Father or Mother of the House is an unofficial title applied to the longest-serving member of Parliament (MP) sitting in the New Zealand House of Representatives. In New Zealand, no duties or special distinctions are associated with the position. The current Father of the House is Gerry Brownlee, List MP and formerly member for Ilam. He has served continuously in the House of Representatives since 12 October 1996. The current Mother of the House, as the longest continuously serving female MP, is Melissa Lee. She was first elected in 2008.

The position is usually determined by continuous service, not aggregate time in parliament or the earliest year of entry. For example, Damien O'Connor has served as long as Brownlee, and entered parliament a term earlier (in 1993), but since he lost his seat in 2008 he is not considered a joint Father of the House. When more than one MP have served equally long periods, the title is usually assigned to whoever was sworn in first, a process which happens alphabetically by surname.

In New Zealand's first general election of , the electorate was the first to declare the election of a successful candidate, Hugh Carleton, who was returned unopposed. In the subsequent General Assembly of 1854, Carleton liked to be known as the Father of the House.

In March 2005 then Prime Minister Helen Clark became the first to be dubbed Mother of the House.Hansard (3 March 2005) vol. 623, Week 81, col. 2005. Available at: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/47HansD_20050303/volume-623-week-81-thursday-3-march-2005 (Retrieved 24 February 2019).

List of Fathers and Mothers of the House Key

+Fathers of the HouseName Image First elected Became Father Left Parliament Time in Parliament Time as Father Notes References Hugh Carleton 14 July 1853 30 December 1870Defeated in 1871 election Alfred Brandon 29 July 1858 30 December 1870 8 November 1881 10 years, 10 months, 10 days Retired in 1881 Sir Maurice O'Rorke 18 January 1861 8 November 1881 3 October 1890 8 years, 10 months, 26 days Defeated in 1890 election, re-elected in 1893 Harry Atkinson 3 October 1872 3 October 1890 22 January 1891 3 months, 20 days Premier 1876–1877, 1883–1884, 1884, 1887–1891; resigned in 1891 Ebenezer Hamlin 18 January 1876 22 January 1891 8 November 1893 2 years, 9 months, 18 days Retired in 1893 Richard Seddon 5 September 1879 8 November 1893 10 June 1906 12 years, 7 months, 3 days Prime Minister 1893–1906; died in office Sir William Steward 9 December 1881 10 June 1906 20 November 1911 5 years, 5 months, 11 days Retired in 1911 Sir Arthur Guinness 22 July 1884 20 November 1911 10 June 1913 1 year, 6 months, 21 days Died in office Sir James Carroll 7 September 1887 10 June 1913 27 November 1919 6 years, 5 months, 18 days Defeated in 1919 election Sir James Allen 4 May 1892 27 November 1919 22 March 1920 3 months, 25 days Resigned in 1920 William Massey 9 April 1894 22 March 1920 10 May 1925 5 years, 1 month, 20 days Prime Minister 1912–1925; died in office Sir Thomas Wilford4 December 189610 May 192518 November 19294 years, 6 months, 8 daysResigned in 1929 Sir Āpirana Ngata20 December 190518 November 192930 August 194313 years, 9 months, 12 daysDefeated in 1943 election Peter Fraser 3 October 1918 30 August 1943 12 December 1950 7 years, 3 months, 13 days Prime Minister 1940–1949; died in office Bill Parry 17 December 1919 12 December 1950 27 July 1951 7 months, 16 days Retired in 1951 Robert McKeen 7 December 1922 27 July 1951 5 October 1954 3 years, 2 months, 8 days Retired in 1954 Rex Mason 15 April 1926 5 October 1954 25 October 1966 12 years, 20 days Retired in 1966 Sir Walter Nash 18 December 1929 25 October 1966 4 June 1968 1 year, 7 months, 10 days Prime Minister 1957–1960; died in office Robert Macfarlane 3 June 1939 4 June 1968 24 October 1969 1 year, 4 months, 20 days Retired in 1969 Sir Keith Holyoake 25 September 1943 24 October 1969 10 March 1977 7 years, 4 months, 14 days Prime Minister 1957, 1960–1972; resigned in 1977 Warren Freer 24 September 1947 10 March 1977 29 October 1981 4 years, 7 months, 19 days Retired in 1981 Mick Connelly 27 October 1956 29 October 1981 14 June 1984 2 years, 7 months, 16 days Retired in 1984 Sir Robert Muldoon 26 November 1960 14 June 1984 17 December 1991 7 years, 6 months, 3 days Prime Minister 1975–1984; resigned in 1991 Jonathan Hunt 26 November 1966 17 December 1991 30 March 2005 13 years, 4 months, 13 days Resigned in 2005 Title not in use Michael Cullen 28 November 1981 18 April 2009 29 April 2009 12 days Resigned in 2009 Jim Anderton 14 July 1984 29 April 2009 26 November 2011 2 years, 6 months, 3 days Retired in 2011Deemed to hold the post ahead of Peter Dunne due to the alphabetical order in which they were sworn in. Peter Dunne 14 July 1984 26 November 2011 23 September 2017 5 years, 9 months, 28 days Retired at the 2017 election. Bill English 27 October 1990 23 September 2017 13 March 2018 5 months, 18 days Prime Minister 2016–2017; resigned in 2018Deemed to be the Father ahead of Nick Smith due to the alphabetical order in which they were sworn in. Nick Smith 27 October 1990 13 March 2018 10 June 2021 3 years, 2 months, 28 days Resigned in 2021 Trevor Mallard6 November 199310 June 202120 October 2022 1 year, 4 months and 11 days Resigned in 2022 Gerry Brownlee12 October 1996 21 October 2022 Incumbent

+Mothers of the HouseName Image First elected Became Mother Left Parliament Time in Parliament Time as Mother Notes References Helen Clark 28 November 1981 30 March 2005 18 April 2009 4 years, 19 days Prime Minister 1999–2008; resigned in 2009Deemed to hold the post ahead of Michael Cullen due to the alphabetical order in which they were sworn in. Title not in useNanaia Mahuta12 October 1996 21 October 2022 14 October 2023 Defeated in the 2023 election Judith Collins27 July 2002 14 October 2023 14 May 2026 Retired in 2026 Melissa Lee8 November 2008 14 May 2026 Incumbent Deemed to hold the post ahead of Louise Upston due to the alphabetical order in which they were sworn in.Women members of the New Zealand Parliament, 1933 onwards, New Zealand Parliament. Updated 6 March 2026.

Table footnotes:

See also Baby of the House for youngest MPs when first elected. Father of the House, for similar traditions in other country's legislatures Winston Peters (1979–1981; 1984–2008; 2011–2020; 2023–present) (38 years in parliament as of 2026)

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