Maori leaders meet in the Marae, or traditional meeting grounds, of the Maori Kiingi Tuheitia in Ngaruawahia, south of Auckland, to discuss recent government policies that seem aimed at reducing Maori participation and representation. Multiple Maori groups, or iwi, have filed urgent claims against the coalition government’s policies in the Waitangi Tribunal, a commission of inquiry for claims brought by Maori. The government has proposed minimizing the place of the Maori language, te reo Mao, in official uses. In order to gain a majority in parliament Prime minister Luxon had to form a coalition with the conservative ACT, which has long advocated reducing the participation of indigenous peoples, and the populist New Zealand First parties. New policies include reducing the use of te reo Maori in official communications, stopping race-based policies, and overturning health policies that protect the Maori. A Maori MP and leader of the Te Pati Maori party, Rawiri Waititi, published a document that seems to be a bill aimed at altering terms of the Treaty of Waitangi, which safeguards Maori rights.

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.

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%.

Economy enters recession.

Governor General formally appoints Hipkins prime minister.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

New Zealand confirms first case of COVID-19.

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

Legislature passes stricter gun laws., banning semiautomatic rifles.

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.

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.

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.