New Zealand Legislation: Acts

18 Summoning, proroguing, and dissolution of Parliament

• (1) The Governor-General may by Proclamation summon Parliament to meet at such place and time as may be appointed therein, notwithstanding that when the Proclamation is signed or when it takes effect Parliament stands prorogued to a particular date.

  (1A) The Governor-General may, by Proclamation, change the place of meeting of Parliament set out in the Proclamation summoning Parliament if that place is unsafe or uninhabitable.

  (2) The Governor-General may by Proclamation prorogue or dissolve Parliament.

  (3) A Proclamation summoning, proroguing, or dissolving Parliament shall be effective—

  • (a) On being gazetted; or

  • (b) On being publicly read, by some person authorised to do so by the Governor-General, in the presence of the Clerk of the House of Representatives and 2 other persons,—

  whichever occurs first.

  (4) Every Proclamation that takes effect pursuant to subsection (3)(b) of this section shall be gazetted as soon as practicable after it is publicly read.

  Compare: New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, ss 44, 82 (UK)

  Subsection (1A) was inserted, as from 1 December 2002, by section 117 Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (2002 No 33). See sections 118 to 121 of that Act as to the transitional provisions.