Father of the House (New Zealand)

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Father or Mother of the House is an unofficial title applied to the longest-serving member of Parliament (MP) sitting in the New Zealand House of Representatives. In New Zealand, no duties or special distinctions are associated with the position.

The position is usually determined by continuous service, not aggregate time in parliament. When more than one MP have served equally long periods, the title is assigned to whomever was sworn in first, a process which happens alphabetically by surname.

The current Father of the House is Trevor Mallard, who is also the incumbent Speaker. He has served continuously in the House of Representatives since 6 November 1993, and also served two earlier terms from 1984 to 1990.[1][2]

In New Zealand's first general election of 1853, the Bay of Islands electorate was the first to declare the election of a successful candidate, Hugh Carleton, who was returned unopposed. In the subsequent General Assembly of 1854, Carleton liked to be known as the Father of the House.[3]

In March 2005 then Prime Minister Helen Clark became the first to be dubbed Mother of the House.[4]

List of Fathers and Mother of the House[]

Key

  Independent     Liberal     Reform     United  
  Labour     National     Progressive     United Future  
Name Image First elected Became Father Left Parliament Time as Father Notes References
Hugh Carleton Hugh Francis Carleton, ca 1870s.jpg 14 July 1853 30 December 1870[nb 1] 17 years, 5 months, 17 days Defeated in 1871 election [3][5]
Alfred Brandon Alfred de Bathe Brandon, 1860s.jpg 29 July 1858 30 December 1870 8 November 1881[nb 2] 10 years, 10 months, 10 days Retired in 1881 [6]
Sir Maurice O'Rorke George Maurice O’Rorke.jpg 18 January 1861 8 November 1881 3 October 1890[nb 3] 8 years, 10 months, 26 days Defeated in 1890 election, re-elected in 1893 [7]
Harry Atkinson Sir Harry Albert Atkinson, ca 1885.jpg 3 October 1872[nb 4] 3 October 1890 22 January 1891 3 months, 20 days Premier 1876–1877, 1883–1884, 1884, 1887–1891; resigned in 1891[nb 5] [8]
Ebenezer Hamlin Ebenezer Hamlin, 1882.jpg 18 January 1876 22 January 1891 8 November 1893[nb 6] 2 years, 9 months, 18 days Retired in 1893 [9]
Richard Seddon Richard Seddon, 1903.jpg 5 September 1879 8 November 1893 10 June 1906 12 years, 7 months, 3 days Prime Minister 1893–1906; died in office [10]
Sir William Steward William Jukes Steward.jpg 9 December 1881[nb 7] 10 June 1906 20 November 1911[nb 8] 5 years, 5 months, 11 days Retired in 1911 [11][12][13]
Sir Arthur Guinness Arthur Robert Guinness, 1880s.jpg 22 July 1884 20 November 1911 10 June 1913 1 year, 6 months, 21 days Died in office [12][14]
Sir James Carroll JamesCarroll1914.jpg 7 September 1887 10 June 1913 27 November 1919[nb 9] 6 years, 5 months, 18 days Defeated in 1919 election [15]
Sir James Allen James Allen portrait.jpg 4 May 1892[nb 10] 27 November 1919 22 March 1920 3 months, 25 days Resigned in 1920 [16]
William Massey William Ferguson Massey 1919.jpg 9 April 1894 22 March 1920 10 May 1925 5 years, 1 month, 20 days Prime Minister 1912–1925; died in office [17]
Sir Thomas Wilford Thomas Wilford, 1928.jpg 4 December 1896 10 May 1925 18 November 1929 4 years, 6 months, 8 days Resigned in 1929[nb 11] [18][19]
Sir Āpirana Ngata ApiranaNgata05.jpg 20 December 1905 18 November 1929 30 August 1943[nb 12] 13 years, 9 months, 12 days Defeated in 1943 election [20]
Peter Fraser Peter Fraser.jpg 3 October 1918 30 August 1943 12 December 1950 7 years, 3 months, 13 days Prime Minister 1940–1949; died in office [21]
Bill Parry Bill Parry.jpg 17 December 1919 12 December 1950 27 July 1951[nb 13] 7 months, 16 days Retired in 1951 [22]
Robert McKeen Robert McKeen, 1935.jpg 7 December 1922 27 July 1951 5 October 1954[nb 14] 3 years, 2 months, 8 days Retired in 1954 [23]
Rex Mason Rex Mason.jpg 15 April 1926 5 October 1954 25 October 1966[nb 15] 2 years, 20 days Retired in 1966 [24]
Sir Walter Nash Walter Nash (ca 1940s).jpg 18 December 1929 25 October 1966 4 June 1968 1 year, 7 months, 10 days Prime Minister 1957–1960; died in office [25]
Robert Macfarlane Robert Macfarlane (crop).jpg 3 June 1939 4 June 1968 24 October 1969[nb 16] 1 year, 4 months, 20 days Retired in 1969
Sir Keith Holyoake Keith Holyoake, 1972.jpg 25 September 1943[nb 17] 24 October 1969 10 March 1977 7 years, 4 months, 14 days Prime Minister 1957, 1960–1972; resigned in 1977[nb 18] [26]
Warren Freer Warren Freer.jpg 24 September 1947 10 March 1977 29 October 1981[nb 19] 4 years, 7 months, 19 days Retired in 1981 [27]
Mick Connelly Mick Connelly MP.jpg 27 October 1956 29 October 1981 14 June 1984[nb 20] 2 years, 7 months, 16 days Retired in 1984
Sir Robert Muldoon Muldoon 1978.jpg 26 November 1960 14 June 1984 17 December 1991 7 years, 6 months, 3 days Prime Minister 1975–1984; resigned in 1991 [28]
Jonathan Hunt Jonathan Hunt.jpg 26 November 1966 17 December 1991 30 March 2005 13 years, 4 months, 13 days Resigned in 2005[nb 21] [29]
Helen Clark Helen Clark UNDP 2010.jpg 28 November 1981 30 March 2005 18 April 2009 4 years, 19 days Prime Minister 1999–2008; resigned in 2009
Deemed to be the Mother ahead of Michael Cullen due to the alphabetical order in which they were sworn in. 		[4][30]
Michael Cullen Michael Cullen, 2008.jpg 28 November 1981 18 April 2009 29 April 2009 12 days Resigned in 2009 [31]
Jim Anderton Jim Anderton, 2010 (cropped).jpg 14 July 1984 29 April 2009 26 November 2011 2 years, 6 months, 3 days Retired in 2011
Deemed to be the Father ahead of Peter Dunne due to the alphabetical order in which they were sworn in. 		[32]
Peter Dunne Peter Dunne outside Parliament.jpg 14 July 1984 26 November 2011 23 September 2017 5 years, 9 months, 28 days Retired at the 2017 election. [33][34][35]
Bill English 27 October 1990 23 September 2017 13 March 2018 5 months, 18 days Prime Minister 2016–2017; resigned in 2018
Deemed to be the Father ahead of Nick Smith due to the alphabetical order in which they were sworn in.
Nick Smith Nick Smith (cropped).jpg 27 October 1990 13 March 2018 10 June 2021[36] 3 years, 2 months, 28 days Resigned in 2021
Trevor Mallard 6 November 1993[nb 22] 10 June 2021 present 8 months and 6 days

Table footnotes:[37]

  1. ^ date of dissolution of the 4th Parliament
  2. ^ date of dissolution of the 7th Parliament
  3. ^ date of dissolution of the 10th Parliament
  4. ^ Atkinson had previously been an MP (1861–66 and 1867–69)
  5. ^ Atkinson resigned upon being appointed to the Legislative Council
  6. ^ date of dissolution of the 11th Parliament
  7. ^ Steward had previously been an MP (1871–75)
  8. ^ date of dissolution of the 17th Parliament
  9. ^ date of dissolution of the 19th Parliament
  10. ^ Allen had previously been an MP (1887–90)
  11. ^ Wilford resigned to take up the post of High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
  12. ^ date of dissolution of the 26th Parliament
  13. ^ date of dissolution of the 29th Parliament
  14. ^ date of dissolution of the 30th Parliament
  15. ^ date of dissolution of the 34th Parliament
  16. ^ date of dissolution of the 39th Parliament
  17. ^ Holyoake had previously been an MP (1932–38)
  18. ^ Holyoake resigned to take up the post of Governor-General
  19. ^ date of dissolution of the 39th Parliament
  20. ^ date of dissolution of the 40th Parliament
  21. ^ Hunt resigned to take up the post of High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
  22. ^ Mallard had previously been an MP (1984–90)

See also[]

  • Baby of the House for youngest MPs when first elected.
  • Father of the House, for similar traditions in other country's legislatures

Notes[]

  1. ^ "Mallard, Trevor – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Members of Parliament – Longest, shortest, oldest, youngest". New Zealand Parliamentary Service. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b McLintock, A. H., ed. (23 April 2009) [First published in 1966]. "Carleton, Hugh Francis". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  4. ^ a b Hansard (3 March 2005) vol. 623, Week 81, col. 2005. Available at: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/47HansD_20050303/volume-623-week-81-thursday-3-march-2005 (Retrieved 24 February 2019).
  5. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 188.
  6. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 185, 188.
  7. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 213, 225.
  8. ^ "Roll of members of the New Zealand House of Representatives, 1854 onwards" (PDF). New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  9. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 186, 202.
  10. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 57, 202, 233.
  11. ^ "The Father of the House". The Marlborough Express. Vol. XXXIX, no. 155. 5 July 1906. p. 1. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  12. ^ a b "The Late Sir Arthur Guinness". Colonist. Vol. LV, no. 13752. 18 June 1913. p. 1. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  13. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 233, 236.
  14. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 201, 236.
  15. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 188, 201.
  16. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 179, 188.
  17. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 58, 179, 219.
  18. ^ "Māori MPs – Parliament's people". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  19. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 219, 245.
  20. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 223, 245.
  21. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 58, 198, 223.
  22. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 198, 225.
  23. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 215, 225.
  24. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 215, 218.
  25. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 58, 218, 223.
  26. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 47, 58, 206, 223.
  27. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 198, 206.
  28. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 58, 198, 222.
  29. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 206.
  30. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 189.
  31. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 191.
  32. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 180.
  33. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 194.
  34. ^ "UnitedFuture thanks Peter Dunne for his service and looks to the future". United Future. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  35. ^ "Peter Dunne resigns from politics only weeks out from the election". 22 August 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  36. ^ Sowman-Lund, Stewart (1 June 2021). "Live updates, June 1: Collins responds to criticism of 'head butt' tweet; just 13 active Covid cases in NZ". The Spinoff. Retrieved 1 June 2021. Smith will quit politics on June 10 after announcing his resignation yesterday
  37. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 137–139.

References[]

  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
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