eaty of Waitangi
established British sovereignty)

Constitution: no formal, written 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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
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)
cabinet: Executive Council; appointed by the governor general on
recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
House of Representatives: (commonly called Parliament) elections last
held 6 November 1993 (next to be held NA 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, Sandra LEE; 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; New Zealand First, Winston PETERS
note: the New Labor, Democratic, and Mana Motuhake parties formed a
coalition called the Alliance Party, Sandra LEE, president, in
September 1991; the Green Party joined the coalition in May 1992

Member of: ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August
1986), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO,
GATT, 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 II,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel John WOOD
chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800
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