itten constitution; consists of various documents, including
certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments; Constitution Act 1986
was to have come into force 1 January 1987, but has not been enacted
Legal system:
based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for
Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday:
Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British
sovereignty)
Political parties and leaders:
National Party (NP; government), James BOLGER; New Zealand Labor Party
(NZLP; opposition), Michael MOORE; NewLabor Party (NLP), Jim ANDERTON;
Democratic Party, Dick RYAN; New Zealand Liberal Party, Hanmish MACINTYRE
and Gilbert MYLES; Green Party, no official leader; Mana Motuhake, Martin
RATA; Socialist Unity Party (SUP; pro-Soviet), Kenneth DOUGLAS
note:
the New Labor, Democratic, and Mana Motuhake parties formed a coalition
called the Alliance Party, Jim ANDERTON, president, in September 1991; the
Green Party joined the coalition in May 1992
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
*New Zealand, Government
Elections:
House of Representatives:
last held on 27 October 1990 (next to be held NA November 1993); results -
NP 49%, NZLP 35%, Green Party 7%, NLP 5%; seats - (97 total) NP 67, NZLP 29,
NLP 1
Executive branch:
British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (commonly called Parliament)
Judicial branch:
High Court, Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General
Dame Catherine TIZARD (since 12 December 1990)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister James BOLGER (since 29 October 1990); Deputy Prime Minister
Donald McKINNON (since 2 November 1990)
Member of:
ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC,
AsDB, Australia Group, C, CCC, CP, COCOM (cooperating country), EBRD, ESCAP,
FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR,
NAM (guest), OECD, PCA, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Denis Bazely Gordon McLEAN
chancery:
37 Observatory Circle N
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