New Zealand Poet Laureate is an accomplished and highly regarded poet selected to represent the southwest Pacific Ocean country’s community of poets and their readers. The poet laureate position is administered by the National Library of New Zealand. The poet traditionally serves for two years. He or she is expected to create new work and to promote the reading and writing of poetry among both children and adults.
In selecting a poet laureate, the National Library considers nominations from the public along with nominations from New Zealand libraries, universities, and creative writing programs. The laureate is appointed by the chief librarian of the Alexander Turnbull Library, a national heritage collection within the National Library, after consultation with the New Zealand Poet Laureate Advisory Group.
The poet laureate receives a cash award and the poet’s personal tokotoko, a carved ceremonial walking stick of the Māori people that is presented to the laureate upon appointment. The laureate also receives a supply of wine from the Te Mata Estate winery at Hawke’s Bay, on the eastern coast of New Zealand’s North Island.
The position of poet laureate was established in 1996 by the Te Mata Estate winery and modeled after the poet laureate of the United Kingdom. The first appointment was made in 1997. In 2007, the National Library of New Zealand assumed control of the position. In 2020, an extra year was added to the 2019 to 2021 term of poet laureate David Eggleton. His term was extended to 2022, because restrictions on public gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic had led to the cancellation of many of the poetry readings and other public events usually associated with the poet laureate position.
