Politics · Other · 16 hrs ago
Luxon has until Dec 4 to choose New Zealand finance minister
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon must choose a finance minister by Dec 4 if his National Party can form the next government.
Nicola Willis, who has held the job since 2023, lost her seat in Parliament in the weekend election but can remain in the caretaker government until the official election results are declared.
Those results are due on Nov 27, after special votes are counted, and the election outcome is still uncertain.
Luxon must appoint caretaker ministers to 19 portfolios by Dec 4, including those held by Willis, Attorney-General Chris Bishop and Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith, who also lost their seats.
The Labour-led centre-left bloc could still take power, in which case Labour finance spokeswoman Barbara Edmonds would become finance minister.
If National forms the government, Luxon has said the finance role will go to a National MP, and he plans to begin formal coalition talks after the official results are declared.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has until Dec 4 to decide who will be New Zealand’s next finance minister, if his National Party can form the next government.
Nicola Willis, finance minister since 2023, lost her seat in Parliament in the weekend election.
The official election result is due on Nov 27, after special votes are counted.
The declaration of the new MPs is scheduled for Dec 3, giving a minister who is no longer an MP one further day to step down.
Willis, Attorney-General Chris Bishop and Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith held 19 portfolios that will need to be reallocated.
- Who
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon must choose a finance minister. Nicola Willis lost her parliamentary seat.
- What
- Luxon has until Dec 4 to decide who will be finance minister, if National can form the next government.
- When
- The deadline is Dec 4. The official election result is due Nov 27, and MPs are to be declared on Dec 3.
- Where
- New Zealand.
- Why
- Willis lost her seat in the weekend election, and ministers who are no longer MPs must leave office after the election results are declared and a further day.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Nicola Willis failed to win a seat in Parliament.
Luxon said the finance role would go to a National MP.
The official election result is due after special votes are counted.
The official declaration of MPs is scheduled.
Luxon’s deadline to decide on the next finance minister, if National can form the government.
- Finance minister since 2023
- Nicola Willis
- Deadline
- Dec 4
- Official election result due
- Nov 27
- Declaration of MPs
- Dec 3
- Portfolios to reallocate
- 19
- Possible Labour finance minister
- Barbara Edmonds
What people are saying
Ministers, even the ministers who have lost, are entitled under our Constitution Act to remain in office until the official declaration of the election results
They’re allowed to stay on governing under the caretaker convention until the new Members of Parliament are declared.
All of those warrants are going to have to be distributed to someone on Dec 4, but they’ll then have to go away and negotiate who exactly should hold them long term
very possible