New Zealand Government library subject guide , Aratohu kaupapa mō te kāwanatanga o Aotearoa

This guide provides access to New Zealand government, legislative and parliamentary resources.

For other New Zealand resources please visit the subject guide most closely related to your topic of interest.

Official government websites and key people

New Zealand Government
Information and resources from all New Zealand government agencies and government-funded sites.

Beehive
Official website of the New Zealand Government.

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Governor-General of New Zealand
The role and functions of the Governor-General.

Elections New Zealand
Enrolling and voting in New Zealand. Includes educational resources.

Local Councils New Zealand
Local councils make decisions about local issues and services, considering local needs and priorities.

Politics & Government (New Zealand History Online)

Political milestones, protests, reforms, Parliament, heads of state, Treaty of Waitangi and more.

New Zealand Parliament

Our System of Government
All about Parliament, including how laws are made.

Parliamentary Business
All aspects of Parliamentary business, from legislation to rules of the House.

New Zealand Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
New Zealand Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) is the report of the proceedings of the House. Text is subject to correction until it is published as a bound volume. The bound volume is the only official report of the proceedings of the House.
Hansard in print at Massey Libraries

Browse Hansard Online from 1854 to present

Key government publications

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives of New Zealand ('AJHR' or 'A to Js')

A to Js Online from 1858 - 1950

A to Js in print at Massey Libraries
A collection of government-related reports published every year from 1858. The reports document the work of government departments and a wide range of other activities carried out by, or of interest to, the government of the day. One of the most valuable tools for understanding how New Zealand has developed from its earliest colonial beginnings to the present.

From 1999/2000 the A to Js become:

Parliamentary Papers Presented to the House of Representatives of New Zealand, published separately under the A – H shoulder numbers:

  • A: legislative, political, and foreign affairs
  • B: public finance
  • C: Crown lands, mines, forests, primary production, environment
  • D: immigration, public works, energy
  • E: education, welfare, and justice
  • F: post office, broadcasting, communications
  • G: Māori affairs
  • H: miscellaneous, commissions of inquiry
  • I: reports of select committees
  • J: petitions

New Zealand Gazette Online

Search notices from 1993 and full PDFs from 2000 onwards.

New Zealand Legislation

New Zealand Legislation
There are several stages that a bill passes before becoming an Act of Parliament. These stages ensure that a bill is subject to public debate and scrutiny. Some of these stages also provide an opportunity for a bill to be changed.

How a bill becomes law

Committees and debate

Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
New Zealand Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) is the report of the proceedings of the House. Hansard is good for tracking discussion and debate about a particular Bill. Text is subject to correction until it is published as a bound volume. The bound volume is the only official report of the proceedings of the House.
Hansard in print at Massey Libraries
Browse Hansard online from 1987 onward
Browse Hansard online from 1854 onwards

Select Committee Reports
Select committees work on behalf of the House of Parliament and report their conclusions to the House. There are up to 13 subject-area select committees, plus ad hoc committees set up from time to time for particular purposes. Select committees often ask the public for input when they are considering a Bill.

From bills to acts (statutes)

Bills

Bills are drafts of proposed new laws, considered in formal stages. If they pass through all stages they become laws, called Acts of Parliament.

Supplementary Order Papers (SOPs)
These set out proposed amendments to a bill. They may be in the name of a member or Minister. Some SOPs may propose to divide a bill.

Statutes of New Zealand (also called Acts of Parliament)
Statutes (or Acts) are bills that have been passed through Parliament and have received the Royal assent.

New Zealand Acts as Enacted 1841 - 2007
This publicly-available database from the Parliamentary Counsel office contains the New Zealand Acts 1841 - 2007 As Enacted collection. The Acts, which are in PDF format, are as originally enacted and do not include any later amendments or show whether they have been repealed.

Regulations
Every Act is administered by a government department or agency, which is responsible for the day-to-day workings of that Act. The Regulations are the “nuts and bolts” administration provided for under the Act. They are made pursuant to that Act and appear as secondary legislation.

Background and commentary

Laws of New Zealand
An encyclopedic work, updated quarterly. It provides an overview of the whole of the law of New Zealand – statutory, regulatory and judicial. It is a comprehensive source of primary comment.

Related subject guides

Māori

Learn where to start your research in Māori.

Law

Learn where to start your research in law.

History

Learn where to start your research in history.

Social Sciences

This guide covers general social sciences topics, including human geography, politics, social anthropology, and sociology.

Earth and Environmental Sciences

Learn where to start your research in earth and environmental sciences.

Agriculture and Horticulture

Learn where to start your research in agriculture and horticulture.

Social Work

Learn where to start your research in social work.

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