Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (commonly called Parliament): elections last held 6 November 1993 (next must be called by November 1996); results - NP 35.2%, NZLP 34.7%, Alliance 18.3%, New Zealand First 8.3%; seats - (99 total) NP 50, NZLP 45, Alliance 2, New Zealand First Party 2
Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: National Party (NP, government),
James BOLGER; New Zealand Labor Party (NZLP, opposition), Helen
CLARK; Alliance, Jim ANDERTON; Democratic Party, Dick RYAN; New
Zealand Liberal Party, Hanmish MACINTYRE and Gilbert MYLES; Green
Party, no official leader; Mana Motuhake, Sandra LEE; Socialist
Unity Party (SUP, pro-Soviet), leader NA; New Zealand First, Winston
PETERS; United New Zealand (UNZ), Clive MATTHEWSON; Conservative
Party (formerly Right of Centre Party), Trevor ROGERS; Association
of Consumers and Taxpayers, New Zealand (ACT), Richard PREBBLE;
Christian Democrats, Graeme LEE; Christian Heritage Party (CH), Rev.
Graham CAPILL
note: the New Zealand Liberal, New Labor, Democratic, and Mana
Motuhake parties formed a coalition called the Alliance Party in
September 1991; the Green Party joined the coalition in May 1992;
the National Party government formed a coalition with the United New
Zealand Party in February 1996; the coalition will be valid through
the 1996 elections
International organization participation: ANZUS (US suspended
security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, AsDB, Australia
Group, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), OECD,
PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel John WOOD chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 consulate(s) general: Apia (Western Samoa), Los Angeles
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN
embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, FPO AP
96531-1001
telephone: [64] (4) 472-2068
FAX: [64] (4) 472-3537
consulate(s) general: Auckland
Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation
Economy ———-
Economic overview: Since 1984 the government has been reorienting an agrarian economy dependent on a guaranteed British market toward a more industrialized, open, free market economy that can compete on the global scene. The government has hoped that dynamic growth would boost real incomes, broaden and deepen the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, reduce inflationary pressures, and permit the expansion of welfare benefits. The initial results were mixed: inflation is down from double-digit levels, but growth was sluggish in 1988-91. In 1992-93, growth picked up to 3% annually, a sign that the new economic approach was beginning to pay off. Business confidence strengthened in 1994, and export demand picked up in the Asia-Pacific region, resulting in 6.2% growth. Growth continued strong in 1995, and inflation remains among the lowest in the industrial world. The government announced its first budget surplus in 16 years in FY94/95 and forecasts a surplus of $5.0 billion in FY97/98. The government intends to use the surplus to reduce the debt, increase social spending, and cut taxes - by $1.35 billion over two years beginning in 1996. Per capita GDP now is up to the levels of the big West European economies.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $62.3 billion (1995 est.)