List of governors-general of New Zealand
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The following is a list of the governors and governors-general of New Zealand.[1] As the personal representative of the New Zealand monarch, the governor-general performs many of the functions vested in the Crown, such as summoning and dissolving Parliament, granting or withholding the Royal Assent, making state visits, and receiving ambassadors. These functions are performed on the advice of the head of government, the prime minister.
From William Hobson's appointment in 1841, a total of 37 individuals have served as governor, governor-in-chief (1848–1853), or governor-general (since 1917). Sir Arthur Porritt was the first New Zealand-born governor-general, although he had been living in Britain for 31 years at the time of his appointment.[2] All governors-general since Sir Denis Blundell in 1972 have been New Zealand residents and, with the exception of Sir David Beattie, New Zealand-born.[3] The list does not include lieutenant-governors of the provinces of New Ulster and New Munster that existed between 1848 and 1853.[a] The table also does not include administrators of the government, who fulfil viceregal duties between the terms of governors-general, or at other times when the governor-general is overseas or otherwise unable to carry out the role. The role of administrator is normally undertaken by the chief justice.
Overview
[edit]Governors-general have been appointed under letters patent issued in 1917 and the current letters patent issued in 1983.[4]
Historically, governors and governors-general were generally British aristocrats, a reflection of colonial-era affiliations. From the 1970s onward, however, a significant shift occurred, aligning with a more inclusive approach that mirrored New Zealand's diverse population. All governors-general since 1972 have been New Zealand residents. Sir Paul Reeves, in office from 1985 to 1990, was the first Māori governor-general. Dame Catherine Tizard, who served from 1990 to 1996, was the first female governor-general. Sir Anand Satyanand, who held the position from 2006 to 2011, was the first governor-general of Indian and of Pasifika ancestry. Governors-general have had a range of backgrounds, encompassing judges, a mayor, archbishop, surgeon, diplomat, general, farmer, and prime minister.[5]
List
[edit]No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Length of term | Monarch | Premier/Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
As lieutenant-governor | |||||||
1 | ![]() | William Hobson | 30 January 1840 | 3 May 1841 | 1 year, 93 days | Victoria | None[b] |
As governor | |||||||
1 | ![]() | William Hobson | 3 May 1841 | 10 September 1842 | 1 year, 130 days | Victoria | None[b] |
2 | ![]() | Robert FitzRoy | 26 December 1843 | 17 November 1845 | 1 year, 326 days | ||
3 | ![]() | Sir George Grey | 18 November 1845 | 31 December 1853[c] | 8 years, 43 days | ||
4 | ![]() | Thomas Gore Browne | 6 September 1855 | 2 October 1861 | 6 years, 26 days | | |
Henry Sewell | |||||||
William Fox | |||||||
Edward Stafford | |||||||
William Fox | |||||||
(3) | ![]() | Sir George Grey | 4 December 1861 | 5 February 1868 | 6 years, 63 days | | |
Alfred Domett | |||||||
Frederick Whitaker | |||||||
Frederick Weld | |||||||
Edward Stafford | |||||||
5 | ![]() | Sir George Ferguson Bowen | 5 February 1868 | 19 March 1873 | 5 years, 42 days | | |
William Fox | |||||||
Edward Stafford | |||||||
George Waterhouse | |||||||
William Fox | |||||||
6 | ![]() | Sir James Fergusson | 14 June 1873 | 3 December 1874 | 1 year, 172 days | Julius Vogel | |
7 | ![]() | George Phipps, Marquess of Normanby | 9 January 1875 | 21 February 1879 | 4 years, 43 days | | |
Daniel Pollen | |||||||
Julius Vogel | |||||||
Harry Atkinson | |||||||
George Grey | |||||||
8 | ![]() | Sir Hercules Robinson | 17 April 1879 | 8 September 1880 | 1 year, 144 days | | |
John Hall | |||||||
9 | ![]() | Sir Arthur Hamilton-Gordon | 29 November 1880 | 23 June 1882 | 1 year, 206 days | | |
Frederick Whitaker | |||||||
10 | ![]() | Sir William Jervois | 20 January 1883 | 22 March 1889 | 6 years, 61 days | | |
Harry Atkinson | |||||||
Robert Stout | |||||||
Harry Atkinson | |||||||
Robert Stout | |||||||
Harry Atkinson | |||||||
11 | ![]() | William Onslow, Earl of Onslow | 2 May 1889 | 24 February 1892 | 2 years, 298 days | | |
John Ballance | |||||||
12 | ![]() | David Boyle, Earl of Glasgow | 7 June 1892 | 6 February 1897 | 4 years, 244 days | | |
| |||||||
13 | ![]() | Uchter Knox, Earl of Ranfurly | 10 August 1897 | 19 June 1904 | 6 years, 314 days | | Richard Seddon |
Edward VII | |||||||
14 | ![]() | William Plunket, Lord Plunket | 20 June 1904 | 8 June 1910 | 5 years, 353 days | | |
William Hall-Jones | |||||||
| |||||||
| Joseph Ward | ||||||
15 | ![]() | John Dickson-Poynder, Lord Islington | 22 June 1910 | 2 December 1912 | 2 years, 163 days | George V | |
Thomas Mackenzie | |||||||
| |||||||
16 | ![]() | Arthur Foljambe, Earl of Liverpool | 19 December 1912 | 27 June 1917 | 4 years, 190 days | | William Massey |
As governor-general | |||||||
1 | ![]() | Arthur Foljambe, Earl of Liverpool | 28 June 1917 | 7 July 1920 | 3 years, 9 days | George V | William Massey |
2 | ![]() | John Jellicoe, Viscount Jellicoe | 27 September 1920 | 26 November 1924 | 4 years, 60 days | ||
3 | ![]() | Sir Charles Fergusson | 13 December 1924 | 8 February 1930 | 5 years, 57 days | | |
Francis Bell | |||||||
Gordon Coates | |||||||
Joseph Ward | |||||||
4 | ![]() | Charles Bathurst, Lord Bledisloe | 19 March 1930 | 15 March 1935 | 4 years, 361 days | | |
George Forbes | |||||||
5 | ![]() | George Monckton-Arundell, Viscount Galway | 12 April 1935 | 3 February 1941 | 5 years, 297 days | | |
| Michael Joseph Savage | ||||||
Edward VIII | |||||||
| | ||||||
| |||||||
6 | ![]() | Sir Cyril Newall | 22 February 1941 | 19 April 1946 | 5 years, 56 days | George VI | Peter Fraser |
7 | ![]() | Bernard Freyberg, Lord Freyberg | 17 June 1946 | 15 August 1952 | 6 years, 59 days | | |
| | ||||||
| | ||||||
8 | ![]() | Sir Willoughby Norrie | 2 December 1952 | 25 July 1957 | 4 years, 235 days | Elizabeth II | Sidney Holland |
9 | ![]() | Charles Lyttelton, Viscount Cobham | 5 September 1957 | 13 September 1962 | 5 years, 8 days | | |
Keith Holyoake | |||||||
Walter Nash | |||||||
| |||||||
10 | ![]() | Sir Bernard Fergusson | 9 November 1962 | 20 October 1967 | 4 years, 345 days | Keith Holyoake | |
11 | ![]() | Sir Arthur Porritt | 1 December 1967 | 6 September 1972 | 4 years, 280 days | | |
Jack Marshall | |||||||
12 | ![]() | Sir Denis Blundell | 27 September 1972 | 5 October 1977 | 5 years, 8 days | | |
Norman Kirk | |||||||
Bill Rowling | |||||||
| |||||||
13 | ![]() | Sir Keith Holyoake | 26 October 1977 | 23 October 1980 | 2 years, 363 days | Robert Muldoon | |
14 | ![]() | Sir David Beattie | 6 November 1980 | 10 November 1985 | 5 years, 4 days | | |
David Lange | |||||||
15 | ![]() | Sir Paul Reeves | 20 November 1985 | 29 November 1990 | 5 years, 9 days | | |
Geoffrey Palmer | |||||||
Mike Moore | |||||||
| |||||||
16 | ![]() | Dame Catherine Tizard | 12 December 1990 | 3 March 1996 | 5 years, 104 days | Jim Bolger | |
17 | ![]() | Sir Michael Hardie Boys | 21 March 1996 | 21 March 2001 | 5 years | | |
Jenny Shipley | |||||||
| |||||||
18 | ![]() | Dame Silvia Cartwright | 4 April 2001 | 4 August 2006 | 5 years, 122 days | Helen Clark | |
19 | ![]() | Sir Anand Satyanand | 23 August 2006 | 23 August 2011 | 5 years | | |
| |||||||
20 | ![]() | Sir Jerry Mateparae | 31 August 2011 | 31 August 2016 | 5 years | John Key | |
21 | ![]() | Dame Patsy Reddy | 28 September 2016 | 28 September 2021 | 5 years | | |
Bill English | |||||||
| |||||||
22 | ![]() | Dame Cindy Kiro | 21 October 2021 | Incumbent | 2 years, 303 days | Jacinda Ardern | |
Charles III | | ||||||
Chris Hipkins | |||||||
Christopher Luxon |
Notes
[edit]- ^ For their respective lieutenant-governors, see New Ulster Province and New Munster Province.
- ^ a b New Zealand attained responsible government following the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852
- ^ Between 1 January 1848 and 7 March 1853, the viceregal representative held the office of governor-in-chief
References
[edit]- ^ Former Governors-General.
- ^ Beaglehole 2012.
- ^ Patriated – the Governor-General.
- ^ "Appendix B: Letters Patent Constituting the Office of Governor-General of New Zealand 1983 | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)". Cabinet Manual. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 19 April 2023.
- ^ "New Zealand's Governor-General – an historical perspective". gg.govt.nz. Government House. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
Sources
[edit]- Beaglehole, Diana (30 October 2012). "Porritt, Arthur Espie". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- "Governor-General of New Zealand: Former Governors-General". gov-gen.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- James, Colin (22 August 2006). "The huge challenge ahead of the Maori Queen's successor". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012.
- McLean, Gavin (October 2006). The Governors, New Zealand Governors and Governors-General. Otago University Press. ISBN 978-1-877372-25-4.
- "Republic 'inevitable'–Clark". The Evening Post. 4 March 2002.
- "Patriated – the Governor-General". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2013.