Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Presiding officer of the New Zealand House of Representatives / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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In New Zealand, the speaker of the House of Representatives, commonly known as the speaker of the House (Māori: te mana whakawā o te Whare), is the presiding officer and highest authority of the New Zealand House of Representatives. The individual who holds the position is elected by members of the House from among their number in the first session after each general election. They hold one of the highest-ranking offices in New Zealand. The current Speaker is Gerry Brownlee, who was elected on 5 December 2023.
Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives | |
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Te Mana Whakawā o te Whare (Māori) | |
Style | The Right Honourable |
Residence | Speaker's Apartments, Parliament House, Wellington |
Nominator | New Zealand House of Representatives |
Appointer | Governor-General of New Zealand at the behest of the House of Representatives |
Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure elected by the House at the start of each Parliament, and upon a vacancy |
Inaugural holder | Sir Charles Clifford |
Formation | 1854 |
Website | Office of the Speaker |
The speaker's role in presiding over New Zealand's House of Representatives is similar to that of speakers elsewhere in other countries that use the Westminster system. The speaker presides over the House's debates, determining which members may speak; the speaker is also responsible for maintaining order during debate, and may discipline members who break the rules of the House. Aside from duties relating to presiding over the House, the speaker also performs administrative and procedural functions, and remains a member of Parliament (MP).