page_title: New Zealand House of Representatives
section_title: Procedure
hierarchical_section_title: New Zealand House of Representatives / Procedure
caption_attribution_description: English: Original caption from the New Zealand Free Lance, 5/7/1950, reads: "New Zealand's 29th Parliament was opened last week by commission in the Legislative council chamber, Parliament Buildings, Wellington. Sittings of both the House of Representatives and the Legislative Council followed, and M H Oram, M P for Manawatu, was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. On the second day, the ceremonial opening by His Excellency the Governor-General, Sir Bernard Freyberg, V C, took place...Returning to Parliament Buildings after presenting himself at Government House for His Excellency's approbation: the new Speaker of the House, Hon M H Oram, preceded by the Serjeant-at-Arms, Group Captain A J Manson, M C (with mace), and followed by the Clerk of the House, H N Dollimore."
context_page_description: The New Zealand House of Representatives is a component of the New Zealand Parliament, along with the Sovereign. The House passes all laws, provides ministers to form a Cabinet, and supervises the work of the Government. It is also responsible for adopting the state's budgets and approving the state's accounts.
  The House of Representatives is a democratically elected body consisting of representatives known as members of parliament. There are usually 120 MPs, though this number can be higher if there is an overhang. MPs are elected usually every three years in a mixed system of district voting and party list voting; 71 MPs are elected directly in electorate seats and the remainder are filled by list MPs based on each party's share of the party vote. A government is formed from the party or coalition with the majority of MPs. If no majority is possible then a minority government can be formed with a confidence and supply arrangement. If a government is unable to maintain the confidence of the House then an early general election can be called.
context_section_description: The House of Representatives usually sits Tuesday to Thursday when in session. The House meets in a debating chamber located inside Parliament House, Wellington. The layout is similar to the design of the chamber of the British House of Commons.
  The seats and desks are arranged in rows in a horseshoe pattern. 
  The Speaker of the House sits in a raised chair at the open end of the horseshoe, giving them a clear view of proceedings. In front of the chair is the Table of the House, on which rests the ceremonial mace. The House of Representatives cannot lawfully meet without the mace—representing the authority of the Speaker—being present in the chamber. (The current mace is an imitation of the one in the British House of Commons; it is over 100 years old, having been used since 7 October 1909.)
  Various officers—clerks and other officials—sit at the Table, ready to advise the Speaker on procedure when necessary. Members of the Government occupy the seats on the Speaker's right, while members of the Official Opposition sit on the Speaker's left. Members are assigned seating on the basis of the seniority in a party caucus; ministers sit around the Prime Minister, who is traditionally assigned the fourth seat along the front row on the Speaker's right. The Opposition leader sits directly across from the Prime Minister and is surrounded by Opposition spokespersons. A member who is not a Government minister or Opposition spokesperson is referred to as a "backbencher". A backbencher may still be subject to party discipline (called "whipping"). Whips ensure that members of their party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. Government whips are seated behind the Prime Minister; Opposition whips are normally seated behind the Leader of the Opposition. Members from parties that are not openly aligned with either the Government or the Official Opposition are sometimes referred to as "crossbenchers".
caption: The mace is carried into Parliament by the Serjeant-at-Arms during the Opening of the 29th Parliament, 1950
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