Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index

Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand

The Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power.

Generally, the position is held by the deputy leader of the ruling party, but now that the MMP electoral system makes coalitions more likely, the role may increasingly go to the leader of a junior party. This occured with Winston Peters, leader of the New Zealand First Party, and Jim Anderton, leader of the Alliance.

The post of Deputy Prime Minister was established in 1949. Since then, sixteen people have held the position (one of them doing so twice). Of those people, only Holyoake, Marshall, Muldoon, Palmer, and Clark have eventually served as Prime Minister.

Name PM Served Took Office Left Office Party

1 Keith Holyoake Sidney Holland 13 December 1949 20 September 1957 National

2 Jack Marshall Keith Holyoake 20 September 1957 12 December 1957 National

3 Clarence Skinner Walter Nash 12 December 1957 12 December 1960 Labour

Jack Marshall, 2nd time Keith Holyoake 12 December 1960 9 February 1972 National

4 Robert Muldoon Jack Marshall 9 February 1972 8 December 1972 National

5 Hugh Watt Norman Kirk, Bill Rowling 8 December 1972 10 September 1974 Labour

6 Bob Tizard Bill Rowling 10 September 1974 12 December 1975 Labour

7 Brian Talboys Robert Muldoon 12 December 1975 4 March 1981 National

8 Duncan MacIntyre Robert Muldoon 4 March 1981 15 March 1984 National

9 Jim McLay Robert Muldoon 15 March 1984 26 July 1984 National

10 Geoffrey Palmer David Lange 26 July 1984 8 August 1989 Labour

11 Helen Clark Geoffrey Palmer, Mike Moore 8 August 1989 2 November 1990 Labour

12 Don McKinnon Jim Bolger 2 November 1990 16 December 1996 National

13 Winston Peters Jim Bolger, Jenny Shipley 16 December 1996 14 August 1998 New Zealand First

14 Wyatt Creech Jenny Shipley 14 August 1998 5 December 1999 National

15 Jim Anderton Helen Clark 5 December 1999 15 August 2002 Alliance

16 Michael Cullen Helen Clark 15 August 2002 (present) Labour