User:Fanx/List of prime ministers of New Zealand by time in office

This is a list of Prime Ministers of New Zealand by time in office. The basis of the list is the difference between dates; as counted from midnight GMT. The first half day of a prime minister's term is counted in the total, but the last day is not. Prime ministers do not have a fixed term of office; instead, they may stay in office as long as their government is supported by parliament under a system of responsible government.

Historically, elections have been held every three years, however half of the 42 prime ministers have served fewer than three years. Richard Seddon had the longest tenure of any Prime Minister, serving over 13 years, while Henry Sewell, the shortest serving Prime Minister, spent 13 days in office.

Ranked list edit

The following list is ranked by their total term in office (multiple terms are added together to give the total term in office).

Colour key
Independent	Liberal	Reform
United	Labour	National

Rank	Name	Party	Term(s)
1	Richard Seddon †	Liberal	13 years, 44 days
2	William Massey †	Reform	12 years, 304 days
3	Keith Holyoake	National	11 years, 140 days^[1]
4	Peter Fraser	Labour	9 years, 261 days
5	Helen Clark	Labour	8 years, 345 days
6	Edward Stafford	None	8 years, 326 days^[2]
7	Robert Muldoon	National	8 years, 227 days
8	John Key	National	8 years, 23 days
9	Sidney Holland	National	7 years, 281 days
10	Joseph Ward	Liberal	7 years, 38 days^[3]
10	Joseph Ward	United	7 years, 38 days^[3]
11	Jim Bolger	National	7 years, 36 days
12	George Forbes	United	5 years, 192 days
13	Harry Atkinson	None	5 years, 116 days^[4]
14	Jacinda Ardern	Labour	5 years, 90 days
15	David Lange	Labour	5 years, 13 days
16	William Fox	None	4 years, 148 days^[5]
17	Michael Joseph Savage †	Labour	4 years, 112 days
18	Gordon Coates	Reform	3 years, 194 days
19	Robert Stout	None	3 years, 47 days^[6]
20	Walter Nash	Labour	3 years, 0 days
21	Julius Vogel	None	2 years, 288 days^[7]
22	John Hall	None	2 years, 195 days
23	Frederick Whitaker	None	2 years, 182 days^[8]
24	John Ballance †	Liberal	2 years, 93 days
25	Jenny Shipley	National	2 years, 2 days
26	George Grey	None	1 year, 360 days
27	Norman Kirk †	Labour	1 year, 266 days
28	Bill Rowling	Labour	1 year, 97 days
29	Alfred Domett	None	1 year, 85 days
30	Geoffrey Palmer	Labour	1 year, 27 days
31	Frederick Weld	None	326 days
32	Bill English	National	318 days
33	Chris Hipkins	Labour	306 days
34	Jack Marshall	National	305 days
35	Daniel Pollen	None	224 days
36	Christopher Luxon (incumbent)	National	165 days
37	George Waterhouse	None	143 days
38	Thomas Mackenzie	Liberal	104 days
39	Mike Moore	Labour	59 days
40	William Hall-Jones	Liberal	57 days
41	Francis Bell	Reform	16 days
42	Henry Sewell	None	13 days

† - Died in office.

Note: Some lists consider Hugh Watt as a New Zealand Prime Minister. Watt served as acting Prime Minister for seven days from 31 August to 6 September 1972 following the death of Norman Kirk. He is not normally counted in the official numbering of New Zealand Prime Ministers.

Richard Seddon, longest-serving prime minister at 13 years, 44 days

Francis Bell, shortest-serving prime minister of the twentieth century at 16 days

Henry Sewell, first and shortest-serving prime minister at 13 days

Graphical edit

Notes edit

^ Served 2 terms - 20 September 1957 – 12 December 1957: 83 days and 12 December 1960 – 7 February 1972: 11 years, 57 days
^ Served 3 terms: 2 June 1856 – 12 July 1861 (5 years, 40 days), 16 October 1865 – 28 June 1869 (3 years, 255 days), 10 September 1872 – 11 October 1872 (31 days)
^ Served 2 terms: 6 August 1906 – 28 March 1912 (5 years, 235 days) and 10 December 1928 – 28 May 1930 (1 year, 169 days); Ward holds the record for the longest time between two premierships at 16 years, 257 days
^ Served 4 terms: 1 September 1876 – 13 October 1877 (1 year, 42 days), 25 September 1883 – 16 August 1884 (326 days), 28 August 1884 – 3 September 1884 (6 days), 8 October 1887 – 24 January 1891 (3 years, 108 days)
^ Served 4 terms: 20 May 1856 – 2 June 1856 (Thirteen days), 12 July 1861 – 6 August 1862 (1 year, 25 days), 28 June 1869 – 10 September 1872 (3 years, 74 days), and 3 March 1873 – 8 April 1873 (36 days)
^ Served 2 terms: 16 August 1884 – 28 August 1884 (12 days) and 3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887 (3 years, 1 month, 5 days)
^ Served 2 terms: 8 April 1873 – 6 July 1875 (2 years, 89 days), 15 February 1876 – 1 September 1876 (199 days)
^ Served 2 terms: 30 October 1863 – 24 November 1864 (1 year, 25 days), 21 April 1882 – 25 September 1883 (1 year, 157 days)

External links edit

Prime ministerial trivia - Ministry for Culture and Heritage

[1] Served 2 terms - 20 September 1957 – 12 December 1957: 83 days and 12 December 1960 – 7 February 1972: 11 years, 57 days

[2] Served 3 terms: 2 June 1856 – 12 July 1861 (5 years, 40 days), 16 October 1865 – 28 June 1869 (3 years, 255 days), 10 September 1872 – 11 October 1872 (31 days)

[3] Served 2 terms: 6 August 1906 – 28 March 1912 (5 years, 235 days) and 10 December 1928 – 28 May 1930 (1 year, 169 days); Ward holds the record for the longest time between two premierships at 16 years, 257 days

[4] Served 4 terms: 1 September 1876 – 13 October 1877 (1 year, 42 days), 25 September 1883 – 16 August 1884 (326 days), 28 August 1884 – 3 September 1884 (6 days), 8 October 1887 – 24 January 1891 (3 years, 108 days)

[5] Served 4 terms: 20 May 1856 – 2 June 1856 (Thirteen days), 12 July 1861 – 6 August 1862 (1 year, 25 days), 28 June 1869 – 10 September 1872 (3 years, 74 days), and 3 March 1873 – 8 April 1873 (36 days)

[6] Served 2 terms: 16 August 1884 – 28 August 1884 (12 days) and 3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887 (3 years, 1 month, 5 days)

[7] Served 2 terms: 8 April 1873 – 6 July 1875 (2 years, 89 days), 15 February 1876 – 1 September 1876 (199 days)

[8] Served 2 terms: 30 October 1863 – 24 November 1864 (1 year, 25 days), 21 April 1882 – 25 September 1883 (1 year, 157 days)

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User:Fanx/List of prime ministers of New Zealand by time in office

Contents

Ranked list edit

Graphical edit

See also edit

Notes edit

External links edit