renamed, the region is currently spelled without an h. The region covers all or part of ten territorial authority areas, parts of five of these are covered by five other regions of New Zealand, the most of any region. The largest city is Palmerston North, with a population of 85,300 and it is the only territorial authority in the region to be administered by a city council. It is also responsible for public transport, the region is dominated and defined by two significant river catchments, the Whanganui and the Manawatu. The Whanganui River, in the northwest, is the longest navigable river in New Zealand, the river was extremely important to early Māori as it was the southern link in a chain of waterways that spanned almost two-thirds of the North Island. It was one of the areas of Māori settlement with its easily fortified cliffs. Legends emphasise the importance of the river and it remains sacred to Whanganui iwi, Māori along the coast and lowland plains grew kumara and other crops. The Manawatu River runs across the centre of the region, from rolling hill country in the east to the fertile Manawatu Plains in the west. The main city of Palmerston North is located on these plains and this river is unusual, in that it passes from hill country to plains through a gorge cut into much higher country, an indication that the hills have risen since the river formed. To the southeast, a further, more populated area lies between the sources of the Manawatu River and the Pacific coast. The two river catchments have very different natures, while the open Manawatu Plains became more densely settled by Europeans, inland Ruapehu, Rangitikei and Whanganui remained more Māori-dominated, remote and independent, and is still heavily forested. As late as the 1950s the Whanganui River remained a river of mystery, since then exploitation of the rivers commercial potential has opened up the area, often causing friction with local Māori, who have long-standing grievances. Manawatu-Wanganui as a whole is one of the most important pastoral areas in New Zealand, much of Manawatu-Wanganui was fertile and bush-covered when Europeans arrived and developed the area as a source of timber. Saw milling and flax milling dominated the 19th century, followed by an influx of farmers who exploited the newly cleared ground. Deforestation, burn-offs of timber and scrub and large scale combined with overgrazing. In the early 1900s authorities realised that careful management was needed to maintain this important agricultural area, Manawatu-Wanganui takes up a large proportion of the lower half of the North Island. It is the second-largest local government region in the North Island, the region stretches from north of Taumarunui to south of Levin on the west coast, and across to the east coast from Cape Turnagain to Owhanga
9.
Wellington Region
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The Wellington Region is a local government region of New Zealand that occupies the southern end of the North Island. The region covers an area of 8,049 square kilometres, the region is named after Wellington, New Zealands capital city and regions seat. The region is administered by the Wellington Regional Council, which uses the promotional name Greater Wellington Regional Council, the Wellington Regional Council was first formed in 1980 from a merger of the Wellington Regional Planning Authority and the Wellington Regional Water Board. A proposal made in 2013 that nine territorial authorities amalgamate to form a single supercity met substantial opposition and was abandoned in June 2015. In its more restrictive sense the region refers to the cluster of built-up areas west of the Tararua ranges, the much more sparsely populated area to the east has its own name, Wairarapa, and a centre in Masterton. To a lesser extent, the Kapiti Coast is sometimes excluded from the region, Otaki in particular has strong connections to the Horowhenua District to the north. The Māori who originally settled the region knew it as Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui, legend recounts that Kupe discovered and explored the region in about the tenth century. The region was settled by Europeans in 1839 by the New Zealand Company, Wellington became the capital of Wellington Province upon the creation of the province in 1853, until the Abolition of the Provinces Act came into force on 1 Nov 1876. Wellington became capital of New Zealand in 1865, the capital after Russell. The region occupies the tip of the North Island, bounded to the west, south. The region covers 7,860 square kilometres, and extends north to Otaki, physically and topologically the region has four areas running roughly parallel along a northeast–southwest axis, The Kapiti Coast, a narrow strip of coastal plain running north from Paekakariki. It contains numerous small towns, many of which gain at least a proportion of their wealth from tourism, rough hill country inland from the Kapiti Coast, formed along the same major geologic fault responsible for the Southern Alps in the South Island. Rough hill country, lower than the Tararua Range but far less economic than the land around the Ruamahanga River and this and the other hilly striation are still largely forested. Other main centres of population are on the Kapiti Coast and in the farming areas close to the upper Ruamahanga River in the Wairarapa. Along the Kapiti Coast, numerous small towns sit close together, from the north, these include Otaki, Waikanae, Paraparaumu, the twin settlements of Raumati Beach and Raumati South, Paekakariki and Pukerua Bay, the latter being a northern suburb of Porirua. Each of these settlements has a population of between 2,000 and 10,000, making this moderately heavily populated, in the Wairarapa the largest community by a considerable margin is Masterton, with a population of almost 20,000. Other towns include Featherston, Martinborough, Carterton and Greytown, the region is by a large margin the wealthiest in the country. The most up-to-date estimates for regional GDP prepared by the Ministry for Economic Development put it at $17, at the 2006 census the region had the largest percentages of people in the four highest income groupings and the lowest percentage of residents in the loss group
10.
Tasman Region
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Tasman District is a local government district in the north of the South Island of New Zealand. It borders the West Coast Region, Marlborough Region and Nelson City and it is administered by the Tasman District Council, a unitary authority, which sits at Richmond, with community boards serving outlying communities in Motueka and Golden Bay. The city of Nelson has its own unitary authority separate from Tasman District, Tasman District is a large area at the western corner of the north end of the South Island of New Zealand. It covers 9,786 square kilometres and is bounded on the west by the Matiri Ranges, Tasman Mountains, the Victoria Ranges form Tasmans southern boundary and the districts highest point is Mount Franklin, at 2,340 metres. The landscape is diverse, from mountainous areas to valleys and plains. The limestone-rich area around Mount Owen and Mount Arthur is notable for its extensive networks, among them New Zealands deepest caves at Ellis Basin. There is abundant bush and bird life, golden beaches, the unique 40-kilometre sands of Farewell Spit. These assets make the district a popular destination for tourists, Tasman is home to three national parks, Abel Tasman National Park, Nelson Lakes National Park and Kahurangi National Park. The Maruia Falls,8 kilometres southwest of Murchison were created by the 1929 Murchison earthquake when a slip blocked the original channel, the sub-national GDP of the Nelson region was estimated at US$2.343 billion in 2003, 2% of New Zealands national GDP. Tasman Bay, the largest indentation in the north coast of the South Island, was named after Dutch seafarer, explorer and he was the first European to discover New Zealand on 13 December 1642 while on an expedition for the Dutch East India Company. Tasman Bay passed the name on to the district, which was formed in 1989 largely from the merger of Waimea. Tasman District Council headquarters are at Richmond, close to the adjoining Nelson City, the head of local government is the mayor. Community Boards exist to outlying areas in Motueka and Golden Bay. Other towns are Motueka, Brightwater, Collingwood, Murchison, Riwaka, Saint Arnaud, Takaka, Tapawera, Wakefield, Mapua, according to tradition, the Māori waka Uruao, brought ancestors of the Waitaha people to Tasman in the 12th Century. Archaeological evidence suggests the first Māori settlers explored the region thoroughly, the succession of tribes into the area suggests considerable warfare interrupted their lives. Around 1828, Ngati Toa under Te Rauparaha and the northern tribes of Ngati Rarua and Ngati Tama. They took over much of the area from Farewell Spit to the Wairau River, the first immigrant ships from England arrived in Nelson in 1842 and the European settlement of the region began under the leadership of Captain Arthur Wakefield. In the 1850s, agriculture and pastoral farming started and villages were established on the Waimea Plains, in 1856, the discovery of gold near Collingwood sparked New Zealands first gold rush
11.
Nelson, New Zealand
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Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson Region. Nelson is the oldest city in the South Island and the second-oldest settled city in New Zealand, Nelson city is bordered to the west and south-west by the Tasman District Council and the north-east, east and south-east by the Marlborough District Council. The city does not include Richmond, the areas second-largest settlement, Nelson City has a population of around 50,000, making it New Zealands 12th most populous city and the geographical centre of New Zealand. When combined with the town of Richmond which has close to 14,000 residents, Nelson is well known for its thriving local arts and crafts scene, Each year, the city hosts events popular with locals and tourists alike, such as the Nelson Arts Festival. The annual Wearable Art Awards began near Nelson and a local museum, Nelson was named in honour of the Admiral Horatio Nelson who defeated both the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Many roads and public areas around the city are named after people and ships associated with that battle, inhabitants of Nelson are referred to as Nelsonians. Nelsons Māori name, Whakatū, means build, raise, or establish, in an article to The Colonist newspaper on 16 July 1867, Francis Stevens described Nelson as The Naples of the Southern Hemisphere. Today, Nelson has the nicknames of Sunny Nelson due to its high sunshine hours per year or the Top of the South because of its geographic location, settlement of Nelson began about 700 years ago by Māori. There is evidence the earliest settlements in New Zealand are around the Nelson-Marlborough regions, the earliest recorded iwi in the Nelson district are the Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Tumatakokiri, Ngāti Apa and Rangitane tribes. Raids from northern tribes in the 1820s, led by Te Rauparaha and his Ngāti Toa, soon decimated the local population, the New Zealand Company in London planned the settlement of Nelson. They intended to buy cheaply from the Māori some 200,000 acres which they planned to divide into one thousand lots, the Company earmarked future profits to finance the free passage of artisans and labourers and their families, and for the construction of public works. However, by September 1841 only about one third of the lots had sold, despite this the Colony pushed ahead, and land was surveyed by Frederick Tuckett. Three ships sailed from London under the command of Captain Arthur Wakefield, however, after some delay, Hobson allowed the Company to investigate the Tasman Bay area at the north end of the South Island. The Company selected the now occupied by Nelson City because it had the best harbour in the area. The Company secured a vague and undetermined area from the Māori for £800 that included Nelson, Waimea and this allowed the settlement to begin, but the lack of definition would prove the source of much future conflict. The three colony ships sailed into Nelson Haven during the first week of November 1841, within 18 months the Company had sent out 18 ships with 1052 men,872 women and 1384 children. However, fewer than ninety of the settlers had the capital to start as landowners, the early settlement of Nelson province included a proportion of German immigrants, who arrived on the ship Sankt Pauli and formed the nucleus of the villages of Sarau and Neudorf. These were mostly Lutheran Protestants with a number of Bavarian Catholics
12.
Marlborough Region
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The Marlborough Region, commonly known simply as Marlborough, is one of the regions of New Zealand, located in the northeast of the South Island. Marlborough is an authority, both a region and a district, and its council is located at Blenheim. It has a population of 45,500, Marlborough is known for its dry climate, the picturesque Marlborough Sounds, and Sauvignon blanc wine. It takes its name from the earlier Marlborough Province, which was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Marlboroughs geography can be roughly divided into four sections. Two of these sections, in the south and the west, are mountainous and this is particularly true of the southern section, which rises to the peaks of the Kaikoura Ranges. These two mountainous regions are the final vestiges of the ranges that make up the Southern Alps. Between these two areas is the long valley of the Wairau River. This broadens to wide plains at its end, in the centre of which stands the town of Blenheim. This region has fertile soil and temperate weather, enabling it to become the centre of the New Zealand wine industry, the fourth geographic zone lies along its north coast. Here the drowned valleys of the Marlborough Sounds make for a convoluted, the town of Picton is located at the southern end of one of the larger sounds, Queen Charlotte Sound. The town of Havelock is located at the end of the Pelorus Sound. Blenheim is the capital and largest town, with 30,500 residents. The major towns are, Wairau Valley Marlborough is administered by a unitary authority, between 1859 and 1876 Marlborough had its own provincial government, and was known as the Marlborough Province, which ended when the Abolition of the Provinces Act came into force on 1 Nov 1876. Much of the population is found around the coastal plains around and to the south of the mouth of the Wairau. Apart from the urban areas of Blenheim and Picton, Marlboroughs towns include Havelock, Renwick, Ward. Marlboroughs world-famous former residents include rocket scientist William Pickering and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Ernest Rutherford, the sub-national GDP of the Marlborough region was estimated at US$1.193 billion in 2003, 1% of New Zealands national GDP. Marlborough can lay claim to starting the modern New Zealand wine industry, here in the late 1970s, Marlborough produced Sauvignon blanc, among other varietals, which led to confidence that New Zealand could produce interesting wine. Today, the Marlborough wine region represents 77% of total area in the country
13.
West Coast, New Zealand
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The West Coast is a region of New Zealand on the west coast of the South Island, one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is administered by the West Coast Regional Council, at the territorial authority level, the region comprises Buller District, Grey District and Westland District. The principal towns are Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika, fiordland is on the west coast, but is in the Southland Region rather than the West Coast Region. Inhabitants of the West Coast are colloquially known as Coasters, the region reaches from Kahurangi Point in the north to Awarua Point in the south, a distance of 600 km. To the west is the Tasman Sea, and to the east are the Southern Alps, much of the land is rugged, with a coastal plain where much of the population resides. The land is very scenic, with wild coastlines, mountains, scenic areas include the Haast Pass, Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki and the Heaphy Track. The region has a high rainfall due to the prevailing northwesterly wind pattern and the location of the Southern Alps. The rain shadow effect is responsible for the arid climate of the Canterbury Plains on the other side of the Southern Alps. The regions area is 23,276 km2 and it is divided into the three districts of Buller, Grey and Westland. Industries on the West Coast include mining for coal and alluvial gold, forestry and wood processing, dairy farming has grown strongly - the local dairy co-operatives Westland Milk Products remained independent when most others merged to form Fonterra in 2001. Other industries are the manufacturing and sales of greenstone jewellery, sphagnum moss gathering, the sub-national GDP of the region was estimated at US$779 million in 2003, 1% of national GDP. The region is home to Māori, who valued it for the greenstone found there in abundance, the region was only occasionally visited by Europeans until the discovery of gold near the Taramakau River in 1864 by two Māori, Ihaia Tainui and Haimona Taukau. By the end of the year there were an estimated 1800 prospectors, many of them around the Hokitika area, after that time, the population dwindled, but the main towns that still exist had become established. Following greenstone and gold, the valuable mineral was coal. Discovered near the Buller River in the mid-1840s, mining began in earnest during the 1860s, by the 1880s coal had become the region’s main industry, with mines throughout the northern half of the region, especially around Westport. Many of these continued in operation until the mid-20th century, timber has also long been a major industry, although in recent years there has been an uneasy balance between forestry for wood and forestry for conservation. Much of the region is public land administered by the Department of Conservation, ecotourism is now an important industry, and this goes hand in hand with the conservation efforts. The region is populated, especially in the south, with the 2006 census recording 31,326 inhabitants, up from 30,303 in 2001
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Canterbury, New Zealand
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Canterbury is a region of New Zealand, located in the central-eastern South Island. The region covers an area of 44,508 square kilometres, the region in its current form was established in 1989 during nationwide local government reforms. The Kaikoura District joined the region in 1992 following the abolition of the Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council, Christchurch, the South Islands largest city and the countrys third-largest urban area, is the seat of the region and home to 65 percent of the regions population. Other major towns and cities include Timaru, Ashburton, Rangiora, in 1848, Edward Gibbon Wakefield, a Briton, and John Robert Godley, an Anglo-Irish aristocrat, founded the Canterbury Association to establish an Anglican colony in the South Island. The colony was based upon theories developed by Wakefield while in prison for eloping with a woman not-of-age, due to ties to the prestigious Oxford University, the Canterbury Association succeeded in raising sufficient funds and recruiting middle-class and upper-class settlers. In April 1850, a group led by Godley landed at Port Cooper—modern-day Lyttelton Harbour—and established a port, housing. In December 1850, the first wave of 750 settlers arrived at Lyttelton in a fleet of four ships, following 1850, the provinces economy developed with the introduction of sheep farming. The Canterbury regions tussock plains in particular were suitable for sheep farming. Since they were valued by settlers for their meat and wool. By the 1860s, this figure had risen to three million, during this period, the architect Benjamin Mountfort designed many civic and ecclesiastical buildings in the Gothic Revival style. The Canterbury Province was formed in 1853 following the passing of the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 and it was formed from part of New Munster Province and covered the middle part of the South Island, stretching from the east coast to the west coast. The province was abolished, along with provinces of New Zealand. The modern Canterbury Region has slightly different boundaries, particularly in the north and it is New Zealands largest region by area, with an area of 45,346 km2. Canterbury was traditionally bounded in the north by the Conway River, to the west by the Southern Alps, the area is commonly divided into North Canterbury, Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury and Christchurch City. Canterbury is home to 600,100 people according to Statistics New Zealands June 2016,13 percent of New Zealands population and it the most populous in the South Island and the second most populous region in New Zealand. The median age of Canterburys population is 39.9 years, around 15.5 percent of the population is aged 65 or over while 18.7 percent is aged under 15. There are 97.5 males for every hundred females in Canterbury, just under 20 percent of Canterburys population was born overseas, compared to 25 percent for New Zealand as a whole. The British Isles remains the largest region of origin, accounting for 36.5 percent of the population in Canterbury
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Otago
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Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately 32,000 square kilometres and its population was 219,200 in the June 2016. The name Otago is an old Māori southern dialect word, introduced to the south by Europeans in the 1840s. Otago is also the old name of the European settlement on the Otago Harbour, established by the Weller Brothers in 1831, major centres include Dunedin, Oamaru, Balclutha, Alexandra, and the major tourist centres Queenstown and Wanaka. Kaitangata in South Otago is a prominent source of coal, the Waitaki and Clutha rivers provide much of the countrys hydroelectric power. Some parts of the area covered by Otago Province are now administered by either Canterbury Regional Council or Southland Regional Council. The Central Otago wine region produces award winning wines made from such as the Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Merlot. It has a reputation as New Zealand’s leading Pinot noir region. The Otago Province was the whole of New Zealand from the Waitaki River south, including Stewart Island and it included the territory of the later Southland Province and also the much more extensive lands of the modern Southland Region. Initial settlement was concentrated on the port and city, then expanded, notably to the south-west, the 1860s saw rapid commercial expansion after Gabriel Read discovered gold at Gabriels Gully near Lawrence, and the Central Otago goldrush ensued. Further gold discoveries at Clyde and on the Arrow River around Arrowtown led to a boom, New Zealands first daily newspaper, the Otago Daily Times, originally edited by Julius Vogel, dates from this period. New Zealands first university, the University of Otago, was founded in 1869 as the university in Dunedin. The Province of Southland separated from Otago Province and set up its own Provincial Council at Invercargill in 1861, after difficulties ensued, Otago re-absorbed it in 1870. Its territory is included in the region of the old Otago Province which is named after it and is now the territory of the Southland region. The provincial governments were abolished in 1876 when the Abolition of the Provinces Act came into force on 1 November 1876, two in Otago were named after the Scottish independence heroes Wallace and Bruce. From this time the national limelight gradually shifted northwards, beginning in the west, the geography of Otago consists of high alpine mountains. The highest peak in Otago is Mount Aspiring / Tititea, which is on the Main Divide, from the high mountains the rivers discharge into large glacial lakes. In this part of Otago glacial activity - both recent and very old - dominates the landscape, with large U shaped valleys and rivers which have high sediment loads, River flows also vary dramatically, with large flood flows occurring after heavy rain
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Southland, New Zealand
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Southland is New Zealands southernmost region. It consists mainly of the portion of the South Island. It includes Southland District, Gore District and the city of Invercargill, the region covers over 3.1 million hectares and spans over 3,400 km of coast. Southland was a scene of early extended contact between Europeans and Maori, in this case sealers, whalers and missionaries – Wohlers at Ruapuke, in 1853, Walter Mantell purchased Murihiku from local Maori iwi, claiming the land for European settlement. Over successive decades, present-day Southland and Otago were settled by large numbers of Scottish settlers, immigration to New Zealand had been precipitated by an economic depression in Scotland and a schism between the Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland. In 1852, James Menzies, leader of the Southland separatist movement, under the influence of Menzies, Southland Province seceded from Otago in 1861 following the escalation of political tensions. However, rising debt forced Southland to rejoin Otago in 1870, in the 1880s, the development of an export industry based on butter and cheese encouraged the growth of dairy farming in Southland. Consequently, the colonys first dairy factory was established at Edendale in 1882, much of this export went to the United Kingdom. The regions largest flood on 27 January 1984 led to a state of emergency being declared, evacuation of 4,000 people, Southlands two principal urban settlements are the city of Invercargill and the town of Gore. Southland covers an area of 28,681 square kilometres, in the June 2016 it had a population of 98,000, making it one of New Zealands most sparsely populated areas. The sizable western part Fiordland is almost empty of permanent human inhabitation, Southland is divided into two parliamentary electorates. The large rural electorate of Clutha-Southland, held by Todd Barclay, the seat of Invercargill is held by Sarah Dowie. Both are members of the governing National Party, Regional responsibilities are handled by the Southland Regional Council. Three Territorial Authorities fall entirely within Southland, the Invercargill City Council governs Invercargill itself, together with some adjoining rural areas. Much of the area of Southland, including all of Stewart Island/Rakiura, falls within the Southland District. The Gore District Council administers the town of the same name, in 2001, three authorities created the joint initiative agency Venture Southland which is the agency responsible for the region’s economic and community development initiatives and tourism promotion. The region is home to two parks, Fiordland National Park and Rakiura National Park. The former which covers 7,860 square kilometres, making it New Zealands largest national park, Southland also includes Stewart Island, 85% of which is covered by Rakiura National Park
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Unitary state
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The majority of states in the world have a unitary system of government. Of the 193 UN member states,165 of them are governed as unitary states, unitary states are contrasted with federal states. In a unitary state, sub-national units are created and abolished, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is an example of a unitary state. Many unitary states have no areas possessing a degree of autonomy, in such countries, sub-national regions cannot decide their own laws. Examples are the Republic of Ireland and the Kingdom of Norway, in federal states, the sub-national governments share powers with the central government as equal actors through a written constitution, to which the consent of both is required to make amendments. This means that the units have a right of existence. The United States of America is an example of a federal state, under the U. S. Constitution, powers are shared between the federal government and the states
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New Zealand
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New Zealand /njuːˈziːlənd/ is an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses—the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Māui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu—and around 600 smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal, the countrys varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealands capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland, sometime between 1250 and 1300 CE, Polynesians settled in the islands that later were named New Zealand and developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand, in 1840, representatives of Britain and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which declared British sovereignty over the islands. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire, today, the majority of New Zealands population of 4.7 million is of European descent, the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealands culture is derived from Māori and early British settlers. The official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, New Zealand is a developed country and ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as health, education, economic freedom and quality of life. Since the 1980s, New Zealand has transformed from an agrarian, Queen Elizabeth II is the countrys head of state and is represented by a governor-general. In addition, New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes, the Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau, the Cook Islands and Niue, and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealands territorial claim in Antarctica. New Zealand is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Pacific Islands Forum, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted New Zealand in 1642 and called it Staten Landt, in 1645, Dutch cartographers renamed the land Nova Zeelandia after the Dutch province of Zeeland. British explorer James Cook subsequently anglicised the name to New Zealand, Aotearoa is the current Māori name for New Zealand. It is unknown whether Māori had a name for the country before the arrival of Europeans. Māori had several names for the two main islands, including Te Ika-a-Māui for the North Island and Te Waipounamu or Te Waka o Aoraki for the South Island. Early European maps labelled the islands North, Middle and South, in 1830, maps began to use North and South to distinguish the two largest islands and by 1907, this was the accepted norm. The New Zealand Geographic Board discovered in 2009 that the names of the North Island and South Island had never been formalised and this set the names as North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui, and South Island or Te Waipounamu
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Territorial authorities of New Zealand
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Territorial authorities are the second tier of local government in New Zealand, below regional councils. There are 67 territorial authorities,12 city councils,53 district councils, Auckland Council, six territorial authorities also perform the functions of a regional council and thus are unitary authorities. A unitary authority may also have local boards, currently only Auckland Council has them, territorial authority districts are not subdivisions of regions, and some of them fall within more than one region. Taupo District has the distinction of straddling the boundaries of four different regions, Regional council areas are based on water catchment areas, whereas territorial authorities are based on community of interest and road access. Some activities are delegated to council-controlled organisations, the boundaries of councils tended to follow the edge of the built-up area, so little distinction was made between the urban area and the local government area. Regional councils were reduced in number from 20 to 13, territorial authorities from 200 to 75, the new district and city councils were generally much larger and most covered substantial areas of both urban and rural land. Many places that once had a city council were now being administered by a district council, as a result, the term city began to take on two meanings. The word city came to be used in a formal sense to describe major urban areas independent of local body boundaries. This informal usage is jealously guarded, gisborne, for example, adamantly described itself as the first city in the world to see the new millennium. Gisborne is administered by a council, but its status as a city is not generally disputed. Under the current law the minimum population for a new city is 50,000, since the 1989 reorganisations, there have been few major reorganisations or status changes in local government. Incomplete list,1991, Invercargill re-proclaimed a city,1992, Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council abolished by a Local Government Amendment Act. Of its territorial authorities, Kaikoura District was transferred to the Canterbury Region,2004, Tauranga became a city again on 1 March. 2006, Banks Peninsula District merged into Christchurch City as a result of 2005 referendum,2010, Auckland Council, a unitary authority, replaced seven local councils and the regional council. Reports on completed reorganisation proposals since 1999 are available on the Local Government Commissions site, the split areas as well as the current North Shore City would form a Waitemata local council. Waitakere local council would consist of the current Waitakere City as well as the Avondale area, tamaki Makaurau would consist of the current Auckland City and Otahuhu Manukau local council would consist of the urban parts of the current Manukau City and of the Papakura District. Hunua local council would consist of the entire Franklin District, much of which is currently in the Waikato Region, along with areas of the current Papakura District. The entire Papakura District would be dissolved between urban and rural councils, the National-led Government responded within about a week
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Politics of New Zealand
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The politics of New Zealand function within a framework of a unitary parliamentary representative democracy. New Zealand is a monarchy in which a hereditary monarch—since 6 February 1952, Queen Elizabeth II—is the sovereign. Executive power in New Zealand is based on the principle that The Queen reigns, the Prime Minister is the highest government minister, chair of the cabinet and head of government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of New Zealand. The office of minister is, in practice, the most powerful political office in New Zealand. Government ministers are selected from the members of the New Zealand Parliament. The country has a multi-party system in many of its legislative practices derive from the unwritten conventions of. However, New Zealand has evolved variations, minority governments are common and typically dependent on confidence, the two dominant political parties in New Zealand have historically been the New Zealand Labour Party and the New Zealand National Party. New Zealand has no formal codified constitution, the constitutional framework consists of a mixture of various documents, the Constitution Act in 1852 established the system of government and these were later consolidated in 1986. The Constitution Act describes the three branches of Government in New Zealand, The Executive, the legislature and the judiciary, Elizabeth II is the current Queen of New Zealand and the Realm of New Zealands head of state. While Royal assent and the royal sign-manual are required to enact laws, letters patent, and Orders in Council, the authority for these acts stems from the New Zealand populace. Since the Queen is not usually resident in New Zealand, the functions of the monarchy are conducted by the Governor-General, as of September 2016, the Governor-General is Dame Patsy Reddy. The Governor-Generals powers are primarily symbolic and formal in nature, the Governor-General formally has the power to appoint and dismiss Prime Ministers and to dissolve Parliament, and also formally signs legislation into law after passage by Parliament. The Governor-General chairs the Executive Council, which is a committee consisting of all ministers of the Crown. Members of the Executive Council are required to be members of parliament, the prime minister, being the de facto leader of New Zealand, exercises executive functions that are nominally vested in the sovereign. Cabinet is directly responsible to the New Zealand Parliament, from which its members are derived, general elections are held every three years, with the last one in September 2014. National won the 2008 election ending nine years of Labour-led government, former National leader John Key formed a minority government, negotiating agreements with the ACT party, the United Future party and the Māori Party. The leaders of each of these parties hold ministerial posts but remain outside of cabinet, there are currently three parties in opposition, the Labour Party, the Green Party, and New Zealand First. The leader of the opposition is Andrew Little, who is Leader of the Labour Party, New Zealands main legislative body is a unicameral parliament known as the House of Representatives
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Constitution of New Zealand
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The Constitution of New Zealand is the sum of laws and principles that make up the body politic of the realm. It concerns the relationship between the individual and the state, and the functioning of government, unlike many other nations, New Zealand has no single constitutional document. New Zealand is a monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. This system is based on the Westminster system, although that term is increasingly inapt given constitutional developments particular to New Zealand. The head of state, the monarch of New Zealand is represented in the Realm of New Zealand by the Governor-General and is the source of executive, judicial and legislative power. The New Zealand constitution is uncodified and is to be found in legal documents, in decisions of the courts. It reflects and establishes that New Zealand is a monarchy, that it has a system of government. It increasingly reflects the fact that the Treaty of Waitangi is regarded as a document of government in New Zealand. The constitution must also be seen in its context, because New Zealand governmental institutions must increasingly have regard to international obligations. The Constitution Act 1986 describe the three branches of Government in New Zealand, The Executive, the legislature and the judiciary, New Zealand is a constitutional or limited monarchy. The British Crown and New Zealand Crown are thus legally distinct, part one of the Constitution Act 1986 describes The Sovereign, the reigning monarch, as New Zealands head of state. This means that the head of state of the United Kingdom under the Act of Settlement 1701 is also the head of state of New Zealand. Under the Imperial Laws Application Act 1988, however, the Act of Settlement is deemed a New Zealand Act, there have occasionally been proposals to abolish the monarchy and establish a republic. Unlike its neighbour Australia, New Zealand has not yet held a referendum on the matter, opinion polls, however, have shown that a majority of New Zealanders favour keeping the monarchy. The Sovereigns representative in and over the Realm of New Zealand is the Governor-General, the Office is largely ceremonial, although the Governor-General holds a number of so-called reserve powers. The Office is nominally non-partisan, the Prime Minister advises the Sovereign who to appoint as the Governor-General, increasingly, the Governor-General represents New Zealand abroad and is accorded the same respect and privileges of a head of state. It can be argued that the de facto head of state is the Governor-General while the de jure head of state remains the Sovereign, the current Governor-General is Her Excellency the Right Honourable Dame Patsy Reddy, GNZM, QSO, DStJ. New Zealands legislative, executive and judicial function in accordance with the Constitution Act 1986 and various unwritten conventions
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The Crown
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The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their sub-divisions, although the term is not only a metonym for the State. The Crown is a sole that represents the legal embodiment of executive, legislative. These monarchies are united by the union of their monarch. The concept of the Crown developed first in the Kingdom of England as a separation of the crown and property of the nation state from the person. The concept spread through English and later British colonisation and is now rooted in the lexicon of the other 15 independent realms. In this context it should not be confused with any physical crown, the concept of the Crown took form under the feudal system. Though not used this way in all countries that had this system, in England, all rights, land, for instance, was granted by the Crown to lords in exchange for feudal services and they, in turn, granted the land to lesser lords. One exception to this was common socage—owners of land held as socage held it only to the Crown. The Crown as ultimate owner of all property also owns any property which has become bona vacantia, the monarch is the living embodiment of the Crown and, as such, is regarded as the personification of the state. He office cannot exist without the office-holder, the Crown also represents the legal embodiment of executive, legislative, and judicial governance. While the Crowns legal personality is usually regarded as a sole, it can, at least for some purposes. Historically, the Crown was considered to be indivisible, two judgments—Ex parte Indian Association of Alberta and Ex parte Quark —challenged that view. The Crown in each of the Commonwealth realms is a similar, because both Canada and Australia are federations, there are also crowns in right of each Canadian province and each Australian state. The Succession to the Crown Law 2013 defined the Crown, for the purposes of implementing the Perth Agreement in Jersey law, as the Crown in right of the Bailiwick of Jersey. Legislation in the Isle of Man also defines the Crown in right of the Isle of Man as being separate from the Crown in right of the United Kingdom and this constitutional concept is also worded as the Crown in right of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The reserve powers of the Crown for each territory are no longer considered to be exercisable on the advice of the UK government, often cases are brought by the Crown according to the complaint of a claimant. The title of the case follows the pattern of R v Y. Thus R v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union is R v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, where Miller is Gina Miller, in Scotland, criminal prosecutions are undertaken by the Lord Advocate in the name of the Crown
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Monarchy of New Zealand
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The Crown is the foundation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the New Zealand government, which is a Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. Most of the powers are exercised by the elected parliamentarians, the ministers of the Crown generally drawn from amongst them. The New Zealand monarchy has its roots in the British Crown, from which it has evolved to become a distinctly New Zealand institution, however, the Queen is the only member of the Royal Family with any constitutional role. New Zealand shares the same monarch with the other 15 monarchies in the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations, supports of the monarchy argue it costs New Zealand taxpayers only a small outlay for royal engagements and tours and the expenses of the governor-generals establishment. Monarchy New Zealand states his figure is one dollar per person per year. Thus, New Zealands line of succession remains identical to that of the United Kingdom, as such, the rules for succession are not fixed, but may be changed by a constitutional amendment. The Constitution Act 1986 specifies that should a regent be installed in the United Kingdom, upon a demise of the Crown, the late sovereigns heir immediately and automatically succeeds, without any need for confirmation or further ceremony—hence arises the phrase The King is dead. It is customary, though, for the accession of the new monarch to be proclaimed by the governor-general on behalf of the Executive Council of New Zealand. Following an appropriate period of mourning, the monarch is crowned in the United Kingdom in an ancient ritual. After an individual ascends the throne, he or she continues to reign until death. One of the first post-Second World War examples of New Zealands status as an independent monarchy was the alteration of the title by the Royal Titles Act 1953. This is one of the key differences from the Queens role in England and this is done in reciprocation to the sovereigns Coronation Oath, wherein he or she promises to govern the Peoples of. According to their laws and customs. Though this power stems from the people, all New Zealanders live under the authority of the monarch, the government of New Zealand is defined by the constitution as the Queen acting on the advice of her Executive Council. In the construct of constitutional monarchy and responsible government, the advice tendered is typically binding, meaning the monarch reigns. The Royal Prerogative also extends to foreign affairs, the sovereign or the governor-general conducts treaties, alliances, the governor-general, on behalf of the Queen, also accredits New Zealand high commissioners and ambassadors, and receives similar diplomats from foreign states. In addition, the issuance of passports falls under the Royal Prerogative, the Crown is further responsible for summoning, proroguing, and dissolving the House of Representatives, after which the governor-general usually calls for a general election. The sovereign is responsible for rendering justice for all her subjects, however, she does not personally rule in judicial cases, instead the judicial functions of the Royal Prerogative are performed in trust and in the Queens name by Officers of Her Majestys Court
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Elizabeth II
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Elizabeth II has been Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand since 6 February 1952. Elizabeth was born in London as the eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936, from which time she was the heir presumptive. She began to undertake duties during the Second World War. Elizabeths many historic visits and meetings include a visit to the Republic of Ireland. She has seen major changes, such as devolution in the United Kingdom, Canadian patriation. She has reigned through various wars and conflicts involving many of her realms and she is the worlds oldest reigning monarch as well as Britains longest-lived. In October 2016, she became the longest currently reigning monarch, in 2017 she became the first British monarch to commemorate a Sapphire Jubilee. Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and press criticism of the family, however, support for the monarchy remains high. Elizabeth was born at 02,40 on 21 April 1926, during the reign of her paternal grandfather and her father, Prince Albert, Duke of York, was the second son of the King. Her mother, Elizabeth, Duchess of York, was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and she was delivered by Caesarean section at her maternal grandfathers London house,17 Bruton Street, Mayfair. Elizabeths only sibling, Princess Margaret, was born in 1930, the two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess, Marion Crawford, who was casually known as Crawfie. Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature and music, Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margarets childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to the dismay of the royal family. The book describes Elizabeths love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, others echoed such observations, Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant and her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved. During her grandfathers reign, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the throne, behind her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales, and her father, the Duke of York. Although her birth generated public interest, she was not expected to become queen, many people believed that he would marry and have children of his own. When her grandfather died in 1936 and her uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second-in-line to the throne, later that year, Edward abdicated, after his proposed marriage to divorced socialite Wallis Simpson provoked a constitutional crisis. Consequently, Elizabeths father became king, and she became heir presumptive, if her parents had had a later son, she would have lost her position as first-in-line, as her brother would have been heir apparent and above her in the line of succession
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Governor-General of New Zealand
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The Governor-General of New Zealand is the viceregal representative of the monarch of New Zealand, currently Queen Elizabeth II. The office is mandated by letters patent and the officeholder is formally titled the Governor-General, when travelling abroad, the governor-general is seen as the representative of New Zealand, and of the Queen of New Zealand. For this reason, the governor-general is viewed by some as the de facto head of state, under the Niue Constitution Act, the governor-general also represents the monarch in Niue. The governor-general initially represented the British monarch and the government of the United Kingdom, therefore, many officeholders have been British statesmen. In 1972, Sir Denis Blundell became the first New Zealand resident to be appointed to the office, governors-general are not appointed for a specific term, but are generally expected to serve for five years. The current Governor-General is Dame Patsy Reddy, who has served since 28 September 2016, administrative support for the governor-general is provided by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Appointment to the Office is made by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Prime Ministers advice has sometimes been the result of a decision by Cabinet, although there is no requirement for this. The appointment of Anand Satyanand met with the approval of every leader in the House of Representatives, by convention the Leader of the Opposition is also consulted on the appointment, however this too has not always been the case. This suggestion was in turn criticised by the Government, as Sir Edmund had backed Labour in 1975 as part of the Citizens for Rowling campaign, however, the right granted by the convention was not exercised directly by a New Zealand Prime Minister until 1967. Although non-partisan while in office, there have been a number of appointments of Governors-General to the office that have attracted considerable controversy, despite their political backgrounds, neither of these appointments could be said to have discharged their duties in a partisan way. There has often been speculation that a member of the Royal Family might take up the position, before the Governor-General enters office, his or her commission of appointment is publicly read in the presence of the Chief Justice of New Zealand and the members of the Executive Council. The Governor-General must take the Oath of Allegiance and the oath for the due execution of the office, from time to time, there have been proposals to elect the Governor-General. When first drafted by then Governor George Grey, the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 contained provision for the Governor to be elected by New Zealands Parliament. This provision was removed from the enactment, probably because the Colonial Office wanted to keep a check on New Zealands colonial government. In 1887 Sir George Grey, by then also a former Premier, the Bill was narrowly defeated 46–48, being opposed by the government of Harry Atkinson. In 2006 political commentator Colin James suggested that the Governor-General could be elected by a 60% majority of votes cast in Parliament, James argued that the New Zealand public should be given the ability to choose the Queens representative, and that the current system is undemocratic and not transparent. National MP Nikki Kaye queried whether several one-member parties in parliament could veto the decision, the Republican Movement responded that the method would ensure appointments were made that most MPs and parties found acceptable. The Governor-General holds office at the pleasure of the Queen, under clause II of the Letters Patent
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Realm of New Zealand
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The Realm of New Zealand is the entire area in which the Queen of New Zealand is head of state. New Zealand is an independent, sovereign state and it has one Antarctic territorial claim, the Ross Dependency, one dependent territory, Tokelau, and two associated states, the Cook Islands and Niue. The King/Queen of New Zealand, represented by the Governor-General of New Zealand, is head of state throughout the Realm of New Zealand, the exact scope of the realm is defined by the 1983 Letters Patent constituting the office of Governor-General. It constitutes one of 16 realms within the Commonwealth, the Cook Islands and Niue became New Zealands first Pacific colonies in 1901 and then protectorates. From 1965 the Cooks were self-governing, so was Niue from 1974, Tokelau came under New Zealand control in 1925 and remains a non-self-governing territory. The British government took possession of territory in 1923 and entrusted it to the administration of New Zealand. Neither Russia nor the United States recognises this claim, and the matter is left unresolved by the Antarctic Treaty and it is largely uninhabited, apart from scientific bases. New Zealand citizenship law treats all parts of the realm equally, so most people born in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, further conditions apply for those born from 2006 onwards. A governor-general represents the head of state in the area of the realm, essentially, Governors-General take on all the dignities and reserve powers of the head of state. From 31 August 2011 until 31 August 2016 the Governor-General was Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, dame Patsy Reddy was appointed to assume the position on 14 September 2016. The Realm of New Zealand is not a federation or a sovereign state. Both the Cook Islands and Niue are self-governing states in association with New Zealand. As such, the Parliament of New Zealand is not empowered to pass legislation in respect of these states. In foreign affairs and defence issues New Zealand acts on behalf of these countries, as the Governor-General is resident in New Zealand, the Cook Islands Constitution provides for the distinct position of Queens Representative. This individual is not subordinate to the Governor-General and acts as the representative of the Queen in right of New Zealand. Since 2013, Tom Marsters is the Queens Representative to the Cook Islands and this arrangement effectively allows for the de facto independent actions of internal and most external areas of governance. According to Niues Constitution of 1974, the Governor-General of New Zealand acts as the Queens representative, in the Cook Islands and Niue the New Zealand High Commissioner is the diplomatic representative from New Zealand. John Carter is the New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, mark Blumsky was the New Zealand High Commissioner to Niue from 2010 until he was replaced by Ross Ardern in early 2014
27.
Government of New Zealand
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The Government of New Zealand, formally Her Majestys Government in New Zealand, is the administrative complex through which authority is exercised in New Zealand. As in most parliamentary democracies, the term Government refers chiefly to the executive branch, based on the principle of responsible government, it operates within the framework that the Queen reigns, but the government rules, so long as it has the support of the House of Representatives. The position of Prime Minister, New Zealands head of government, in practice, the Prime Minister is determined by size of each political party, support agreements between parties and leadership votes in the party that leads the Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are formally appointed by the Governor-General, however, the Prime Minister chooses the Cabinet, and by convention, the Governor-General respects the Prime Ministers choices. Cabinet ministers are drawn from elected members of the Prime Ministers party in the House of Representatives, a few more ministers are part of the Executive Council but are outside Cabinet. Most ministers have a portfolio of specific responsibilities such as departments or policy areas, the Prime Minister exercises vast political power, especially in the appointment of government officials and civil servants. The Queen of New Zealand is head of state but plays little part in governing the country, however, the legal authority of the state that is vested in the monarch, known as the Crown, remains the source of the executive power exercised by the Government. The Governor-General presides over the Executive Council, but is not a member, New Zealand had been granted responsible government in 1853 following the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, which was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Governments were set up at state and at level, with initially six provinces. The provinces were abolished by the Abolition of Provinces Act 1876, for the purposes of the Act, the provinces formally ceased to exist on 1 January 1877. The first government that formed along political lines did not appear until 1891, when John Ballance formed the Liberal Party and the Liberal Government. The current Government of New Zealand is the Fifth National Government, led by Prime Minister John Key from 2008 until 12 December 2016, the National Party has parliamentary support from the Māori Party, United Future and ACT. Politics of New Zealand, for a description of jurisdictions, politics. Judiciary of New Zealand Westminster system
28.
Executive Council of New Zealand
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The Executive Council of New Zealand is the full group of responsible advisers to the Governor-General of New Zealand on state and constitutional affairs. All Government ministers must be appointed as Executive Councillors before they are appointed as ministers, the Governor-General signs a warrant of appointment for each member of the Executive Council, and separate warrants for each ministerial portfolio. To be an Executive Councillor, one must normally be a Member of Parliament, however, one may serve up to thirty days without being an MP, this is to allow for the transition of members not yet sworn in and members who have retired or been defeated. Each Executive Councillor must take the relevant oaths or affirmations set out in legislation, any three members of the Executive Council constitute a quorum. It has a similar to that served by the Privy Council in the United Kingdom. The authority for its existence is provided by Letters Patent, according to the New Zealand Cabinet Manual 2008, The Executive Council, which is constituted by the Letters Patent, is the highest formal instrument of government. It is the institution through which the government collectively and formally advises the Governor-General, action by the Governor-General in Council requires two elements, a. A recommendation by a Minister or Ministers, and b. the advice, Orders in Council are the main method, apart from Acts of Parliament, by which the government implements decisions that require the force of law. Meetings of the Executive Council are called for the purpose of making such Orders, the submission of almost all items for consideration by the Executive Council must be authorised by Cabinet. The Executive Council meets every Monday to sign Orders in Council, the Clerk also countersigns any Order in Council, proclamation, or other legal instrument issued by the Governor-General. The Executive Council was created to advise the Governor-General, it was the counterpart to the Legislative Council, the Governor-General presides over, but is not a member of, the Executive Council. Most of the powers vested in the Governor-General, such as appointments of officials, are exercisable only under advice from the Executive Council. The Governor-General is bound by convention to follow the advice, members of the Executive Council are referred to as Ministers of the Crown, which is not equivalent to being a Cabinet Minister. Their appointment as members of the Council gives them the authority to executive power. However, this is not always the case, one of the first instances in which a Minister of the Crown did not hold a seat in Cabinet occurred when David Lange served as Attorney-General from 1989 to 1990 after resigning as Prime Minister. There have also been Ministers without Portfolio, e. g. Mark Fagan from 1935 to 1939 and he was followed by David Wilson from 1939 to 1949, who was Minister of Immigration 1940-44. They were members of the Legislative Council, but not of the Lower House, constitution of New Zealand Executive Council Privy Council Information on the Executive Council at the website of the New Zealand Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Executive Council paragraphs 1.18 through 1.29 of the New Zealand Cabinet Manual 2008, setting out the composition, powers, and responsibilities of the Council
29.
Cabinet of New Zealand
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The Cabinet of New Zealand is a council of senior Government ministers, responsible to the New Zealand Parliament. Cabinet meetings, chaired by the Prime Minister, occur once a week where vital issues are discussed, the Cabinet has significant power in the New Zealand political system and nearly all bills proposed by the Cabinet in Parliament are enacted. All Cabinet ministers also serve as members of the Executive Council, outside the Cabinet, there is an outer ministry and also a number of non-Cabinet ministers, responsible for a specific policy area and reporting directly to a senior Cabinet minister. No legislative act established the Cabinet, rather, it exists purely by constitutional convention and this convention carries sufficient weight for many official declarations and regulations to refer to the Cabinet, and a government department exists with responsibility for supporting it. Although Cabinet lacks any direct legislative framework for its existence, the Cabinet Manual has become the official document which governs its functions, the structure of Cabinet has as its basis the formal institution known as the Executive Council. Most Ministers hold membership of both bodies, but some Executive Councillors – known as ministers outside Cabinet – do not have Cabinet positions, the convention of members of the Executive Council meeting separately from the Governor began during Edward Staffords first tenure as Premier. Stafford, an advocate of responsible government in New Zealand, believed the colonial government should have full control over all its affairs. Because the Governor chaired the Executive Council, Stafford intentionally met with his ministers without the Governor present, all ministers have the style of The Honourable, except for the Prime Minister, who is styled The Right Honourable. The lack of legislation establishing Cabinet leaves the powers of its members only loosely defined. The Cabinet generally directs and controls policy and is responsible to Parliament and it also has significant influence over lawmaking. Convention regarding the Cabinets authority has considerable force, and generally strong enough to bind its participants. Theoretically, each minister operates independently, having received a ministerial warrant over a field from the Crown. But the Governor-General can dismiss a minister at any time, conventionally on the advice of the Prime Minister, Cabinet itself acts as the accepted forum for establishing this framework. This has become known as the doctrine of collective responsibility, problems arise when the Prime Minister breaches collective responsibility. On the other hand, a Prime Minister who tries to act against concerted opposition from his Cabinet risks losing the confidence of his party colleagues. An example is former Prime Minister David Lange, who spoke against a tax reform package which was sponsored by then-Finance Minister Roger Douglas. Lange dismissed Douglas, but when the Cabinet supported Douglas against Lange, Lange himself resigned as Prime Minister, the Cabinet typically meets weekly in the Beehive, where it discusses important political issues. The Prime Minister usually chairs the meeting and sets the agenda, a Cabinet Committee comprises a subset of the larger Cabinet, consisting of a number of ministers who have responsibility in related areas of policy
30.
Fifth National Government of New Zealand
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The Fifth National Government of New Zealand is the current government of New Zealand, taking office on 19 November 2008. It is led by Prime Minister Bill English, after the 2008 general election the National Party and its allies were able to form a government, taking over from Helen Clarks Fifth Labour Government. It was subsequently reformed after the 2011 general election with a number of seats. The Government has confidence and supply agreements with the parties, ACT, United Future. The National Party also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Green Party after the 2008 election, the Government was elected in the context of the late 2000s recession. In November 2009, a version of the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme was adopted. Personal tax cuts, reducing taxes on all income, the top tax rate was lowered from 39% to 38%. Abolished the Loss Attributing Qualifying Company tax structure, which had allowed individuals to reduce their income tax by off setting their LAQCs losses. Increased GST from 12. 5% to 15% in October 2010, increased the minimum wage from $12.00 per hour to $13.00 per hour in its first term, and to $14.25 in its second term. This represents a nominal 3. 1% average annual increase, significantly lower than the previous governments nominal 7. 9% annual average increase, suspended payments to the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. Introduced the nine-day working fortnight for businesses who were considering laying off staff, the minimum employee and minimum employer contributions were raised to 3% in April 2013. The plans to sell down Solid Energy were later axed due to the poor financial position. A citizens-initiated referendum on the sell-downs returned a 67. 3% vote in opposition, repealed the Electoral Finance Act 2007 Introduced the Governor-General Act 2010, to reform the Governor-Generals salary and allowances. A Constitutional Review starting in 2011, in 2010 the bill was extended to all employers. Allowed employees to cash in their week of annual leave, employees can now take 3 weeks holiday. The fourth week of leave was introduced by the previous government. A lifetime limit on student loans was introduced, if a student has studied more than 7 EFTS within their lifetime the student can no longer take out any further loans. Students receiving New Zealand Superannuation Fund payments or Veterans Pension can no longer receive the Student Allowance at the same time
31.
Prime Minister of New Zealand
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The Prime Minister of New Zealand is the head of government of New Zealand. The current prime minister is Bill English of the National Party, the prime minister is the most senior government minister, and chairs cabinet meetings. The office exists by a convention, which originated in New Zealands former colonial power. The convention stipulates that the Governor-General of New Zealand must select as prime minister the person most likely to command the confidence of the House of Representatives and this individual is typically the leader of the political party that holds the largest number of seats in that chamber. The title prime minister had made its first formal appearance in the 1873 Schedule of the Civil List Act and this was changed in 1869 to premier. That title remained in use for more than 30 years, being changed by Richard Seddon to prime minister in 1901 during his tenure in office. Following the declaration of New Zealand as a dominion in 1907, the office of prime minister is not defined by codified laws, but by unwritten customs known as constitutional conventions which developed in Britain and were replicated in New Zealand. The Prime Minister is leader of the cabinet, and takes a coordinating role, the Cabinet Manual 2008 provides an outline of the prime ministers powers and responsibilities. The post of minister is, like other ministerial positions. However, the convention has long since established that the prime minister must have. Historically, this has meant that the prime minister is the parliamentary leader of the largest political party in the House of Representatives. By constitutional convention, the minister holds formal power to advise the sovereign. As head of government, the prime minister alone has the right to advise the governor-general to, Appoint, dismiss, call elections by advising the governor-general to dissolve parliament. The governor-general may reject the advice to dissolve parliament if the minister has recently lost a vote of confidence. The prime minister is regarded by convention as first among equals and they do hold the most senior post in government, but are also required to adhere to any decisions taken by cabinet, as per the convention of cabinet collective responsibility. The ability to appoint and dismiss ministers, furthermore, the MMP electoral system has complicated this, as the prime minister may have to consult with another party leader. The influence a prime minister is likely to have as leader of the dominant party and these powers may give more direct control over subordinates than is attached to the prime ministers role. The power gained simply from being central to most significant decision-making, in addition, like all other ministers and members of parliament, the prime minister receives annual allowances for travel and lodging, as do the prime ministers spouse and children
32.
Bill English
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Simon William Bill English is the 39th Prime Minister of New Zealand and leader of the National Party, having taken office on 12 December 2016. He was previously Deputy Prime Minister from 2008 to 2016, a farmer and public servant before entering politics, English was elected to parliament in 1990 as the National Partys candidate in the Wallace electorate. He was elevated to cabinet in 1996 and in 1999 was made Minister of Finance, in October 2001, English replaced Jenny Shipley as the leader of the National Party. The party lost the 2002 general election, and in October 2003 he was replaced as leader by Don Brash, in November 2006, after Don Brashs resignation, English became deputy leader under John Key. After Nationals victory at the 2008 general election, English became Deputy Prime Minister and was also made Minister for Finance for a second time and he became a list-only MP after retiring as an electorate MP at the 2014 general election. In December 2016, John Key announced his intention to resign as prime minister and he endorsed English as his replacement, and English won the resulting leadership election unopposed. English is the second-youngest of 12 children of Mervyn English and Norah English and his parents purchased Rosedale, a mixed sheep and cropping farm in Dipton, Southland from Mervyns uncle, Vincent English, a bachelor, in 1944. English was born in the town of Lumsden. He attended St Thomass School in Winton, then boarded at St. Patricks College in Upper Hutt and he played in the first XV of the schools rugby team. After finishing his studies, English returned to Dipton and farmed for a few years, English joined the National Party in 1980, while at Victoria University. He served for a period as chairman of the Southland branch of the Young Nationals, after moving to Wellington, he served for periods on the Island Bay and Miramar electorate committees, respectively. At the 1990 general election, English stood as the National candidate in Wallace, replacing the retiring Derek Angus, and was elected with a large majority. He and three newly elected National MPs were soon identified as rising stars in New Zealand politics, and at various points were dubbed the brat pack, the gang of four. In his first term in parliament, English chaired a committee into social services. He was made a parliamentary under-secretary in 1993, serving under the Minister of Health, in early 1996, English was elevated to cabinet by Prime Minister Jim Bolger, becoming the Minister for Crown Health Enterprises and Associate Minister of Education. He was 34 at the time, becoming the cabinets youngest member, after the 1996 general election, the National Party was forced into a coalition with New Zealand First to retain government. In the resulting cabinet reshuffle, English emerged as Minister of Health, however, as a condition of the coalition agreement, NZ Firsts Neil Kirton was made Associate Minister of Health, effectively becoming Englishs deputy. This arrangement was described in the press as a shotgun marriage, after their relationship became unworkable, Kirton was sacked from the role in August 1997, with the agreement of NZ First leader Winston Peters
33.
Public sector organisations in New Zealand
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Public sector organisations in New Zealand comprise the state sector organisations plus those of local government. Within the state lies the state services, and within this lies the core public service. Disestablished in 1995 after failing to achieve financial viability, see, Education in New Zealand State-owned tertiary institutions consist of universities, colleges of education, polytechnics and wānanga. In addition there are numerous non-state-owned private training establishments and these are all also known as local authorities
34.
New Zealand Parliament
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The New Zealand Parliament is the legislative branch of New Zealand, consisting of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives. Before 1951, there was a chamber, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The Parliament was established in 1854 and is one of the oldest continuously functioning parliaments in the world, the House of Representatives is a democratically elected body whose members are known as Members of Parliament. It usually consists of 120 MPs, though sometimes due to overhang seats. 70 MPs are elected directly in electorate seats and the remainder are filled by list MPs based on each partys share of the party vote, Māori were represented in Parliament from 1867, and in 1893 women gained the vote. New Zealand does not allow sentenced prisoners to vote, the Parliament is closely linked to the executive branch. The House of Representatives has met in the Parliament Buildings located in Wellington, Parliament funds the broadcast of its proceedings through Parliament TV, AM Network and Parliament Today. It was based on the Westminster model and had a house, called the House of Representatives. The members of the House of Representatives were elected under the first-past-the-post voting system, originally Councillors were appointed for life, but later their terms were fixed at seven years. In 1951, the Council was abolished altogether, making the New Zealand legislature unicameral, under the Constitution Act, legislative power was also conferred on New Zealands provinces, each of which had its own elected Legislative Council. These provincial legislatures were able to legislate for their provinces on most subjects, over a twenty-year period, political power was progressively centralised, and the provinces were abolished altogether in 1876. Four Māori electorates were created in 1867 during the term of the 4th Parliament, originally the New Zealand Parliament remained subordinate to the British Parliament, the supreme legislative authority for the entire British Empire. One historical speciality of the New Zealand Parliament was the country quota, from 1889 on, districts were weighted according to their urban/rural split. The country quota was in effect until it was abolished in 1945 by a mostly urban-elected Labour government, the New Zealand Parliament is sovereign with no institution able to over-ride its decisions. The ability of Parliament to act is, legally, unimpeded, for example, the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 is a normal piece of legislation, it is not superior law as codified constitutions are in some other countries. The only thing Parliament is limited in its power are on some entrenched issues relating to elections and these issues require either 75% of all MPs to support the bill or a referendum on the issue. The Queen of New Zealand is one of the components of Parliament—formally called the Queen-in-Parliament and this results from the role of the monarch to sign into law the bills that have been passed by the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives was established as a house and has been the Parliaments sole chamber since 1951
35.
51st New Zealand Parliament
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The 51st New Zealand Parliament was elected at the 2014 general election. This Parliament consists of 121 members and will be in place from September 2014 until the New Zealand general election,2017, following the final vote count John Key was able to continue to lead the Fifth National Government. The Parliament was elected using a proportional representation voting system. Members of Parliament represent 71 geographical electorates,16 in the South Island,48 in the North Island and 7 Māori electorates, the remaining members were elected from party lists using the Sainte-Laguë method to realise proportionality. The number of electorates was increased from 70 at the previous election. The Representation Commission is tasked with reviewing electorate boundaries every five years following each New Zealand census, the last review was undertaken in 2007 following the 2006 census, and the electorate boundaries determined then were used in both the 2008 and 2011 general elections. The next census was scheduled for 8 March 2011, but it was postponed due to the disruption caused by the 2011 Christchurch earthquake on 22 February. The boundaries were based on population distribution and the Māori electoral option. At the 2011 election, there were 47 North Island general electorates and seven Māori electorates, following significant consultation final boundaries were released by the Representation Commission on 17 April 2014. The 2014 general election was conducted under these boundaries on 20 September 2014, the increase in population in the Auckland region as recorded in the 2013 census meant an extra electorate was required to keep all electorates within five percent of their quota. Boundaries within Christchurch changed substantially, with several electorates growing and decreasing due to population movement around the city since the 2010–11 Christchurch earthquakes. In particular a dramatic change was seen in the electorates of Christchurch East, Christchurch Central and Port Hills with lesser changes in Selwyn, Wigram, the tables below show the members of the 51st Parliament based on preliminary counts of the 2014 general election. The National Party won 47. 04% of the vote, entitling it to 60 seats, as it won 41 electorates, an additional 19 members were taken from the party list. After the resignation of Northland MP Mike Sabin a by-election was held, the partys share of seats was reduced to 59. 15 new National Party members were elected, nine from electorates,45 members from the 50th Parliament were returned. The Labour Party won 25. 13% of the vote, entitling it to 32 seats, as it won 27 electorates, an additional 5 members were taken from the party list. After the resignation of David Shearer in 2017, the share of seats was reduced to 31 until Raymond Huo was sworn in in March 2017. Three new Labour Party members were elected from the list,29 members from the 50th Parliament were returned
36.
New Zealand House of Representatives
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The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand together constitute the New Zealand Parliament, the House of Representatives passes all laws, provides ministers to form a cabinet, and supervises the work of the Government. It is also responsible for adopting the states budgets and approving the states accounts, the House of Representatives is a wholly democratically elected body, usually consisting of 120 members known as Members of Parliament. Members are elected for limited terms, holding office until Parliament is dissolved, a government is formed from the party or coalition with the majority of MPs. If no majority is then a minority government can be formed with a confidence. The chamber was created by the British New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, which established a legislature, however the upper chamber. Parliament received full control over all New Zealand affairs in 1947 with the passage of the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act, the seat of the House of Representatives is Parliament House in Wellington, the capital city. The House of Representatives takes the House of Commons of the United Kingdom as its model, the New Zealand Parliament is based on the Westminster system. As a democratic institution, the role of the House of Representatives is to provide representation for the people. The executive branch of the New Zealand government draws its membership exclusively from the House of Representatives, although it does not elect the Prime Minister, the position of the parties in the House of Representatives is of overriding importance. By convention, a minister is answerable to, and must maintain the support of. Thus, whenever the office of prime minister falls vacant, the governor-general appoints the person most likely to command the support of the House—normally the leader of the largest party and this support is immediately tested through a motion of confidence. The House of Representatives normally consists of 120 members, known as Members of Parliament, the Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives has overall charge of the administration of the House, and presides over sittings. Seating in the chamber is arranged in a horseshoe pattern. The Speaker of the House sits in a chair at the open end of the horseshoe. Following the example of the British House of Commons, members of Government are seated on the hand of the Speaker. MPs are assigned seating on the basis of the seniority in a party caucus, for example, the prime minister sits on the front row, in the fourth seat along from the Speaker. The 51st New Zealand Parliament is the current sitting of the House and its membership was elected at the 2014 general election and, so far, one subsequent by-election
37.
David Carter (politician)
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David Cunningham Carter is a New Zealand National Party politician and currently Speaker of the House, having previously been a cabinet minister. Carter attended St Bedes College in Christchurch, and has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree from Lincoln University and he has farmed sheep and cattle for over 30 years, and established the first commercial cattle-embryo transplant company in New Zealand in 1974. Carter stood in the Lyttelton electorate in the 1993 election as a successor to Gail McIntosh, Carter was first elected to Parliament in the 1994 by-election in Selwyn, replacing the resigning Ruth Richardson. In the 1996 general election he won the Banks Peninsula electorate against Dyson, in the 1999 election he was defeated by Dyson, but entered Parliament as a list MP. In the 2002 election, he failed to recapture the seat, from 1998 until the National Partys defeat in 1999 Carter was Minister for Senior Citizens, Associate Minister of Revenue, and Associate Minister for Food, Fibre, Biosecurity and Border Control. At the very end of Nationals term in office, he was also Associate Minister of Education, in 2008, Carter was initially chosen as the National candidate for the resurrected safe National seat of Selwyn, but opposition to this saw the National candidacy up for grabs again. He pulled out and the candidacy was won by Amy Adams. Carter was given a high list placing of nine instead and did not contest an electorate, after Nationals election victory, he took the portfolios of Agriculture, Biosecurity and Forestry. In May 2010, Carter issued a ban on kosher slaughter, Carter held shares in a firm that exports meat, and prior to instituting the ban he met senior managers of the firm who wanted a ban on kosher slaughter to reduce their competition. After the 2011 election, Carter was appointed Minister of the new Ministry of Primary Industries, on 22 January 2013 the Prime Minister announced that Carter was his preference to replace Lockwood Smith as Speaker of the House. Carters appointment was not without controversy, and the Labour Party questioned whether he wanted the job. As the opposition was not consulted, as per convention, Trevor Mallard was nominated by Labour, Carter won by 62 votes to 52. Consistent with the tradition of newly elected speakers, Carter had to be dragged to the following the election. The office of Speaker entitles Carter to the title The Right Honourable following a reform of the New Zealand Honours System in 2010. Carter cited his intention to continue as Speaker, if that is the will of Parliament, the following day, he silenced seven MPs that stood up to say they had taken personal offence to John Keys statement as they were victims of sexual abuse and asked him to apologize. Carter did not believe this was warranted and dismissed some of the seven, david Carter MP official site Profile at National Party Profile at New Zealand Parliament Releases and speeches at Beehive. govt. nz
38.
Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947
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The Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947 was a constitutional Act of the Parliament of New Zealand that formally accepted the full external autonomy offered by the British Parliament. The Acts main purpose was to adopt sections two, three, four, five and six of the Statute of Westminster 1931, sections five and six relate to jurisdiction over merchant shipping and Courts of Admiralty. Section two of the Act ensured that, under four of the Statute, the request. It also stated existing statutes of the United Kingdom that applied to New Zealand shall be deemed so to apply and extend as if they have always so applied and extended according to its tenor. This section allowed the Parliament of New Zealand the ability to amend all of the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, the United Kingdom Parliament then passed the New Zealand Constitution Amendment Act 1947. New Zealand did not adopt the Statute of Westminster 1931 until 1947 on account of a not to foster separatism in the British Empire. We have felt that at all times within recent years we have had ample scope for our national aspirations, the First Labour Government of Peter Fraser had proposed to adopt the statute in its Speech from the Throne in 1944. During the Address-In-Reply debate, the opposition passionately opposed the proposed adoption, national MP for Tauranga, Frederick Doidge, argued With us, loyalty is an instinct as deep as religion. Because New Zealand required the consent of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to amend the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, the Bill to adopt the Statute was introduced at the start of 1947, and came up for its third and final reading on 17 October 1947. Concerns were raised about the place of the Treaty of Waitangi, ronald Algie raised concerns for the continued access to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which were again rejected. Appeals to the Privy Council remained in place until 2003, with the creation of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, Algie also complained the adoption of the Act was due to changes to the status of British subjects. Other concerns raised included the status of the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, the Act was repealed by section 28 of the Constitution Act 1986. Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942 - Australian equivalent of the Act Constitution of New Zealand Independence of New Zealand Status of the Union Act,1934
39.
Elections in New Zealand
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New Zealand is a representative democracy. Members of the House of Representatives, commonly called Parliament, normally gain their parliamentary seats through nationwide general elections, general elections are usually held every three years, they may be held at an earlier date in the event of a vote of no confidence or other exceptional circumstances. A by-election is held to fill a vacancy arising during a parliamentary term, the next general election will take place on 23 September 2017. New Zealand has a multi-party system due to proportional representation, the most significant constitutional change in 20th century New Zealand was the introduction of the mixed-member proportional voting system in 1993. The Chief Electoral Office and the Electoral Commission co-ordinate the electoral system, Local government politicians, including mayors, councillors and District Health Boards are voted in during the local elections, held every three years. These elections used single transferable vote and first past the post systems in 2007. The first national elections in New Zealand took place in 1853, womens suffrage was introduced in 1893, with New Zealand being the first modern country to do so. New Zealand general elections occur when the Prime Minister requests a dissolution of Parliament, theoretically, this can happen at any time, although a convention exists whereby Prime Ministers do not call early elections unless they have no reasonable alternative. Elections always take place on a Saturday, so as to minimise the effect of work or religious commitments that could inhibit people from voting, Voting happens at various polling stations, generally established in schools, church halls, sports clubs, or other such public places. Polling booths are set up in hospitals and rest homes for use by patients. The 2005 election made use of 6,094 such polling stations, voters may vote at any voting station in the country. Advance voting is available in the two weeks before election day, if voters cannot physically get to a polling place, they may authorise another person to collect their ballot for them. Overseas voters may vote by mail, fax, internet or in person at NZ embassies, disabled voters can choose to vote via a telephone dictation service. Voters are encouraged to bring them the EasyVote card sent to them before each election, which specifies the voters name, address. However, this is not required, voters may simply state their name, the voting process uses printed voting ballots. After the voting paper is issued, the voter goes behind a cardboard screen, the voter then folds their paper and places in their electorates sealed ballot box. Voters who enrol after the rolls have been printed, voting outside their electorate, according to a survey commissioned by the Electoral Commission, 71% of voters voted in less than 5 minutes and 92% in less than 10 minutes. 98% of voters are satisfied with the waiting time, New Zealand has a strictly enforced election silence, campaigning is prohibited on election day
40.
List of political parties in New Zealand
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New Zealand national politics feature a pervasive party system. Usually, all members of Parliaments unicameral House of Representatives belong to a political party, as of March 2017, seven parties have representatives in Parliament. Political parties in New Zealand evolved towards the end of the nineteenth out of interest groups. Most historians regard the Liberal Party, which began its rule in 1891, during the long period of Liberal Party control the partys more conservative opponents founded the Reform Party, forming the original duopoly in the New Zealand parliament. Gradually, Liberal and Reform found themselves working together more often, after Labour eventually won office in 1935, the Liberals and Reform came together in 1936 to form the National Party. Labour and National currently exist as the two parties of New Zealand politics. Over the years, a number of parties or so-called minor parties developed, notably the Social Credit Party, the New Zealand Party, the Values Party. However, the first past the post electoral system meant that regardless of how many votes a party gained nationwide, under such conditions, these parties mostly performed poorly in terms of making an impact in Parliament. Since the change to MMP, about one third of the seats in Parliament have been held by MPs representing parties other than Labour, in the years before MMP, by contrast, there were sometimes no such MPs at all. Political parties in New Zealand can be registered or unregistered. Registered parties must have five-hundred paying members, each eligible to vote in general elections, if a party registers, it may submit a party list, enabling it to receive party votes in New Zealands MMP electoral system. Unregistered parties can only nominate candidates for individual electorates, registered political parties are also able to spend up to $1 million during the campaign for the party vote. All political parties are able to spend $20,000 per electorate seat, the order in which political parties appear in this list corresponds to the number of MPs they currently have. Note that political parties must be registered under the Electoral Act 1993, but the Speaker, may recognise that party for parliamentary purposes on a temporary basis, for a reasonable period
41.
New Zealand electorates
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An electorate is a geographical constituency used for electing members to the New Zealand Parliament. In informal discussion, electorates are often called seats, the most formal description, electoral district, is used in legislation. The size of electorates is determined on a basis such that all electorates have approximately the same population. Before 1996, all members of Parliament were directly chosen for office by the voters of an electorate, the 71 electorates are made up from 64 general and seven Māori electorates. Originally, electorates were drawn up based on political and social links, each electorate was allocated a different number of MPs in order to balance population differences. All electorates used a plurality voting system, from 1881, a special country quota meant that rural seats were allowed to contain fewer people than urban seats, preserving the inequality and over-representing farmers. For the 1905 election the multi-member electorates were abolished, the quota system persisted until 1945. Today, electorate boundaries are determined by the Representation Commission, the Commission consists of, Four government officials—the Government Statistician, the Surveyor-General, the Chief Electoral Officer, and the Chairperson of the Local Government Commission. A representative of the party or coalition, and a representative of the opposition block. A chairperson nominated by the members, with the exception of Chairperson of the Local Government Commission. Boundaries are reviewed after each New Zealand Census, which occurs every five years. The number of māori electorates are determined by the Māori Electoral Option where Māori voters can opt to be in either a māori electorate or a general electorate, South Island Māori opting for the general roll are included in the population on which the South Island Quota is established. The North Island population being divided into electorates of approximately the same population as the South Island ones, electorates may vary by no more than 5% of the average population size. This has caused the number of list seats in Parliament to decline as the population is experiencing northern drift due to internal migration and immigration. Because of the increasing North Island population, the North Island was awarded an additional electoral seat beginning in the 2008 general election, another North Island seat was created for the 2014 general election. Each time, the need for a seat was determined from the results of the most recent census. The total number of list seats has thus declined from 51 to 49 since 2007, although the New Zealand Parliament is intended to have 120 members, recent iterations have exceeded this quantity. Due to some parties winning more seats than their proportion of the party vote suggests
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Electoral system of New Zealand
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The New Zealand electoral system has been mixed-member proportional since 1996. MMP was introduced after a referendum in 1993, MMP replaced the first past the post system New Zealand had previously used for most of its history. New Zealand has one House of Representatives, usually with 120 members, the term of the New Zealand Parliament is set at three years. Whichever party wins the most seats at the election becomes the Government. In contemporary New Zealand, generally all permanent residents and citizens over 18 are eligible to vote, the main exceptions are when a person has been living overseas continuously for too long, has been detained in a psychiatric hospital, or since 2010, is currently a sentenced prisoner. Historically, New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the right to vote – in 1893 and this meant that theoretically, New Zealand had universal suffrage from 1893, meaning all adults 21 years of age and older were allowed to vote. Although Parliamentary elections are held three years, this has not always been the case. In New Zealands early colonial history, elections were held five years – as established by The New Zealand Constitution Act of 1852. The term was reduced to three years in 1879 because of concerns about the power of central Government. Since then, the term has been altered three times – mainly in times of international crisis, during the First World War it was extended to five years. In the early 1930s, it was pushed out to four years and this proved to be unpopular with the electorate and after the election of 1935, the term was reduced to three years again. It was extended to four once again during the Second World War. In 2013 the Government established a panel to conduct a review of constitutional issues – including an examination of the term of parliament. Both Prime Minister John Key and Opposition leader David Shearer expressed support for an extension of the term to four years. The main argument put forward in support of a term is that Governments need time to establish. The last referendum on the term of parliament was in 1990, an opinion poll on the news website Stuff. co. nz in early 2013 found that of 3,882 respondents, 61% were in favour of changing to a four-year term. A unique feature of New Zealands electoral system is that a number of seats in Parliament are reserved exclusively for Māori, however, this was not always the case. In the early era, Maori could not vote in elections unless they owned land as individuals
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Electoral reform in New Zealand
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Electoral reform in New Zealand has, in recent years, become a political issue as major changes have been made to both Parliamentary and local government electoral systems. All New Zealand elections from 1914 to 1996 consistently used the British system of first-past-the-post for parliamentary elections and this system had consistently favoured the two largest parties. From 1936 on, these were the National and Labour parties, governments had been previously formed despite the opposition winning the popular vote in both 1911 and 1931 as well. In its 1984 campaign platform, Labour committed itself to appoint a commission on electoral reform if elected. Labour won that election and in 1985 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Geoffrey Palmer established the Royal Commission on the Electoral System, Palmer had promoted proportional representation as a law professor in his book Unbridled Power. The Royal Commissions 1986 report, entitled Towards a Better Democracy recommended the adoption of the mixed-member proportional representation, recognizing that a parliament dominated by the major parties might fail to implement a sweeping reform of this sort, the commission also proposed a referendum on the issue. During the 1987 election campaign, Labour promised to hold a referendum on MMP at, or before, although Labour was returned to power in that election, it failed to proceed further on the matter due to its own internal divisions. In May 1990, Labour MP John Terris submitted a private bill to force a binding referendum on the electoral system. In 1992, a referendum was held on whether or not FPP should be replaced by a new. Voters were asked two questions, whether or not to replace FPP with a new voting system, and which of four different alternative systems should be adopted instead, the government appointed a panel chaired by the Ombudsman to oversee the campaign. Meanwhile, the Electoral Reform Coalition campaigned actively in favour of the MMP alternative originally recommended by the royal commission and these measures made it possible for voters to make an informed choice on what was otherwise a complicated issue. This led New Zealanders to vote overwhelmingly for change and to indicate a clear, the first question asked voters if they wished to retain FPP or change electoral systems. The result was 84.7 per cent favour of replacing FPP, the second question asked voters which new system should replace FPP. Alternative Vote, used in Australia and Fiji elections, similar to FPP, as noted earlier, an overwhelming majority of those favouring a new electoral system voted for MMP. The percentages of the vote cast for the four possible electoral system options offered in the question were, Source. The second, binding, referendum was held in conjunction with the election on 6 November 1993. Peter Shirtcliffe, chairman of Telecom New Zealand at the time and leader of the CBG, the Electoral Reform Coalition was the main advocate for the adoption of MMP, and had support from several people, including the late Green Party co-leader Rod Donald. MMP faced a battle, as acknowledged in the pro-MMP poster to the side
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Electoral Commission (New Zealand)
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The Commission also assists electoral agencies of other countries on a reciprocal basis with their electoral events. The Electoral Commission is an independent Crown entity, the responsible Minister may not direct the Commission to give effect to, or have regard to, government policy. The Electoral Amendment Bill, passed unanimously by Parliament 19 May 2010, the Electoral Commission, which took over the responsibilities of the Chief Electoral Office and the previous Electoral Commission, was formed on Friday 1 October 2010. On 1 July 2012 the statutory responsibilities of the Electoral Enrolment Centre of New Zealand Post were transferred to the Commission in accordance with the Electoral Amendment Act 2011, the previous Electoral Commission of New Zealand was a governmental body responsible for administering certain aspects of the countrys electoral system. It was an independent Crown entity, not part of any department or Ministry. It worked alongside two other bodies, the Chief Electoral Office and the Electoral Enrolment Centre, the four primary functions of the previous Electoral Commission were, Registration of political parties. The Commission was responsible for scrutinising and approving all changes to the electoral register, a place on the register allows parties to contest the party vote in general elections. Unregistered parties can put forward candidates, but cannot receive votes for proportional representation under the MMP system. The Commission must have satisfied that such a party meets the requirements for registration. Political parties are given funding for any broadcasting they conduct in an election campaign. The Commission was responsible for dividing money between the parties, taking into account a partys membership, current number of MPs, previous election performance. The Commission also supervises the actual payment of this funding, supervision of financial declarations. to ensure transparency, parties are required to submit records showing how much money they received as donations and how much money they spent campaigning. The Commission was the body charged with ensuring strong public awareness of how elections in New Zealand work. For most business, the previous Electoral Commission consisted of four members — a President, a Chief Executive, the head of the Ministry of Justice, and the Chief Judge of the Maori Land Court. Formerly, two members, one appointed by the Government and one by the Opposition, participated in the allocation of broadcasting funds. This participation is generally condemned by smaller parties, which claimed that Labour and these additional members were removed in 2007 by the Electoral Finance Act. New Zealand Electoral Commissions website New Zealand Electoral Commissions website for the review of the MMP Voting System New Zealand Electoral Commissions website for election results
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New Zealand general election, 2011
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The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament. One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives,70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 50 from party lists. New Zealand since 1996 has used the Mixed Member Proportional voting system, a referendum on the voting system was held at the same time as the election, with voters voting by majority to keep the MMP system. A total of 3,070,847 people were registered to vote in the election, with over 2.2 million votes cast and a turnout of 74. 21% – the lowest turnout since 1887. The incumbent National Party, led by John Key, gained the plurality with 47. 3% of the party vote and 59 seats, two seats short of holding a majority. New Zealand First, having won no seats in 2008 due to its failure to reach the 5% threshold or win an electorate. Nationals confidence and supply partners in the 49th Parliament meanwhile suffered losses, ACT New Zealand won less than a third of the party vote it received in 2008, reducing from five seats to one. The Māori Party was reduced from five seats to three, as the party split between the Māori Party and former Māori Party MP Hone Harawiras Mana Party. United Future lost party votes, but retained their one seat in Parliament, the election date was set as Saturday 26 November 2011, as predicted by the media. Breaking with tradition, Prime Minister John Key announced the date in February. Traditionally, the date is a closely guarded secret, announced as late as possible. The date follows the tradition of holding the election on the last Saturday of November unless the schedule is interrupted by a snap election or to circumvent holding a by-election. The Governor General must issue writs for an election seven days of the expiration or dissolution of Parliament. The writs for the general election were returnable on 27 November 2008. As a result, the 49th Parliament would have expired, if not dissolved earlier, as that day was a Sunday, the last available working day was 25 November 2011. Consequently, the last day for issuance of writs of election was 2 December 2011, except in some circumstances, the writs must be returned within 50 days of their issuance with the last possible working day being 20 January 2012. Because polling day must be a Saturday, the last possible polling date for the election was 7 January 2012, the Christmas/New Year holiday period made the last realistic date for the election Saturday 10 December 2011. The Rugby World Cup 2011 was hosted by New Zealand between 9 September and 23 October 2011, and ruled out all the election dates in this period
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Hawke's Bay Region
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Hawkes Bay Region is a region of New Zealand on the east coast of the North Island. It is recognised on the stage for its award-winning wines. Hawkes Bay Regional Council sits in both the cities of Napier and Hastings and it derives from Hawke Bay which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke who decisively defeated the French at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759. The region is situated on the east coast of the North Island and it bears the former name of what is now Hawke Bay, a large semi-circular bay that extends for 100 kilometres from northeast to southwest from Mahia Peninsula to Cape Kidnappers. Five major rivers flow down into the coast of Hawkes Bay, from north to south, they are the Wairoa River, Mohaka River, Tutaekuri River, Ngaruroro River and Tukituki River respectively. Lake Waikaremoana is situated in northern Hawkes Bay roughly 35 km from the coast and it is the largest lake in Hawkes Bay, 4th largest in the North Island and 16th largest in New Zealand. In June 2015, the Local Government Commission proposed the amalgamation of the four local councils with the Hawkes Bay Regional Council and this proposal was rejected by the affected communities. The region has a hill with the longest place name in New Zealand, taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is an otherwise unremarkable hill in southern Hawkes Bay, not far from Waipukurau. The regions population is 161,500 as of June 2016,3.4 percent of New Zealands population, around 81 percent of the regions population lives in the Napier-Hastings conurbation. Below is a list of areas that contain more than 1,000 population. The region has a significant Māori population,24.3 percent of the population identified as of Māori ethnicity at the 2013 census, a major local Māori tribe is Ngāti Kahungunu. Around 50.5 percent of Hawkes Bays population affiliate with Christianity at the 2013 Census, Hawkes Bay Province was founded in 1858 as a province of New Zealand, after being separated from the Wellington Province following a meeting in Napier in February 1858. The Province was abolished in 1876 along with all provinces in New Zealand. It was replaced with a Provincial District, on February 3,1931, Napier and Hastings were devastated by New Zealands worst natural disaster, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter magnitude scale, which killed 256 people. Napier rebuilt and now the city is world-famous for its Art Deco buildings, MTG Hawkes Bay, formerly Hawkes Bay Museum and Art Gallery, has an exhibition on the earthquake, its causes and impact. The GDP of the Hawkes Bay region was estimated at US$4.3 billion in 2003, the region is renowned for its horticulture, with large orchards and vineyards on the plains. In the hilly parts of the sheep and cattle farming predominates. The climate is dry and temperate, and the long, hot summers, missionaries in the mid 19th century planted the first vines in Hawkes Bay and it is now becoming an important place for full bodied red wines
New Zealand
Cook Islands
Niue
Tokelau
Australasia
Melanesia
Micronesia
Polynesia
