The 49th New Zealand Parliament was elected at the 2008 election. It comprised 122 members, including an overhang of two seats (an increase of one from the 48th Parliament) caused by the Māori Party having won two more electorate seats than its share of the party vote would otherwise have given it. The Parliament served from December 2008 until the November .
New Zealand uses the mixed-member proportional (MMP) system to elect its parliaments. Seventy of the members of the 49th Parliament represented geographical electorates: sixteen in the South Island, 47 in the North Island (one more than for the 48th Parliament) and seven Māori electorates. The remaining 52 (increased from fifty by the overhang) were elected from nationwide party vote candidate lists to realise proportionality.
There were 10 resignations leading to Electoral Commission replacement selections for new list candidates from four parliamentary parties. Lockwood Smith was the Speaker in the 49th Parliament.
Electorate boundaries for 49th Parliament The Representation Commission altered many of the boundaries of New Zealand's parliamentary electorates following the 2006 census; the large growth in population between censuses lead to significant boundary changes, particularly in Auckland, the area around Christchurch and the central North Island. In May 2007, the Representation Commission announced the boundary changes to take effect for the next general election, with the boundaries finalised in September 2007.
The Commission announced the formation of a new electorate in Greater Auckland, bringing the number of geographical constituencies to 70. The new electorate, originally dubbed "Howick" (after the Auckland suburb), would have included parts of the existing Pakuranga, Manukau East and Clevedon electorates. After Pakuranga electors strongly objected to the proposed changes (which would have seen the inclusion of the population centres Panmure, Point England and Glen Innes into the electorate) the Commission largely reverted proposed changes to the boundaries of the Pakuranga electorate. The Commission opted to alleviate population pressures by moving the Auckland City suburb of Otahuhu into Manukau East. The revised new electorate received the name Botany to reflect its focus on the growing population-centres of Botany Downs–Dannemora. On paper, Botany counts as a safe National seat.
Even though the number of South Island electorates remains fixed, the decline in the population of electorates south of Christchurch resulted in the boundaries of electorates from Invercargill north to Rakaia shifting northwards. The electorates of Aoraki, Otago, Rakaia and Banks Peninsula all gravitated towards Christchurch. In the process:
Aoraki received the new name of Otago received the new name of Waitaki Rakaia received the new name of Selwyn Banks Peninsula received the new name of Port Hills
Other electorates in the lower South Island increased substantially in size.
2008 election results The figures below are based on official results2008 GENERAL ELECTION – OFFICIAL RESULT A decrease of 7 MPs is shown for "Other Parties" because the New Zealand First party of Winston Peters did not win an electorate seat or 5% of the party vote, and hence was not allocated any seats in the new Parliament.
Overview of seats The table below shows the number of MPs in each party following the 2008 election and at dissolution:
Affiliation Members At 2008 election At dissolution 58 58 5 5 5 4 1 1Government total 69 68 43 42 9 9 1 1 0 1 Not yet founded 1 Opposition total 53 54 Total 122122 Working Government majority 16 15
Notes ACT New Zealand, United Future and Māori Party supported the National minority government on a confidence and supply basis. Hone Harawira resigned from the Māori Party after that party's disciplinary committee recommended his expulsion. He had been vocal in his opposition to the Māori Party's position on the foreshore and seabed issue. The Working Government majority is calculated as all Government MPs less all other parties.
Members of the 49th New Zealand Parliament
New Zealand National Party (58)
NameElectorateTerm in officePortfolios & Responsibilities Lockwood SmithRodney1984 – Speaker of the House Chair of the Business select committee Chair of the Officers of Parliament select committee Chair of the Standing Orders select committee Lindsay TischWaikato1999 – Deputy Speaker Deputy chair of the Officers of Parliament select committee Eric RoyInvercargill1993–2002; 2005 – Assistant SpeakerMinisters in CabinetJohn Key Helensville 2002 – Prime Minister Minister of Tourism Minister in Charge of Ministerial Services Minister in Charge of the NZ Security Intelligence Service Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) Leader of the National PartyBill English Clutha-Southland 1990 – Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Finance Minister for Infrastructure Deputy Leader of the National PartyGerry Brownlee Ilam 1996 – Leader of the House Minister for Economic Development Minister of Energy and Resources Minister of Earthquake Recovery Associate Minister for the Rugby World Cup Deputy Chair of the Privileges CommitteeSimon Power Rangitīkei 1999 – Minister of Justice Minister for State Owned Enterprises Minister of Commerce Minister Responsible for the Law Commission Minister of Consumer Affairs Associate Minister of Finance Deputy Leader of the House Tony Ryall Bay of Plenty 1990 – Minister of Health Minister of State Services Nick Smith Nelson 1990 – Minister for the Environment Minister for Climate Change Issues Minister for ACCJudith Collins Papakura 2002 – Minister of Police Minister of Corrections Minister of Veterans’ Affairs Anne Tolley East Coast 1999–2002; 2005 – Minister of Education Minister Responsible for the Education Review OfficeChris Finlayson 2005 – Attorney-General Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage David Carter 1994 byelection – Minister of Agriculture Minister for Biosecurity Minister of Forestry Murray McCully East Coast Bays 1987 – Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister for Sport and Recreation Minister for the Rugby World Cup Tim Groser 2005 – Minister of Trade Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues (International Negotiations) Wayne Mapp North Shore 1996 – Minister of Defence Minister of Research, Science and Technology Associate Minister for Economic Development Associate Minister for Tertiary Education Steven Joyce 2008 – Minister of Transport Minister for Communications and Information Technology Minister for Tertiary Education Associate Minister of Finance Associate Minister for Infrastructure Georgina te Heuheu 1996 – Minister for Courts Minister of Pacific Island Affairs Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control Associate Minister of Maori Affairs Paula Bennett Waitakere 2005 – Minister for Social Development and Employment Minister of Youth Affairs Phil Heatley Whangarei 1999 – Minister of Fisheries Minister of Housing Jonathan Coleman Northcote 2005 – Minister of Immigration Minister of Broadcasting Associate Minister of Tourism Associate Minister of Health Kate Wilkinson 2005 – Minister of Conservation Minister of Labour Minister for Food Safety Associate Minister of Immigration Hekia Parata 2008 – Minister of Ethnic Affairs Minister of Women's Affairs Associate Minister of Energy Associate Minister of Community and Voluntary Sector Associate Minister of ACC Maurice Williamson Pakuranga 1987 – Minister for Building and Construction Minister of Customs Minister of Statistics Minister for Small Business Minister for Land Information Nathan Guy Ōtaki 2005 – Minister of Internal Affairs Minister Responsible for Archives New Zealand Minister Responsible for the National Library Associate Minister of Justice Associate Minister of Transport Craig Foss Tukituki 2005 – Minister of Civil Defence Minister of Senior Citizens Minister of Racing Associate Minister for Local Government Associate Minister of CommerceMembers of Parliament Chris Tremain Napier 2005 – Senior Government Whip Deputy Chair of the Finance and Expenditure select committee Jo Goodhew 2005 – Junior Government Whip Former Chair of the Social Services select committee Amy Adams Selwyn 2008 – Chairperson, Electoral Legislation Committee Chair of the Finance and Expenditure Select CommitteeShane Ardern Taranaki-King Country 1998 byelection – Chair of the Primary Production select committee Paul Hutchison 1999 – Chair of the Health select committee Tau Henare 1993–1999; 2005 – Chair of the Māori Affairs select committee Deputy Chair Auckland Governance Select Committee Sandra Goudie Coromandel 2002 – Chair of the Law and Order select committee Chris Auchinvole West Coast-Tasman 2005 – Chair of the Local Government and Environment select committee David Bennett Hamilton East 2005 – Chair of the Transport and Industrial Relations select committee Chester Borrows Whanganui 2005 – Chair of the Justice and Electoral select committee John Hayes Wairarapa 2005 – Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade select committee Katrina Shanks 2007 – Chair of the Social Services select committee Jackie Blue 2005 – Deputy chair of the Transport and Industrial Relations select committee Jacqui Dean Waitaki 2005 – Deputy Chair of the Government Administration select committee Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade select committee Colin King Kaikōura 2005 – Deputy Chair of the Primary Production select committee Nicky Wagner 2005 – Deputy Chair of the Local Government and Environment select committee Simon Bridges Tauranga 2008 – Deputy Chair of the Justice and Electoral select committee Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga Maungakiekie 2008 – Deputy Chair of the Commerce select committee Todd McClay Rotorua 2008 – Deputy Chair of Social Services Select Committee Nikki Kaye 2008 – Deputy Chair Government Administration Select Committee Melissa Lee 2008 – Tim Macindoe Hamilton West 2008 – Paul Quinn 2008 – Kanwal Singh Bakshi 2008 – Louise Upston Taupō 2008 – Michael Woodhouse 2008 – Jonathan Young New Plymouth 2008 – Aaron Gilmore 2008 – Cam Calder June 2009– Jami-Lee Ross Botany February 2011– members of the National caucus who resigned, retired or died during the term of the 49th ParliamentRichard Worth 1999 – June 2009 (resigned) succeeded by Cam Calder Pansy Wong Botany 1996 – 2011 (resigned) succeeded by Jami-Lee Ross John Carter Northland 1987 – June 2011 (resigned) Became High Commissioner to Cook Islands Allan Peachey Tāmaki 2005 – 6 November 2011 (died) Chair of the Education and Science select committee
New Zealand Labour Party (42)
NameElectorateterm in officeresponsibilitiesPhil Goff Mount Roskill 1981–1990; 1993 – Leader of the Opposition Leader of the Labour Party Shadow Minister in Charge of the NZ Security Intelligence ServiceAnnette King Rongotai 1984–1990; 1993 – Deputy Leader of the Opposition Deputy Leader of the Labour PartyDavid Cunliffe New Lynn 1999 – Shadow Minister of FinanceRuth Dyson Port Hills 1993 – Shadow Minister of Health Deputy Chair of the Health select committeeParekura Horomia Ikaroa-Rāwhiti 1999 – Shadow Minister of Maori Affairs Shadow Minister of FisheriesClayton Cosgrove Waimakariri 1999 – Shadow Minister of Police Shadow Minister of Corrections Shadow Minister for State-Owned Enterprises Associate Shadow Minister of Finance Deputy chair of the Law and Order select committeeChris Carter Te Atatu 1993 – Shadow Minister for Education Shadow Minister of Ethnic AffairsMaryan Street 2005 – Shadow Minister of Trade Shadow Minister for Tertiary EducationNanaia Mahuta Hauraki-Waikato 1996 – Shadow Minister for the Environment Shadow Minister of Tourism Associate Shadow Minister of Maori AffairsDavid Parker 2002 – Shadow Attorney-General