No.
NameConstituency (Birth–Death)
Portrait
Term of office
Elected(Parliament)
Party
Government
Colonial secretaries (1856–1869)
1
The Honourable Henry Sewell MP for Christchurch , Canterbury (1807–1879)
7 May 1856
20 May 1856
Template:NZ election link year (2nd )
Independent
Sewell
14 days
2
The Right Honourable Sir William Fox KCMG MP for Wanganui and Rangitikei , Wellington (1812–1893)
20 May 1856
2 June 1856
— (2nd )
Independent
Fox I
14 days
3
The Right Honourable Sir Edward Stafford GCMG MP for Nelson , Nelson Province (1819–1901)
2 June 1856
12 July 1861
— (2nd )
Independent
Stafford I
5 years and 41 days
(2)
The Right Honourable Sir William Fox KCMG MP for Rangitikei , Wellington (1812–1893)
12 July 1861
6 August 1862
Template:NZ election link year (3rd )
Independent
Fox II
1 year and 26 days
4
The Honourable Alfred Domett MHR MP for Nelson , Nelson Province (1811–1887)
6 August 1862
30 October 1863
— (3rd )
Independent
Domett
1 year and 86 days
5
The Honourable Sir Frederick Whitaker KCMG Councillor (1812–1891)
30 October 1863
24 November 1864
— (3rd )
Independent
Whitaker–Fox
1 year and 26 days
6
The Honourable Sir Frederick Weld GCMG MP for Cheviot , Canterbury (1823–1891)
24 November 1864
16 October 1865
— (3rd )
Independent
Weld
327 days
(3)
The Right Honourable Sir Edward Stafford GCMG MP for Nelson , Nelson Province until 1868 MP for Timaru , Canterbury from 1868 (1819–1901)
16 October 1865
28 June 1869
— (3rd )Template:NZ election link year (4th )
Independent
Stafford II
6 years and 257 days
Premiers (1869–1907)
(2)
The Right Honourable Sir William Fox KCMG MP for Rangitikei , Wellington (1812–1893)
28 June 1869
10 September 1872
— (4th )Template:NZ election link year (5th )
Independent
Fox III
3 years and 75 days
(3)
The Right Honourable Sir Edward Stafford GCMG MP for Timaru , Canterbury (1819–1901)
10 September 1872
11 October 1872
— (5th )
Independent
Stafford III
32 days
7
The Right Honourable George Waterhouse MLC Councillor (1824–1906)
11 October 1872
3 March 1873
— (5th )
Independent
Waterhouse
144 days
(2)
The Right Honourable Sir William Fox KCMG MP for Rangitikei , Wellington (1812–1893)
3 March 1873
8 April 1873
— (5th )
Independent
Fox IV
37 days
8
The Right Honourable Sir Julius Vogel KCMG MP for Auckland East , Auckland (1835–1899)
8 April 1873
6 July 1875
— (5th )
Independent
Vogel I
2 years and 90 days
9
The Honourable Daniel Pollen Councillor (1813–1896)
6 July 1875
15 February 1876
— (5th )
Independent
Pollen
225 days
(8)
The Right Honourable Sir Julius Vogel KCMG MP for Wanganui , Wellington (1835–1899)
15 February 1876
1 September 1876
Template:NZ election link year (6th )
Independent
Vogel II
200 days
10
The Honourable Sir Harry Atkinson KCMG MP for Egmont , Taranaki. provinces abolished on Nov 1, 1876 (1831–1892)
1 September 1876
13 October 1877
— (6th )
Independent
Atkinson I • II"Continuous Ministry "
1 year and 43 days
11
The Right Honourable Sir George Grey KCB MP for Thames (1812–1898)
13 October 1877
8 October 1879
— (6th )
Independent
Grey
1 year and 361 days
12
The Honourable Sir John Hall KCMG MP for Selwyn (1824–1907)
8 October 1879
21 April 1882
Template:NZ election link year (7th )Template:NZ election link year (8th )
Independent
Hall"Continuous Ministry "
2 years and 196 days
(5)
The Honourable Sir Frederick Whitaker KCMG Councillor (1812–1891)
21 April 1882
25 September 1883
— (8th )
Independent
Whitaker "Continuous Ministry "
1 year and 158 days
(10)
The Honourable Sir Harry Atkinson KCMG MP for Egmont (1831–1892)
25 September 1883
16 August 1884
— (8th )
Independent
Atkinson III"Continuous Ministry "
327 days
13
The Right Honourable Robert Stout KCMG MP for Dunedin East (1844–1930)
16 August 1884
28 August 1884
Template:NZ election link year (9th )
Independent
Stout–Vogel
13 days
(10)
The Honourable Sir Harry Atkinson KCMG MP for Egmont (1831–1892)
28 August 1884
3 September 1884
— (9th )
Independent
Atkinson IV"Continuous Ministry "
7 days
(13)
The Right Honourable Sir Robert Stout KCMG MP for Dunedin East (1844–1930)
3 September 1884
8 October 1887
— (9th )
Independent
Stout–Vogel
3 years and 36 days
(10)
The Honourable Sir Harry Atkinson KCMG MP for Egmont (1831–1892)
8 October 1887
24 January 1891
Template:NZ election link year (10th )
Independent
Atkinson V"Scarecrow Ministry "
3 years and 109 days
14
The Right Honourable John Ballance MHR MP for Wanganui (1839–1893)
24 January 1891
27 April 1893†
Template:NZ election link year (11th )
Liberal
Liberal C&S with IPLL 1908–1910; Labour 1910–1912; Independents 1911–1912.
2 years and 94 days
15
The Right Honourable Richard Seddon MP for Westland (1845–1906)
1 May 1893
10 June 1906†
— (11th )Template:NZ election link year (12th)Template:NZ election link year (13th)Template:NZ election link year (14th)Template:NZ election link year (15th)Template:NZ election link year (16th)
Liberal
13 years and 41 days
16
The Honourable William Hall-Jones KCMG MP for Timaru (1851–1936)
21 June 1906
6 August 1906
— (16th)
Liberal
47 days
Prime ministers (1907–present)
17
The Right Honourable Sir Joseph Ward BtGCMG MP for Awarua (1856–1930)
6 August 1906
12 March 1912
— (16th)Template:NZ election link year (17th)Template:NZ election link year (18th)
Liberal
5 years and 220 days
18
The Right Honourable Thomas Mackenzie GCMG MP for Egmont (1853–1930)
28 March 1912
10 July 1912
— (18th)
Liberal
105 days
19
The Right Honourable William Massey MP for Franklin (1856–1925)
10 July 1912
10 May 1925†
— (18th)Template:NZ election link year (19th )Template:NZ election link year (20th)Template:NZ election link year (21st)
Reform
Reform with Liberal 1915–1919;C&S with independents .
12 years and 305 days
20
The Right Honourable Francis Bell GCMGKC Councillor (1851–1936)
14 May 1925
30 May 1925
— (21st)
Reform
17 days
21
The Right Honourable Gordon Coates MC* MP for Kaipara (1878–1943)
30 May 1925
10 December 1928
— (21st)Template:NZ election link year (22nd )
Reform
3 years and 195 days
(17)
The Right Honourable Sir Joseph Ward BtGCMG MP for Invercargill (1856–1930)
10 December 1928
28 May 1930
Template:NZ election link year (23rd)
United
United with Labour ;C&S with independents .
1 year and 170 days
22
The Right Honourable George Forbes MP for Hurunui (1869–1947)
28 May 1930
6 December 1935
— (23rd)
United
Template:NZ election link year (24th )
United–Reform Coalition
5 years and 193 days
23
The Right Honourable Michael Joseph Savage MP for Auckland West (1872–1940)
6 December 1935
27 March 1940†
Template:NZ election link year (25th )Template:NZ election link year (26th)
Labour
First Labour C&S with Rātana 1935–1936; Independents 1935–1946.
4 years and 113 days
24
The Right Honourable Peter Fraser CH MP for Wellington Central until 1946 MP for Brooklyn from 1946 (1884–1950)
1 April 1940
13 December 1949
— (26th)Template:NZ election link year (27th)Template:NZ election link year (28th)
Labour
9 years and 257 days
25
The Right Honourable Sidney Holland GCMGCH MP for Fendalton (1893–1961)
13 December 1949
20 September 1957
Template:NZ election link year (29th)Template:NZ election link year (30th)Template:NZ election link year (31st)
National
First National
7 years and 282 days
26
The Right Honourable Keith Holyoake KGGCMG CH QSO KStJ MP for Pahiatua (1904–1983)
20 September 1957
12 December 1957
— (31st)
National
84 days
27
The Right Honourable Walter Nash GCMGCH MP for Hutt (1882–1968)
12 December 1957
12 December 1960
Template:NZ election link year (32nd)
Labour
Second Labour
3 years and 1 day
(26)
The Right Honourable Sir Keith Holyoake KGGCMG CH QSO KStJ MP for Pahiatua (1904–1983)
12 December 1960
7 February 1972
Template:NZ election link year (33rd)Template:NZ election link year (34th)Template:NZ election link year (35th)Template:NZ election link year (36th)
National
Second National
11 years and 58 days
28
The Right Honourable Jack Marshall GBECH ED MP for Karori (1912–1988)
7 February 1972
8 December 1972
— (36th)
National
306 days
29
The Right Honourable Norman Kirk MP for Sydenham (1923–1974)
8 December 1972
31 August 1974†
Template:NZ election link year (37th)
Labour
Third Labour
1 year and 267 days
—
The Right Honourable Hugh Watt JP MP for Onehunga (1912–1980) Acting prime minister
31 August 1974
6 September 1974
— (37th)
Labour
7 days
30
The Right Honourable Bill Rowling KCMG MP for Tasman (1927–1995)
6 September 1974
12 December 1975
— (37th)
Labour
1 year and 98 days
31
The Right Honourable Sir Robert Muldoon GCMGCH MP for Tamaki (1921–1992)
12 December 1975
26 July 1984
Template:NZ election link year (38th)Template:NZ election link year (39th )Template:NZ election link year (40th )
National
Third National
8 years and 228 days
32
The Right Honourable David Lange ONZCH MP for Mangere (1942–2005)
26 July 1984
8 August 1989
Template:NZ election link year (41st )Template:NZ election link year (42nd )
Labour
Fourth Labour
5 years and 14 days
33
The Right Honourable Geoffrey Palmer KCMGAC QC MP for Christchurch Central (born 1942)
8 August 1989
4 September 1990
— (42nd )
Labour
1 year and 28 days
34
The Right Honourable Mike Moore ONZAO MP for Christchurch North (1949–2020)
4 September 1990
2 November 1990
— (42nd )
Labour
60 days
35
The Right Honourable Jim Bolger ONZ MP for King Country (born 1935)
2 November 1990
8 December 1997
Template:NZ election link year (43rd )Template:NZ election link year (44th )Template:NZ election link year (45th )
National
Fourth National with Right of Centre 1994–1995;United NZ 1995–1996;New Zealand First 1996–98; with Mauri Pacific , Mana Wahine , Independents 1998–99;C&S with Future 1994–1995;Christian Democrats 1995–1996;United NZ 1995-1995, 1998–1999;ACT 1998–1999;Independents 1998–1999.
7 years and 37 days
36
The Right Honourable Jenny Shipley DNZM MP for Rakaia (born 1952)
8 December 1997
10 December 1999
— (45th )
National
2 years and 3 days
37
The Right Honourable Helen Clark ONZSSI MP for Mount Albert (born 1950)
10 December 1999
19 November 2008
Template:NZ election link year (46th )Template:NZ election link year (47th )Template:NZ election link year (48th )
Labour
Fifth Labour with Alliance 1999–2002, Progressives 2002–2008;C&S with Greens 1999–2002, 2005–2008; New Zealand First 2005–2008; United Future 2002–2008.
8 years and 346 days
38
The Right Honourable John Key GNZMAC MP for Helensville (born 1961)
19 November 2008
12 December 2016
Template:NZ election link year (49th )Template:NZ election link year (50th )Template:NZ election link year (51st )
National
Fifth National C&S with ACT , United Future , Māori .
8 years and 24 days
39
The Right Honourable Bill English KNZM List MP (born 1961)
12 December 2016
26 October 2017
— (51st )
National
319 days
40
The Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern MP for Mount Albert (born 1980)
26 October 2017
25 January 2023
Template:NZ election link year (52nd )Template:NZ election link year (53rd )
Labour
Sixth Labour with New Zealand First 2017–2020;C&S with Greens 2017–2020;Cooperation with Greens 2020–2023
5 years and 92 days
41
The Right Honourable Chris Hipkins MP for Remutaka (born 1978)
25 January 2023
27 November 2023
– (53rd )
Labour
307 days
42
The Right Honourable Christopher Luxon MP for Botany (born 1970)
27 November 2023
Incumbent
Template:NZ election link year (54th )
National
Sixth National with ACT , New Zealand First 2023–present
334 days