New Zealand order of precedence

The Order of Precedence in New Zealand was approved by the Queen Elizabeth II on 9 January 1974, and amended to include former Governors-General on 10 September 1981. While the Queen herself is not listed in the order of precedence, as Queen of New Zealand she holds the highest precedence in New Zealand. It is not clear what precedence is accorded to other members of the Royal Family when they visit New Zealand.

1. The Governor-General, or (whilst acting in the place of the Governor-General) the deputy of the Governor-General or the officer administering the Government
   • Her Excellency Dame Silvia Cartwright
2. The Prime Minister
   • Rt Hon Helen Clark
3. The Speaker of the House of Representatives
   • Hon Margaret Wilson
4. The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps
   • Ambassador Feesago Siaosi Fepulea’i (Samoa)
5. The Deputy Prime Minister and Ministers of the Crown (by rank)
   • Hon Dr Michael Cullen (Deputy Prime Minister)
   • Hon Jim Anderton
   • Hon Steve Maharey
   • Hon Phil Goff
   • Hon Annette King
   • Hon Jim Sutton
   • Hon Trevor Mallard
   • Hon Pete Hodgson
   • Hon Margaret Wilson
   • Hon Parekura Horomia
   • Hon George Hawkins
   • Hon Mark Burton
   • Hon Marian Hobbs
   • Hon Paul Swain
   • Hon Ruth Dyson
   • Hon Chris Carter
   • Hon Rick Barker
   • Hon David Benson-Pope
   • Hon Judith Tizard
   • Hon Dover Samuels
   • Hon Damien O'Connor
   • Hon Harry Duynhoven
   • Hon Taito Phillip Field
   • Hon David Cunliffe
6. Former Governors-General
   • Most Rev Sir Paul Reeves, 1985 - 1990
   • Dame Catherine Tizard , 1990 - 1996
   • Rt Hon Sir Michael Hardie Boys, 1996 - 2001
7. The Chief Justice
   • Rt Hon Sian Elias
8. Ambassadors and High Commissioners in New Zealand for Her Majesty's Governments elsewhere, according to date of presentation of Letters of Credence or of assumption of duty, and Foreign Ministers and Envoys
   • An E. de Bijll Nachenius, 2 December 1999, (Netherlands)
   • Gennady I. Shabannikov, 9 February 2000, (Russia)
   • Sylvie Matteucci, 27 April 2000, (Switzerland)
   • Carlos Appelgren, 13 June 2000, (Chile)
   • Hima Takelesi, 24 February 2001, (Niue)
   • Chen Mingming, 15 March 2001, (People's Republic of China)
   • John Donaghy, 22 September 2001, (Canada)
   • Charles J. Swindells, 12 October 2001, (United States)
   • Richard Fell, 10 December 2001, (United Kingdom)
   • Javier Leon Olavarria, 31 January 2002, (Peru)
   • Bal Ram, 8 March 2002, (Fiji)
   • Lucy Bogari, 6 June 2002, (Papua New Guinea)
   • Sergio Barbosa Serra, 2 October 2002, (Brazil)
   • Erich Riedler, 11 December 2002, (Germany)
   • Norachit Sinhaseni, 4 February 2003, (Thailand)
   • Masaki Saito, 24 July 2003, (Japan)
   • Dr Allan Hawke, 4 August 2003, (Australia)
   • Tran Hai Hau, 23 September 2003, (Vietnam)
   • Jean-Michel Marlaud, 23 September 2003, (France)
   • Dr Liana Marolla, 30 October 2003, (Italy)
   • Kambiz Sheikh Hassani, 9 December 2003, (Iran)
   • Primo Alui Joelianto, 3 February 2004, (Indonesia)
   • Evangelos Damianakis, 3 February 2004, (Greece)
   • Seetoh Hoy Cheng, 3 February 2004, (Singapore)
   • Jung-seung Shin, 29 March 2004, (South Korea)
   • María Angélica Arce-Mora, 7 May 2004, (Mexico)
   • Sir Thomas Davis, 1 June 2004, (Cook Islands)
9. The Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of New Zealand
   • Dr Don Brash
10. Privy Councillors. In New Zealand, Privy Council appointees are former Prime Ministers, Deputy Prime Ministers, other cabinet ministers who were both senior and long-serving, Chief Justices and senior Court of Appeal justices. The following is a partial list, in rough order of membership:
    • Lord Cooke of Thorndon, 1977
    • Rt Hon Sir Brian Talboys, 1977
    • Rt Hon David Lange, 1984 (former Prime Minister)
    • Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 1986 (former Prime Minister)
    • Rt Hon Bob Tizard , 1986
    • Rt Hon Sir Thomas Eichelbaum , 1989
    • Rt Hon Mike Moore, 1990 (former Prime Minister)
    • Rt Hon Jim Bolger, 1991 (former Prime Minister)
    • Rt Hon Sir William Birch (Bill Birch), 1991
    • Rt Hon Thomas Gault , 1992
    • Rt Hon Peter Blanchard , 1998
    • Rt Hon Paul East, 1998
    • Rt Hon Sir Douglas Graham (Doug Graham), 1998
    • Rt Hon Sir Kenneth Keith , 1998
    • Rt Hon Winston Peters, 1998
    • Rt Hon Jenny Shipley, 1998 (former Prime Minister)
    • Rt Hon Andrew Tipping , 1998
    • Rt Hon Wyatt Creech, 1999
    • Rt Hon Simon Upton, 1999
11. Members of the Parliament of New Zealand: there is no established order of precedence over members of parliament in general, although each party has its internal ranking.
12. President and Members of the Court of Appeal and Puisne Judges (judges of the High Court)
13. "Mayors of cities and boroughs and chairmen of counties while in their own districts." In 1989, boroughs and counties were amalgamated into district councils. District mayors, and the Chatham Islands mayor could expect to be accorded this same precedence.
14. Charges d'Affaires
15. Former Prime Ministers
    • all living former prime ministers are members of the Privy Council
16. Former Ministers of the Crown in New Zealand.
    • Hon John Tamihere (2002 – 3 November 2004)
    • and others
17. The Clerk of the Parliament of New Zealand, Controller and Auditor-General and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Investigations (the Chief Ombudsman)
18. The Chief of Defence Staff, the Chairman of the State Services Commission, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Heads of Civil Departments of State
    • Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson, OBE, AFC (Chief of Defence Force since 25 February 2002)
    • and others
19. Chiefs of Staff of the Defence Forces (by rank)
    • Rear Admiral David Ledson, ONZM (Chief of Navy)
    • Major General Jerry Mateparae, ONZM (Chief of Army)
    • Air Vice-Marshal John Hamilton, ONZM, MVO (Chief of Air Force)
20. Consuls-General & Consuls of countries without diplomatic representation in New Zealand
21. Heads of religious denominations in New Zealand
22. Knights of the various orders and Knights Bachelor, according to their precedence in the United Kingdom

Main Source: NZ Gazette 1974 vol I pp5-6 and NZ Gazette 1981 vol II p2575