Leader of the Opposition (New Zealand)

Leader of the Official Opposition of New Zealand
Coat of Arms
Incumbent Chris Hipkins since 27 November 2023
Official Opposition of New Zealand
Reports to	Parliament
Term length	While leader of the largest political party in the House of Representatives that is not in government
Inaugural holder	John Ballance[a]
Formation	2 July 1889[b]
Salary	$288,900 (As at 2016)[update][1]
^ a. As the first parliamentary leader of an Opposition party. ^ b. The date Ballance was officially named Leader of the Opposition.

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In New Zealand, the leader of the Official Opposition, commonly described as the leader of the Opposition, is the politician who heads the Official Opposition. Conventionally, they are the leader of the largest political party in the House of Representatives that is not in Government (nor provides confidence and supply). This is usually the parliamentary leader of the second-largest caucus in the House of Representatives.^[2]

When in the debating chamber the leader of the Opposition sits on the left-hand side of the centre table, in front of the Opposition and directly opposite the prime minister.^[3]

The role of the leader of the Opposition dates to the late 19th century, with the first political parties, and the office was formally recognised by law in 1933. Although currently mentioned in a number of statutes, the office is not formally established by any act of Parliament, just like the prime minister's role; it is simply a product of the conventions of the Westminster-style parliamentary system. The leader of the Opposition is paid a special salary by virtue of the office, equivalent to that of a Cabinet minister.^[1]

Since 1936, the leader of the Opposition, as well as the prime minister, has invariably come from one of the two major parties, Labour or National. Therefore the leader of the Opposition has historically acquired that role by either losing a general election having previously been prime minister or by acquiring the leadership of the party that is already the Official Opposition. The rules on electing party leadership vary between parties.

Since the outcome of the 2023 general election, the current holder of the office is the leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, former prime minister Chris Hipkins.