[4] The 1917 Letters Patent were issued following the proclamation of the Dominion of New Zealand in 1907, renaming the office of "governor" to "governor-general".
It was not until the 1960s, with the appointment of the first New Zealand-born governor-general, Arthur Porritt, on the advice of Prime Minister Keith Holyoake,[6] that the New Zealand Government decided that the 1917 Letters Patent needed updating.
[11] Following the report, draft Letters Patent were circulated with the governments of Niue and the Cook Islands, who gave their informal approval.
[2] Prime Minister Robert Muldoon wanted the Queen to sign the Letters Patent during her 1981 Royal Tour of New Zealand.
[12] This did not eventuate as Labour Party backbenchers refused to support the idea, believing that the royal tour had been timed to be close to the 1981 general election (Labour's front bench, including party leader Bill Rowling, David Lange and Geoffrey Palmer, all supported the Queen signing during the Royal Tour).
[12][17] This definition of the Realm of New Zealand recognised the new constitutions of the Cook Islands and Niue granted self-government.
[19] Clause II of the Letters Patent states that the governor-general is appointed by the sovereign, and serves "...during Our pleasure.
"[20] Clause II does not spell out that the sovereign makes the appointment on the sole advice of the New Zealand prime minister,[21] and that governors-general usually serve a term of five to six years in office.
[25] Following a general election, the governor-general exercises his or her reserve powers to appoint a party leader as a member of the Executive Council and prime minister.
[27] Then, on the prime minister's advice, the governor-general appoints the remaining members of the Executive Council (whether inside or outside Cabinet).
The governor-general has the power to grant a pardon, reduce a sentence, or refer a case back to the courts for reconsideration.