Dame Cindy Kiro will remain in office as Governor-General for an additional five months to avoid “timing issues” related to next year’s election.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon this afternoon issued a statement saying he had asked Kiro to remain in office beyond October 21 next year, when her term was scheduled to conclude.

“As happens from time to time, 2026 will see the five-year term of the Governor-General and three-year election cycle coincide,” Luxon said.

“I have asked the Governor-General to agree to a short extension of her term of office, to manage any timing issues that might otherwise arise with the appointment of a new Governor-General.

“I am grateful to Dame Cindy for agreeing to serve in office for this additional time.”

Kiro’s term is now set to conclude on March 31, 2027.

This has happened before. For example, in 2005 then-Prime Minister Helen Clark announced Dame Silvia Cartwright’s term as Governor-General would extended by four months to avoid holding a selection process at the same time as an election campaign.

Cartwright’s term was scheduled to end in April 2006, but was extended out until August of that year. While both dates were after the 2005 election, the process of finding a new Governor-General would have had to start months before Cartwright’s tenure concluding.

“The appointment of the Governor-General is a significant matter, important to all New Zealanders, and it is appropriate that the selection and appointment process do not coincide with the pre-election period,” Clark said at the time.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon with Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro at Government House. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Another former Governor-General whose term was extended, albeit for a different reason, was George Monckton-Arundell, who served a near-six year term between 1935 and 1941. His term was twice extended due to World War II.

The Governor-General, who represents the King in New Zealand, holds an important role in the election process, including issuing a writ instructing the Electoral Commission to hold a general election and appointing a government afterwards.

Kiro was appointed as Governor-General in 2021, described at the time by then-Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern as a “highly-distinguished” individual.

The Governor-General is formally appointed by the King on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald press gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office. He was a finalist this year for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards.