Fifth National Government of New Zealand
The Fifth National Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand for three parliamentary terms from 19 November 2008 to 26 October 2017. John Key served as National Leader and Prime Minister until December 2016, after which Bill English assumed the premiership until the National Government's defeat following the October 2017 government-forming negotiations.
Fifth National Government
19 November 2008
26 October 2017
Sir Anand Satyanand (2008–11)
Lt Gen Sir Jerry Mateparae (2011–16)
Dame Patsy Reddy (2016–17)
John Key (2008–2016)
Bill English (2016–2017)
Bill English (2008–2016)
Paula Bennett (2016–2017)
- National Party (2008–17)
- ACT (2008–17)
- United Future (2008–17)
- Māori Party (2008–17)
Minority (2008–2017)
with confidence and supply from ACT, United Future, Māori
- Phil Goff (2008–2011)
- David Shearer (2011–2013)
- David Cunliffe (2013–2014)
- Andrew Little (2014–2017)
- Jacinda Ardern (2017)
After the 2008 general election the National Party and its allies were able to form a government, taking over from Helen Clark's Fifth Labour Government. It was subsequently reformed after the 2011 general election with a reduced number of seats, and after the 2014 general election with a reduced share of the party vote but the same number of seats. The Government had confidence and supply agreements with the following parties: ACT, United Future, and the Māori Party – which gave the Government a majority on major legislation. The National Party also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Green Party after the 2008 election, but this lapsed in 2011 and was not renewed.
History[edit]
2008 election[edit]
The 2008 general election saw the Fifth National Government elected to power with 44.93 per cent of the popular vote, ending nine years of Labour government. National formed a minority government with confidence-and-supply support from the ACT, United Future and Māori parties. The Governor-General swore Key in as New Zealand's 38th Prime Minister on 19 November 2008.
2011 election[edit]
The 2011 general election saw the Fifth National Government continue with confidence-and-supply from the ACT, United Future and Maori parties. National increased its share of the party vote to 47.3 percent, but gained only one additional seat to 59 due to a reduced wasted vote (down to 3.4 percent from 6.5 percent in 2008), largely stemming from the return of the New Zealand First party to Parliament after a one term absence. National's increased share of votes however largely came at the expense of its support parties, which saw decreases in vote share and seats. ACT only gained a third of its 2008 vote with 1.07 percent, reducing its seats from five to just one, while the defection of Hone Harawira to form the Mana Party saw the Maori Party's share of vote split, reducing the party to 1.43 percent and reducing the number of seats to three. The United Future Party saw its party vote drop by a quarter to 0.60 percent, but retained its single seat. The reformed Government and its supporters therefore held 50.41 percent of the party vote and 64 of the 121 seats in Parliament.
2014 election[edit]
The 2014 general election saw the Fifth National Government returned again, gaining a plurality with 47.0% of the party vote and 60 of the 121 seats. On election night counts the party appeared to hold the first majority since 1994 with 61 seats, but lost a list seat (for Maureen Pugh) to the Green Party on the official count (including special votes) of the party vote.[36] National re-entered confidence and supply agreements with the centrist United Future,[37] the classical liberal ACT Party,[38] and the indigenous rights-based Māori Party[39] to form a minority government.
Subsequently, with the sudden resignation of Mike Sabin the National MP for Northland in January 2015, and his replacement in the subsequent 2015 by-election by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, the government became more dependent on the support parties.
Prime Minister[edit]
National Party leader John Key was Prime Minister between when the government was elected in the 2008 elections, up until his resignation on 12 December 2016.
The National Party held a leadership election to determine Key's successor as National Party leader and Prime Minister. Deputy Prime Minister Bill English announced that he would be standing for the leadership on 6 December 2016.[40] Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Police and Corrections Minister Judith Collins also announced their intention to seek the leadership, but dropped out due to low support from National Party colleagues. After Coleman and Collins' withdrawal, English was sworn in as the 39th Prime Minister on 12 December 2016.[41] State Services Minister Paula Bennett and Transport Minister Simon Bridges announced they would contest the consequential vacancy for Deputy Leader; Bridges dropped out of the race after it was clear Bennett had greater support.[42]