In the New Zealand Parliament, political parties appoint party whips to ensure party discipline and attendance, help manage legislative business, and carry out a variety of other functions on behalf of the party leadership. Whips also have an administrative role to prepare lists of members from their party to speak in debates and ask oral questions of ministers in the chamber.[1]
In New Zealand, the concept of a whip was inherited from British parliamentary politics.[2] All political parties that have four or more members in Parliament have at least one party whip. Parties with 25 to 44 members are allowed two whips (one senior and one junior), and parties with 45 or more members are entitled to three whips (one senior and two junior).[3] Only four parties (Liberal, Reform, Labour and National) have ever had more than one whip.[4] A whip does not necessarily have to represent a single party and groups of MPs (of four of more) outside a party with a whip may appoint their own. This happened in 1983 when the Social Credit Party's two MPs (Bruce Beetham and Gary Knapp) combined with former Labour MPs turned independent (Brian MacDonell and John Kirk) to appoint their own whip (MacDonell) and boost their recognition in parliament.[5]
Whips act in an administrative role, making sure members of their party are in the debating chamber when required and organising members of their party to speak during debates. Since the introduction of proportional representation in 1996, divisions that require all members in the chamber to vote by taking sides (termed a personal vote) are rarely used, except for conscience votes. Instead, one of the party's whips votes on behalf of all the members of their party, by declaring how many members are in favour and/or how many members are opposed. They also cast proxy votes for single-member parties whose member is not in the chamber at the time of the vote, and also cast proxy votes during personal votes for absent members of their parties and for absent members of associated single-member parties.[3]
Some parties use an alternative title than whip, though the role is identical in all but name. The Alliance used the term 'parliamentary coordinator' rather than whip.[6] The Green Party uses the term 'musterer'.[7] Since 2020 Te Pāti Māori has referred to its whip as a 'mataura'.[8]
The Labour Party is one of the parties that has qualified for second whip, known as a junior whip.[9]
The National Party is one of the parties that has qualified for second whip, known as a junior whip.[10]
The Liberal Party is one of the parties that has qualified for second whip, known as a junior whip.[11]
The Reform Party is one of the parties that has qualified for second whip, known as a junior whip.[12]