The 54th New Zealand Parliament was a meeting of the legislature in New Zealand. It opened on 5 December 2023 following the 14 October 2023 general election, and dissolved on 1 October 2026 prior to the 2026 general election.
The Parliament was elected using a mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) voting system. MPs represent 72 geographical electorates: 16 in the South Island, 49 in the North Island and 7 Māori electorates. The Electoral Act 1993 provides for the remaining seats to be elected from party lists using the Sainte-Laguë method to realise proportionality to an expected total of at least 120 MPs.
Final results of the election determined that there are 123 members of Parliament, rather than the usual 120. 122 members were elected in the general election (there is an overhang of two members for Te Pāti Māori). Due to the death of a candidate between the close of nominations and election day, Port Waikato did not elect a representative and an additional list MP was elected to ensure Parliament would have at least 120 members. The 72nd electorate MP, and 123rd MP overall, was elected in the Port Waikato by-election on 25 November 2023. In May 2026 following Judith Collins appointment to President of the New Zealand Law Commission, she resigned her electorate seat which lowered the number of MPs to 122.
Members in the 54th Parliament represent six political parties: National, ACT New Zealand, New Zealand First parties, in government, and the Labour Party, Green Party, and Te Pāti Māori, in opposition. Christopher Luxon of the National Party formed a coalition government with ACT and New Zealand First and was sworn in as prime minister on 27 November 2023.
Background
2023 general election
The 2023 general election was held on 14 October. The opposition National Party won 48 seats in the election, an increase of 14 seats. The ruling Labour Party was reduced to 34 seats after losing a total of 28 seats. The Green Party, Labour's cooperation partner, got 15 seats, a rise of 6. The ACT Party increased its seat count by one. Te Pāti Māori took five Maori seats from Labour, totaling six seats, one more than their party vote entitled them to, giving parliament a three-seat overhang. After being voted out in the 2020 New Zealand general election, New Zealand First returned to parliament, earning eight seats.
Government formation
Following the general election, the National Party required support from the ACT Party and New Zealand First to command the confidence of the House. Negotiations between the three parties took place after the official results were announced on 3 November. After three weeks of negotiations, Christopher Luxon announced the formation of a coalition government with ACT and New Zealand First on 24 November. On 27 November, Luxon was sworn in as prime minister by Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro.
Parliamentary term The final results of the election were announced on 3 November and the writ for the 2023 election was returned on 16 November 2023. Under section 19 of Constitution Act 1986, Parliament must meet no later than six weeks after this date; on 29 November 2023, following the new government's first Cabinet meeting, Leader of the House Chris Bishop confirmed that the Commission Opening and State Opening of Parliament would take place on 5 and 6 December 2023, respectively.
Timeline 16 November 2023 – The writ for election is returned; officially declaring all elected members of the 54th Parliament. 24 November 2023 – A coalition government is formed between National, ACT, and NZ First. 27 November 2023 – Christopher Luxon is sworn in as Prime Minister of New Zealand. 5 December 2023 – The Governor-General issued the Commission of Opening of Parliament. The House elects Gerry Brownlee as Speaker. 6 December 2023 – State Opening of Parliament 30 May 2024 – Budget 2024 is delivered to Parliament. 17–21 June 2024 – Parliament holds its first ever "scrutiny week," which allows select committees to scrutinise government and public sector spending plans. 2–6 December 2024 – Parliament held its second scrutiny week. 22 May 2025 – Budget 2025 is delivered to Parliament. 16–20 June 2025 – Scrutiny week. 26 June–15 July 2025 – Parliament adjourns for two weeks following the death of Takutai Tarsh Kemp, the Te Pāti Māori Member of Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau. 1–5 December 2025 – Scrutiny week 28 May 2026 – Budget 2026 is delivered to Parliament. 15–19 June 2026 – Scrutiny week. 23 September – The 54th Parliament held its final legislative seating prior to the 2026 New Zealand general election. 1 October 2026 – The 54th Parliament is dissolved, leading up to the 2026 general election scheduled for 7 November 2026.
Major legislation
2023–2024 In December 2023, the Government repealed several of the previous Labour Government's legislation and policies including the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's dual mandate, the Fair Pay Agreements Act 2022, the Clean Car Discount programme, the Natural and Built Environment Act 2023 and the Spatial Planning Act 2023. On 21 December, the Government passed legislation reinstating 90-day work trials. In February 2024, the Government repealed the Three Waters reform programme, Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022 and disestablished Te Aka Whai Ora (the Māori Health Authority) under urgency.
In late March 2024, the Government passed major tax legislation restoring interest deductibility for residential investment property, reducing the bright-line test for residential property to two years, and eliminating depreciation deductions for commercial and industrial buildings. The Government also passed legislation requiring electric cars and plug-in hybrids to pay road user charges. In April 2024, the Government passed the legislation allowing 11 pseudoephedrine cold and flu medicines to be sold without prescriptions from June 2024.
In late July 2024, the Government passed legislation reinstating the referendum requirement for Māori wards and constituencies in local councils. Councils that had previously established a Māori ward without a referendum are now required to hold a binding poll alongside the 2025 New Zealand local elections or to disestablish them. In late August 2024, the Government passed legislation requiring local councils to develop plans for delivering drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services as part of its "Local Water Done Well" programme.
In September 2024, Parliament passed a private member's bill amending the Fair Trading Act 1986 to ensure that gift cards have a minimum expiry date of three years from their initial purchase. The bill was supported by all parties except ACT. In mid October 2024, Parliament passed Deborah Russell's private member's bill exempting victims of domestic violence from waiting a mandatory two years to seek a divorce. In late October 2024, National-led government passed the legislation easing the "regulatory burden" on the country's farming, mining and other primary industries. In late November 2024, Parliament with cross-party support passed legislation restoring New Zealand citizenship to people born in Samoa between 1924 and 1949, who had been deprived of New Zealand citizenship in 1982.
On 10 December 2024, Parliament passed urgent legislation banning greyhound dogs from being killed while the Government took action to end greyhound racing in New Zealand by July 2026. On 12 December, Parliament passed the government's legislation introducing its pet bonds for tenants and reinstating 90 day no-cause evictions. On 13 December, Parliament passed the government's legislation reinstating three-strikes laws. On 17 December, the Government's contentious Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 passed into law.
2025 On 30 January 2025, Parliament passed the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill, which conferred legal personhood on Mount Taranaki. The New Zealand Crown also apologised to eight Māori iwi for confiscating Mount Taranaki and 1.2 million acres of Māori lands in the Taranaki region. In addition, Mount Egmont would cease to be an official name for Mt Taranaki.
On 12 March, Parliament passed Labour MP Camilla Belich's Crimes (Theft By Employer) Amendment Bill, clarifying that an employer withholding an employee's wages is theft. While the bill was opposed by National and ACT (60 votes), it passed with the support of the Labour, Green, Māori and New Zealand First parties (63 votes). The bill received royal assent on 13 March.
On 7 May, Parliament passed the Equal Pay Amendment Act 2025 under urgency, raising the threshold for making pay equity claims. As a result, 33 claims representing thousands of workers have to be dropped and refiled. The bill was supported by the governing coalition but opposed by all opposition parties. On 15 May, Parliament passed legislation formalising a Treaty of Waitangi settlement with Ngāti Ranginui; which included NZ$38 million in financial restitution and returning 15 sites of historical significance to the tribe.
On 26 June, Parliament passed legislation designating the Independent Children's Monitor as a stand-alone independent Crown entity, disestablishing the Children and Young People's Commission and reinstating the Children's Commissioner; effective 1 August 2025. The bill was supported by all parties except Te Pāti Māori. On 31 July, Parliament passed legislation repealing a 2018 law limiting new oil and gas exploration permits off the coast of Taranaki along party lines.
On 19 August, the Government passed two laws, the Local Government (Water Services) Bill and the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Bill, entrenching its Local Water Done Well framework. On 20 August, Parliament passed Labour MP Camilla Belich's bill banning employers from imposing gag orders on workers talking about their salaries passed into law with the support of the Green, Māori, and National parties. That same day, Labour MP Tracey McLellan's bill extending the range of protections for those giving evidence of sexual assaults or family harm in the Family Court passed into law with unanimous support.
On 17 September, Parliament passed urgent legislation preventing convicted abusers from adopting children from other countries. On 14 October, Parliament passed legislation allowing radio and television stations to broadcast advertisements on Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Anzac Day. The legislation was supported by the National, Labour and ACT parties but was opposed by the Greens, New Zealand First and Te Pāti Māori. On 22 October, Parliament passed the government's legislation limiting the threshold for Māori foreshore and seabed claims. Opposition parties vowed to repeal the legislation if they formed the next government.
On 5 November, Parliament passed legislation formalizing a Treaty of Waitangi settlement with Ngāti Pāoa. The settlement includes NZ$23.5 million in financial compensation, recognising 12 "culturally significant" sites, and a formal Crown apology for historical land alienation. On 13 November, ACT leader and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour's contentious Regulatory Standards Act 2025 passed its third reading in Parliament, becoming law.
On 11 December, Parliament passed two urgent government laws delaying a ban on farrowing crates by ten years and legislation amending the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024. On 17 December, Parliament passed electoral amendment legislation reducing the timeframe for voter registration to two weeks before election day, banning prisoners from voting and allowing larger anonymous donations. That same day, Parliament passed a bill implementing the Nelson Tenths settlement between the Te Tau Ihu Māori and the New Zealand Crown.
2026