Crisis Chronology | New Zealand

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NEW ZEALAND

11/02/2023

Electoral Commission revises earlier vote count after the addition of 600,000 special votes. Although the conservative National Party, led by Christopher Luxon, still leads, it will need the support of the libertarian ACT Party and unpredictable New Zealand First Party to govern.

10/14/2023

General election. The National Party, led by Christoper Luxon, wins a decisive plurality with 39% of the vote. The Labour Party, led by Chris Hipkins, won 27%.

06/15/2023

Economy enters recession.

01/25/2023

Hipkins appointed prime minister

Governor General formally appoints Hipkins prime minister.

01/22/2023

Chris Hipkins is elected leader of the Labour Party and will become the next prime minister.

01/18/2023

Ardern to resign

Ardern says she does not have the energy to run for office again in 10/23, and will resign no later than 2/7 so that a new Labour leader can become prime minister.

11/21/2022

Supreme Court rules that voting age of 18 is discriminatory, since the constitution gives sixteen-year-olds the right to be free of discrimination.

09/15/2021

Australia, the UK, and the US announce a new strategic defense pact that will give Australia nuclear submarines. China denounces the pact. New Zealand says it will not allow the submarines in its territorial waters. France feels betrayed, having been negotiating a submarine deal with Australia, which Australia has now cancelled.

03/29/2021

New Zealand officially ends its participation in the war in Afghanistan.

11/15/2020

Fifteen Asia-Pacific nations sign the world's largest free-trade agreement, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in Vietnam. It replaces the Trans-Pacific Partnership, from which the US withdrew the United States in early 2017. The countries are: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.

10/17/2020

Ardern reelected

Ardern reelected in a landslide. Her Labour Party is set to win 64 of 120 seats, an outright majority and their biggest majority in fifty years.

10/17/2020

Ardern reelected

Ardern reelected in a landslide. Her Labour Party is set to win 64 of 120 seats, an outright majority and their biggest majority in fifty years.

08/17/2020

Government postpones general election from 9/19 to 10/17 due to COVID-19 pandemic.

07/14/2020

Todd Muller resigns as leader of the New Zealand National Party citing health and family reasons. A party caucus elects Judith Collins as the party's new leader.

06/17/2020

Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna says he is stepping down in September after nearly a decade in power. His deputy and Finance Minister Mark Brown will take over.

05/22/2020

Todd Muller is elected leader of the National Party, replacing Simon Bridges.

04/27/2020

Government announces that spread of COVID-19 has been halted from New Zealand and will begin ending restrictions. There are about 1200 cases and 19 deaths.

03/14/2020

Government declares a two-week quarantine on all arriving travelers.

02/28/2020

New Zealand confirms first case of COVID-19.

01/28/2020

Government announces that the next election will be held 9/29/20.

03/21/2019

Legislature passes stricter gun laws., banning semiautomatic rifles.

03/15/2019

Two terrorist attacks on mosques in New Zealand. The day before, following an attack on a legislator, Ardern suggests that legislators may need more protection in the future. New Zealanders are proud that their political representatives are freely accessible.

09/06/2018

At Pacific Island Forum, Tuvalu Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga suggests that Australian moderated concluding statement. Australia remains a stable partner for the island nations, but New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was more warmly welcomed than the Australian foreign minister Marise Payne, PM Morrison having declined to attend.

11/14/2017

Eleven nations sign the Asia-Americas trade agreement now called the “Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership” (CPTPP). Canada bowed out at the last minute. Canada did not make its objections explicit, but they may relate to internal politics. The signatories are Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.