What is the role of Parliament?
What’s the difference between the Government and Parliament?
What is a Member of Parliament?
How do I become an MP?
What is an electorate?
What is the difference between an MP and a Minister?
How many MPs does New Zealand have?
Who are the current MPs?
Who are the current Ministers?
What is the role of Parliament?
Parliament has many activities and purposes including
Holding the Government to account through:
- question time – this is held daily, and members can ask Ministers about how they’re managing the country
- select committee inquiries: a select committee inquiry can carry out an investigation on the Government’s performance
What’s the difference between Government and Parliament?
Government and Parliament are often confused – but they’re actually two very separate things.
Parliament consists of the Sovereign (represented by the Governor-General) and the House of Representatives (elected MPs who represent the people of New Zealand).
MPs (
What is a Member of Parliament?) make new laws and change existing laws, and make sure the Government is making the right decisions while spending its budget and carrying out the law .
Government is the group that is in power and carries out the laws. It is made up of the members of parliament who belong to the party (or parties) that received the most votes in the general election. The Prime Minister and Ministers are chosen from these MPs. (
What is the difference between an MP and a Minister?) Each Minister has one or more portfolios, or a specific area that they deal with and run. For example, John Key is the Prime Minister, but he is also the Minister for Tourism.
What is a Member of Parliament?
A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative of the people in the House of Representatives.
How do I become an MP?
In an election, as a voter you get two votes: one for a person to represent your electorate (
What is an electorate?) and one for the political party you want to form the government. You might choose an electorate MP from a different party to the one you give your party vote to.
Therefore, you can become an MP in two different ways. You can become an electorate MP by being elected by the people in that community. Otherwise, you can become a “list MP”, which means you are chosen by your political party and given a ranking on their list. The number of people on that list who become MPs depends on how many party votes the party wins. If you are high up on the list, you are more likely to get a seat in the House.
You can both stand for a particular electorate, and be included on the party list.
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What is an electorate?
An electorate, or an electoral district, is a geographic area of voters who are enrolled to vote in an election. You normally go to your electorate voting booth to vote during an election. Each electorate is represented in Parliament by an elected MP; therefore, the MP representing your electorate - the electorate you live in - is the MP representing you.
What is the difference between an MP and a Minister?
While MPs have been elected by the people to represent the interests of all voters and particularly those people in their electorate if they are an electorate MP, a Minister is an MP who is given a specific area to look after, such as Finance or Health. Ministers are appointed when a new government comes to power. Usually the Prime Minister chooses MPs who they think should look after the different areas of government – these are called portfolios. Sometimes portfolios are changed around during the government’s term.
How many MPs does New Zealand have?
There are generally 120 MPs. 69 MPs are elected by the public to represent the different electorates or areas. The remaining 51 are selected from party lists in proportion to the number of votes cast for each party. The party lists are ranked by the party and made public before the election – the higher someone is on the list, the more likely they are to get a seat in Parliament.
Who are the current MPs?
You can find out who the current Members of Parliament are, and what party they belong to, by visiting the
New Zealand Parliament website.
Who are the current Ministers?
A list of the current Ministers in cabinet is available online at the
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet website.