Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand

The deputy prime minister of New Zealand (Māori: Te pirimia tuarua o Aotearoa) is the second-most senior member of the Cabinet of New Zealand. The officeholder usually deputises for the prime minister at official functions. Since 31 May 2025, the current deputy prime minister is David Seymour of the ACT Party.

Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
Coat of Arms of New Zealand
Flag of New Zealand
Incumbent David Seymour since 31 May 2025
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Style	Mr Deputy Prime Minister (informal) The Honourable (formal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Member of	Cabinet of New Zealand Executive Council
Reports to	Prime Minister of New Zealand
Appointer	Governor-General of New Zealand
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	13 December 1949; 75 years ago (1949-12-13)
First holder	Keith Holyoake
Salary	NZ$362,600 annually[1]

The role existed on an informal basis for as long as the office of prime minister/premier has existed, but the office of "deputy prime minister" was formally established as a ministerial portfolio in 1949.^[2] This means that Keith Holyoake is considered the first deputy prime minister. It was formally designated as a full cabinet level position in 1954.^[3]

Appointment and duties

The post of deputy prime minister was formally established in 1949.^{[N 1]} Eighteen individuals have held the position (with one of them doing so twice, and one doing so thrice) and of those people: Holyoake, Marshall, Watt, Muldoon, Palmer, Clark and English have eventually served as prime minister.^{[N 2]} The deputy prime minister has always been a member of the Cabinet and has always held at least one substantive portfolio.

The deputy prime minister "...can, if necessary" exercise the statutory and constitutional functions and powers of the prime minister if the prime minister is unavailable or unable.^[4] They can also do the same as acting prime minister, in consultation with the prime minister if it is appropriate and practicable.^[5] The deputy prime minister can also temporarily act as interim prime minister until the leadership of the government is determined in some cases, like the death of the prime minister.^[6]

The position was most commonly held by the deputy leader of the largest party, but since the adoption of the MMP electoral system in 1996 and the greater frequency of coalition governments in New Zealand, the role may instead go to the leader of a junior government party. This has occurred three times with Winston Peters, leader of New Zealand First;^[7] once with Jim Anderton, leader of the Alliance;^[8] and once with David Seymour, leader of ACT New Zealand.^[9][10] Twice, the Labour Party has appointed a senior minister who was not the deputy party leader as the deputy prime minister (Grant Robertson and Carmel Sepuloni).^[11]

Little scholarly attention has focused on deputy prime ministers in New Zealand or elsewhere. In 2009, an article by Steven Barnes appeared in Political Science where nine 'qualities' of deputy prime ministership were identified: temperament; relationships with their Cabinet and caucus; relationships with their party; popularity with the public; media skills; achievements as deputy prime minister; relationship with the prime minister; leadership ambition; and method of succession.^[12] Barnes conducted a survey of journalists, academics, and former members of parliament to rank New Zealand deputy prime ministers up to that time since 1960. Across the nine deputy prime minister 'qualities', Don McKinnon achieved the number one ranking, followed by Brian Talboys, Michael Cullen, and Jack Marshall. In a second 'overall' ranking, Cullen was ranked number one, followed by Talboys, McKinnon, and Marshall. Winston Peters, Jim Anderton, and Bob Tizard were ranked lowest in both sections of the survey.^[12]

List of deputy prime ministers of New Zealand

Key

  Alliance   Labour   National   NZ First   ACT

No.		Portrait	Name	Term of office		Concurrent portfolio(s)	Prime Minister
	1		Keith Holyoake MP for Pahiatua (1904–1983)	13 December 1949	20 September 1957	Minister of Agriculture		Holland
	2		Jack Marshall MP for Karori (1912–1988)	20 September 1957	12 December 1957	Attorney-General Minister of Justice		Holyoake
	3		Jerry Skinner MP for Buller (1900–1962)	12 December 1957	12 December 1960	Minister of Agriculture Minister of Lands		Nash
	(2)		Jack Marshall MP for Karori (1912–1988)	12 December 1960	9 February 1972	Minister of Overseas Trade Minister of Customs (until 1962) Minister of Industries and Commerce (until 1969) Attorney-General (1969–1971) Minister of Immigration (from 1969) Minister of Labour (from 1969)		Holyoake
	4		Robert Muldoon MP for Tamaki (1921–1992)	9 February 1972	8 December 1972	Minister of Finance		Marshall
	5		Hugh Watt MP for Onehunga (1912–1980)	8 December 1972	1 September 1974	Minister of Labour Minister of Works (until 1974)		Kirk
	6		Bob Tizard MP for Otahuhu (1924–2016)	10 September 1974	12 December 1975	Minister of Finance		Rowling
	7		Brian Talboys MP for Wallace (1921–2012)	12 December 1975	4 March 1981	Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Overseas Trade		Muldoon
	8		Duncan MacIntyre MP for East Cape (1915–2001)	4 March 1981	15 March 1984	Minister of Agriculture
	9		Jim McLay MP for Birkenhead (born 1945)	15 March 1984	26 July 1984	Attorney-General Minister of Justice
	10		Geoffrey Palmer MP for Christchurch Central (born 1942)	26 July 1984	8 August 1989	Attorney-General Minister of Justice Leader of the House (until 1987) Minister for the Environment (from 1987)		Lange
	11		Helen Clark MP for Mount Albert (born 1950)	8 August 1989	2 November 1990	Minister of Health Minister of Labour		Palmer
								Moore
	12		Don McKinnon MP for Albany (born 1939)	2 November 1990	16 December 1996	Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Overseas Trade Leader of the House (from 1993)		Bolger
	13		Winston Peters MP for Tauranga (born 1945)	16 December 1996	14 August 1998	Treasurer
								Shipley
	14		Wyatt Creech MP for Wairarapa (born 1946)	14 August 1998	10 December 1999	Leader of the House (until 1998) Minister of Education (until 1999) Minister of Health (from 1999)
	15		Jim Anderton MP for Wigram (1938–2018)	10 December 1999	15 August 2002	Minister of Economic Development Minister of Consumer Affairs (from 2001) Minister of Customs (from 2001)		Clark
	16		Michael Cullen List MP (1945–2021)	15 August 2002	19 November 2008	Minister of Finance Leader of the House Treasurer Minister of Revenue (until 2005) Attorney-General (2005, 2006–2008)
	17		Bill English MP for Clutha-Southland (until 2014) List MP (from 2014) (born 1961)	19 November 2008	12 December 2016	Minister of Finance Minister for Infrastructure (until 2011)		Key
	18		Paula Bennett MP for Upper Harbour (born 1969)	12 December 2016	26 October 2017	Minister of State Services Minister of Tourism Minister for Climate Change Issues Minister of Police Minister for Women		English
	(13)		Winston Peters List MP (born 1945)	26 October 2017	6 November 2020	Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister for Racing Minister for State Owned Enterprises Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control (from 2018)		Ardern
	19		Grant Robertson MP for Wellington Central (born 1971)	6 November 2020	25 January 2023	Minister of Finance Minister for Infrastructure Minister for Sport and Recreation Minister for Racing (until 2022)
	20		Carmel Sepuloni MP for Kelston (born 1977)	25 January 2023	27 November 2023	Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister for Social Development and Employment Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Minister for Auckland		Hipkins
	(13)		Winston Peters List MP (born 1945)	27 November 2023	31 May 2025	Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister for Racing Minister for Rail (from 2024)		Luxon
	21		David Seymour MP for Epsom (born 1983)	31 May 2025	Incumbent	Minister for Regulation

Timeline