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Aotearoa has three branches of government:
While the branches work with each other, they are independent. This makes sure no one part of government has too much power.
The video below helps explain the difference between Parliament and Government.
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The Legislature, also known as Parliament, is made up of House of Representatives and the Head of State. Its main role is to make our laws.
The Legislature’s job is to:
There are seven seats Māori electorate seats in parliament. They are voted in by Māori who choose to vote in the Māori roll during the General Election. Celebrated rangatira like Sir Apirana Ngata, Sir Māui Pōmare, Iriaka Rātana, and Matiu Rata held Māori seats in parliament.
Māori can choose to be on either the General or the Māori roll, and you can always switch if you change your mind. Your roll choice can change the number of Māori seats in parliament. The more people there are on the Māori roll, the more Māori seats there will be.
You can learn about the origins of the Māori seats on the Parliament website.
The Executive is the elected Government of the day and all government departments. This includes the Prime Minister and Ministers who are responsible for different areas, such as Health and Education. Most Ministers are part of Cabinet.
The political party or parties that have the majority of seats in parliament forms the Executive. If political parties combine to gain the majority, it’s referred to as a ‘coalition Government’.
The Government’s job is to:
This branch of government also includes all the judges and judicial officers. The head of the Judiciary is the Chief Justice of New Zealand/Te Tumu Whakawā o Aotearoa.
Judges and our courts interpret and apply the law when hearing and deciding cases. The Judiciary is independent from the other branches and this independence helps protect our human rights. The Governor-General appoints all judges and judicial officers at the recommendation of the Attorney-General.
There are four main levels in the court system. Each court has a different role.
There is a formal process in parliament for making laws and amending laws. They involve different groups of people, including the public.
Learn about Aotearoa's founding documents, He Whakaputanga and te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Voting ensures your views are represented. Learn how to enrol and get information on voting in our general and local elections.
There are ways to get your views heard by those in power, either by engaging with the Government or Parliament, or through other channels.
