Parliament
Parliament Buildings showing (l to r) the Beehive, Parliament House and Parliamentary Library. View as panorama.
New Zealand's Parliament dates back to 1854, just 14 years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and the beginning of the European settlement of the country. For most of the New Zealand's history as a nation state, it has had some form of elected government. Few countries can boast such a long and uninterrupted history of democracy.
Parliament first met in Auckland in May 1854, and in 1865 moved to Wellington, the capital city, where it has remained. Today there are two parts to Parliament — the House of Representatives (or the lower house) and the Governor-General, but between 1854 and 1951, there was a third part, the Legislative Council (or the upper house).
In 1893 New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant adult women the vote; all adult men could vote from 1879. In giving the vote to women, New Zealand became the world's first true democracy.
External links
Learn more about Parliament's role on the Office of the Clerk website.
The Parliamentary Information Service provides information to the public on all aspects of Parliament.
Next: Legislative Council >