Leader of the New Zealand National Party

Leader of the National Party
Leader of the National Party
	Incumbent; Christopher Luxon; since 30 November 2021
Member of	New Zealand House of Representatives
Term length	No fixed term
Inaugural holder	Adam Hamilton
Formation	2 November 1936
Deputy	Nicola Willis

The Leader of the National Party is the most-senior elected politician within the New Zealand National Party. Under the constitution of the party, they are required to be a member of the House of Representatives.

The current leader of the National Party since 30 November 2021 is Christopher Luxon.

Selection[]

Following a general election, or when a vacancy arises, the Parliamentary Section of the National Party (the Caucus) elects a Leader of the Parliamentary Section (that is, the parliamentary leader). After receiving approval by the Board of Directors (the governing body of the Party), the Leader of the Parliamentary Section becomes the Leader of the Party.^[1]

Role[]

The leader organises the business of the party in Parliament. He or she also outwardly represents the party to the general public. Within the party organisation, they must ensure political consensus; the constitution of the National Party states that the leader has "the right to attend any Party meeting or committee meeting and shall be an ex officio member of the Board".^[1]

When the National Party is in Government the leader generally becomes the prime minister. In 1949, party leader Sidney Holland became the first prime minister from the National Party.^[2]

List of leaders[]

Of the fifteen people to officially hold the leadership, eight have served as prime minister.

Key:
National Labour
PM: Prime Minister
LO: Leader of the Opposition

	Leader	Electorate	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Position
1	Adam Hamilton	Wallace	2 November 1936	26 November 1940	4 years, 24 days	LO 1936–1940	Savage
1	Adam Hamilton	Wallace	2 November 1936	26 November 1940	4 years, 24 days	LO 1936–1940	Fraser
2	Sidney Holland	Fendalton	26 November 1940	20 September 1957	16 years, 298 days	LO 1940–1949	Fraser
2	Sidney Holland	Fendalton	26 November 1940	20 September 1957	16 years, 298 days	PM 1949–1957	Holland
3	Keith Holyoake	Pahiatua	20 September 1957	7 February 1972	14 years, 140 days	PM 1957	Holyoake
						LO 1957–1960	Nash
						PM 1960–1972	Holyoake
4	Jack Marshall	Karori	7 February 1972	4 July 1974	2 years, 147 days	PM 1972	Marshall
4	Jack Marshall	Karori	7 February 1972	4 July 1974	2 years, 147 days	LO 1972–1974	Kirk
5	Robert Muldoon	Tamaki	4 July 1974	29 November 1984	10 years, 148 days	LO 1974–1975	Kirk
						LO 1974–1975	Rowling
						PM 1975–1984	Muldoon
						LO 1984	Lange
6	Jim McLay	Birkenhead	29 November 1984	26 March 1986	1 year, 117 days	LO 1984–1986
7	Jim Bolger	King Country (1972–96) Taranaki-King Country (1996–98)	26 March 1986	8 December 1997	11 years, 257 days	LO 1986–1990
							Palmer
							Moore
						PM 1990–1997	Bolger
8	Jenny Shipley	Rakaia	8 December 1997	8 October 2001	3 years, 304 days	PM 1997–1999	Shipley
8	Jenny Shipley	Rakaia	8 December 1997	8 October 2001	3 years, 304 days	LO 1999–2001	Clark
9	Bill English	Clutha-Southland	8 October 2001	28 October 2003	2 years, 20 days	LO 2001–2003
10	Don Brash	List MP	28 October 2003	27 November 2006	3 years, 30 days	LO 2003–2006
11	John Key	Helensville	27 November 2006	12 December 2016	10 years, 15 days	LO 2006–2008
11	John Key	Helensville	27 November 2006	12 December 2016	10 years, 15 days	PM 2008–2016	Key
(9)	Bill English	List MP	12 December 2016	27 February 2018	1 year, 77 days	PM 2016–2017	English
(9)	Bill English	List MP	12 December 2016	27 February 2018	1 year, 77 days	LO 2017–2018	Ardern
12	Simon Bridges	Tauranga	27 February 2018	22 May 2020	2 years, 85 days	LO 2018–2020
13	Todd Muller	Bay of Plenty	22 May 2020	14 July 2020	53 days	LO 2020
—	Nikki Kaye^{[note 1]}	Auckland Central	14 July 2020		<1 day	Acting LO^[3] 2020
14	Judith Collins	Papakura	14 July 2020	25 November 2021	1 year, 134 days	LO 2020–2021
—	Shane Reti^{[note 1]}	List MP	25 November 2021	30 November 2021	5 days	Acting LO^[4] 2021
15	Christopher Luxon	Botany	30 November 2021	Incumbent	60 days	LO 2021–present

Footnotes[]

^ ^a ^b Deputy leader who assumed the role of party leader temporarily because of the resignation or removal of the incumbent leader, serving until a following leadership election.

References[]

^ ^a ^b "Constitution and Rules of the New Zealand National Party" (PDF) (26th ed.). New Zealand National Party. 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2020 – via New Zealand Electoral Commission.
^ "Sidney Holland". nzhistory.govt.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
^ "Nikki Kaye to serve as acting leader of National as MPs rush to Wellington following Muller bombshell". 1 News. TVNZ. 14 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
^ "Watch: Dr Shane Reti speaks as National's new interim leader". Radio NZ. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.

[acting-3] Deputy leader who assumed the role of party leader temporarily because of the resignation or removal of the incumbent leader, serving until a following leadership election.

[Constitution-1] "Constitution and Rules of the New Zealand National Party" (PDF) (26th ed.). New Zealand National Party. 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2020 – via New Zealand Electoral Commission.

[2] "Sidney Holland". nzhistory.govt.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 22 April 2018.

[4] "Nikki Kaye to serve as acting leader of National as MPs rush to Wellington following Muller bombshell". 1 News. TVNZ. 14 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.

[5] "Watch: Dr Shane Reti speaks as National's new interim leader". Radio NZ. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.

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