This represents an overhang of one seat, with the Māori Party having won one more electorate than its share of the vote would otherwise have given it.

The remainder were elected by means of party-list proportional representation under the MMP electoral system.

All of the Māori Party MPs attempted to alter their oath of office by adding references to the Treaty of Waitangi.

Government: the third and final term of the Fifth Labour Government, in power from 1999 until 2008; minority coalition with Progressive Party since 2002 Prime Minister: Helen Clark (Labour) from 1999 to 2008 Governor General: Dame Silvia Cartwright to August 2006; Anand Satyanand August 2006– Deputy Prime Minister: Michael Cullen (Labour) 2002–2008 Leader of the Opposition: Don Brash (National Party), to November 2006; John Key (National) November 2006 – Speaker : Margaret Wilson (Labour) Deputy Speaker: Clem Simich (National) Assistant Speaker: Ross Robertson (Labour) and Ann Hartley (Labour) Leader of the House: Michael Cullen (Labour) The table below shows the number of MPs in each party following the 2005 election and at dissolution: Notes 48th New Zealand Parliament - MPs elected to Parliament List MPs are ordered by allocation as determined by the Chief Electoral Office[3] and the party lists.

3 Brian Connell retired from Parliament effective 31 August 2008, leaving his seat of Rakaia vacant.