9 Feb 2017

Executive Orders in New Zealand

From Afternoons, 2:30 pm on 9 February 2017
George Grey photographed by Daniel Louis Mundy

George Grey photographed by Daniel Louis Mundy Photo: Te Ara / Public Domain

We have heard a lot about ‘executive orders’ over the past few weeks.  President Donald Trump is using executive orders to implement his election election promises.  The orders are extremely controversial both in substance and process. 

Trump is not the first US President to try this approach.  Franklin D Roosevelt issued about one executive order a day during his three terms as President.  How does this compare to NZ?  Do we have a similar history of executive orders?

Historian Grant Morris of Victoria University explores the history of executive orders.