Clerk of the New Zealand House of Representatives

The Clerk of the New Zealand House of Representatives is an officer of the New Zealand House of Representatives and is the principal officer (chief executive) of the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Role The clerk of the House of Representatives advises the Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives and members of parliament on matters of parliamentary procedure. Other functions of the clerk of the House include: to record the proceedings and decisions of the House, to certify bills ready for royal assent, to issue the Order Paper (order of business) for each sitting day, to administer the oath or affirmation of allegiance for members of Parliament after a general election, and to oversee the provision of secretariat services for the House and its committees.

Clerk David Wilson took office on 6 July 2015 following the retirement of Mary Winifred Harris.David Wilson appointed as Clerk of the House

With the Parliament (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 being given royal assent on 12 November 2025, the Clerk's main constituting instrument, the Clerk of the House of Representatives Act 1988 was officially repealed on 13 November 2025.

List of Clerks of the New Zealand House of Representatives

NamePortrait Term of office 1 James CoatesVotes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, 1854, Session I-II 1854 2 Francis Eastwood CampbellNotice of Appointment, NZ Government Gazette, No 17, 2 August 1854, page 85 1854–1889 3 George FriendNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, No 64, 14 November 1889, page 1168 1889–1898 4 Henry OttersonNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, No 59, 4 August 1898, page 1256 1898–1915 5 Alexander Francis LoweNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, No 77, 24 June 1915, page 2124 1915–1919 6 Edward William KaneNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, No 61, 24 June 1920, page 2027 1920–1929 7 Thomas Donald Horn HallNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, 27 February 1930, page 681 1930–1945 8 Grafton Francis BothamleyNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, No 46, 5 July 1945, page 875 1945–1946 9 Henry Nelson DollimoreNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, No 65, 19 September 1946, page 1270 1946–1971 10 Eric RoussellNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, No 22, 25 March 1971, page 526 1971–1976 11 Charles Philip LittlejohnNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, 4 March 1976, page 455'Years at hub of politics ending', The New Zealand Herald, 1 June 1985, page 12 1976–1985 12 David McGeeNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, No 150, 15 August 1985, page 3506Notice of resignation, NZ Gazette, 18 October 2007 1985–2007 13 Mary HarrisNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, 13 December 2007Clerk's retirement marked in Parliament 2007–2015 14 David WilsonNotice of appointment, NZ Gazette, 8 May 2015 2015–present

References

External links New Zealand Parliament Website