Parliament is the supreme lawmaker in our country. It is made up of our Head of State (The Sovereign, King Charles III and his representative, the Governor General) and the House of Representatives as voted for by the public in an election.
This page contains a range of youth friendly resources from the Parliamentary Service and the Office of the Clerk. Their role is to support the functioning of Parliament by providing advice on parliamentary procedure, secretariat services, and administrative and support services.
What is Parliament?
Parliament is where Members of Parliament (MPs) make all the main laws in Aotearoa. It is our most important law-making body.
The main roles of Parliament are:
- Pass legislation (make laws)
- Provide a government
- Scrutinise the government
- Represent the people of New Zealand
- Oversee the Budget and financial scrutiny.
Watch this short video to get a basic introduction, and this video to explain the differences between parliament and government.
How does Parliament work?
Watch this 8-minute video to get a good overview of our electoral system, the role of the Sovereign, the main functions of Parliament, and the law-making process.
Make your own Parliament
Our electoral system can seem complicated. See how votes turn into seats with this simple interactive tool.
How are laws made?
Laws are made through a special process involving multiple steps. Explore these resources to learn more:
Classroom posters
Check out all the other classroom posters on Parliament's website. These simple resources help students understand the main people and functions of Parliament.
This content was developed by Office of the Clerk and Parliamentary Service - if you plan to re-use their content, please read their copyright statement here: Copyright.
