About our Parliament

How Parliament works

The Speaker, the Rt Hon David Carter, in the House of Representatives.

The Speaker, the Rt Hon David Carter, in the House of Representatives. Photo: Parliamentary Service Collection.

Find out about our system of government, what Parliament does, how we choose our members of Parliament, and how laws are made. Discover the important jobs people do in Parliament and what special rules, privileges, and powers apply. How Parliament works

Get involved

Maui Tikitiki a Taranga, Māori Affairs Committee Room, Parliament House.

Maui Tikitiki a Taranga, Māori Affairs Committee Room, Parliament House.

If you want to have a say in relation to Parliament, or a parliamentary committee has asked for your views, there are formal ways to do this. The ways in which you can contribute to parliamentary work are set out here. Get involved

Visiting and tours

Visitors in the Visitor Centre before going on a tour of the parliamentary precincts.

Visitors in the Visitor Centre before going on a tour of the parliamentary precincts. Photo: Ross Becker.

Visit Parliament to discover our buildings and heritage, to see what happens when the House sits, and to learn about New Zealand’s democratic processes. Whether you visit us in person in Wellington or take a virtual tour, you can visit Parliament for free. Visiting and tours

Education

Students inside the Education Services Classroom

Students role playing in the Education Services Classroom. Photo: Ross Becker.

There are a range of educational programmes provided at Parliament for student groups, public servants, and others who want to learn about parliamentary processes. These are supported by learning resources including our Explore Parliament interactive website, fact sheets, and procedural guides for you to download. Education

See and hear Parliament

Parliament TV control room.

Parliament TV control room. Photo: Sharyn Jones Photography.

You can watch the House from your computer, watch it on television, or listen to it on the radio. There are also radio programmes and podcasts that summarise what has happened. See and hear Parliament

History and buildings

Crowd outside Parliament Buildings, Wellington, for the funeral service of Queen Victoria, 1901.

Crowd outside Parliament Buildings, Wellington, for the funeral service of Queen Victoria, 1901. Alexander Turnbull Library. 1/2-029512-F.

Read about Parliament’s history and the buildings where that history has unfolded over the years. Discover landmark political events, the personalities and parliamentary life of the past, and the roots of parliamentary traditions still held to today. Take a virtual tour to see the Gothic library building, classical Parliament House, and the famous Beehive. Find out what goes on inside. History and buildings