| | 2008 | 2005 | 2002 | 1999 | 1996 |
| Prime Minister announced election date | 12-Sep | 40,019 | 11-Jun | 26-Sep | 21-May |
| Election day (Saturday) | 8-Nov | 40,073 | 27-Jul | 27-Nov | 12-Oct |
| Publication of Gazette notice declaring list MPs elected | 27-Nov | 7-Oct | 15-Aug | 20-Dec | 14-Nov |
| Opening of parliament | 8-Dec | 7-Nov | 26-Aug | 20-Dec | 12-Dec |
| Number of parties in parliament | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| Largest party in government | National | Labour | Labour | Labour | National |
| Type of government (terms ordered by votes contributed) | minority supported | minority supported coalition | minority supported coalition | minority coalition supported | majority coalition (until Aug '98), minority coalition (from Aug '98) |
| Coalition partners | - | Jim Anderton's Progressive | Jim Anderton's Progressive Coalition | Alliance (until Aug '02), Progressive Coalition (from Aug '02) | NZ First (until Aug '98), |
| Support partners | Māori Party, ACT New Zealand, United Future NZ | NZ First, United Future NZ, Green Party (abstention on confidence votes) | United Future, Green Party (no commitment on confidence votes) | Green Party | - |
| Prime Minister | John Key | Helen Clark | Helen Clark | Helen Clark | Jim Bolger, Jenny Shipley |
| Largest party not in government | Labour | National | National | National | Labour |
| Leader of Opposition | Phil Goff | Don Brash, John Key | Bill English, Don Brash | Jenny Shipley, Bill English | Helen Clark |
| | | | | | |
| Last legal date for next general election | Sat, 7 Jan '12 | | | | |
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