The New Zealand Poet Laureate Award recognises the work of poets, promotes the value of reading and writing poetry, and assists the Laureate to create a new work for publication. The Poet Laureate is appointed by the National Library of New Zealand for a three-year tenure and receives a grant of money and a tokotoko (carved orator’s stick) to symbolise their authority and status. Since 1997, thirteen Poet Laureates have been appointed, with the fourteenth announced on Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day (22 August 2025) who will hold the position until August 2028: Robert Sullivan (Ngāpuhi, Kāi Tahu). 

The Award was initiated in 1997 as the 'Te Mata Estate Poet Laureate' by John Buck of the Te Mata Estate Winery in Hawkes Bay. Each of the first five Laureates was appointed to a two-year tenure. From 2004 - 2007, Victoria University of Wellington's International Institute of Modern Letters administered the Poet Laureate Award in partnership with Te Mata Estate. Since June 2007, the Award has been administered and funded by the National Library as the 'New Zealand Poet Laureate Award'. The two-year tenure was officially increased to three years following an announcement in January 2024 by the National Library.

The following lists the thirteen Poet Laureates appointed between 1997-2025 and their works written and published during and/or directly after their tenure.

Find out more:

The National Library of New Zealand: New Zealand Poet Laureate Award, https://natlib.govt.nz/about-us/scholarships-and-awards/poet-laureate

1. 'Te Mata Estate Poet Laureate', 1997 - 2007

The inspiration for the 'Te Mata Estate Poet Laureate' Award was initiated in 1996 by John Buck of the Te Mata Estate Winery in Hawkes Bay to mark 100 years of grapes grown on Te Mata land. The idea was said to have originated during a wine industry dinner:

As the winery approached its centenary, John Buck searched for a way to mark it. His is a family of booklovers and communicators, so something literary would perhaps have always come about. But it was a throwaway comment from MP Doug Graham at a wine industry dinner in Wellington, that “there would never be a New Zealand poet laureate” that pricked John’s ears up. There had been infighting within the literary scene around the time, leading to the loss (before it even began) of a writers’ residency in London, and, John says “Parliamentarians had had it up to here with the literary community, and Doug Graham just said that, and for me it just went DING!”

Source: Lizzie Russell & BayBuzz Team (1 May 2018), 'Poetry rooted in Hawkes Bay', BayBuzz

The Award was modelled on the British Poet Laureate whose title had stemmed from a tradition in ancient Greece and Rome of honoring achievement with a crown of laurel, a tree that was sacred to the god Apollo, who was the patron of poets. The Te Mata Estate Poet Laureates were appointed for two year terms, with Bill Manhire the first appointee from 1997-1999. They received a grant of money, wine, and a tokotoko (carved orator’s stick) to symbolise their authority and status, which was carved from Te Mata's original wine press by Hawke's Bay artist and sculptor Jacob Scott. Each Laureate promoted the reading and writing of poetry at events and was supported to write and publish works. From 2004 - 2007, Victoria University of Wellington's International Institute of Modern Letters administered the New Zealand Poet Laureate Award in partnership with Te Mata Estate. The founding Director of the Institute from 2001 - 2014 was Bill Manhire.

Find out more: 

Encyclopedia Britannica: Poet Laureate 

University of Otago: Te Mata Estate Poet Laureate

Victoria University of Wellington: International Institute of Modern Letters: New Zealand Poet Laureate

2.  'New Zealand Poet Laureate', 2007 -

On 18 May 2007, the National Library Minister Judith Tizard announced the Te Mata Poet Laureateship will be superseded by the 'New Zealand Poet Laureate Award':

The New Zealand Poet Laureate Award will be established and administered by the National Library of New Zealand. A Laureate will be selected biennially and receive an award of $50,000. The Poet Laureate's working papers and published work will be preserved in the National Library’s National Digital Heritage Archive and in the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library. “Having the National Library collect the workings of the Poet Laureate as well as their published works will ensure future generations have a more complete understanding of our poetry today.”

Source: Beehive.govt.nz: Judith Tizard, New Zealand Poet Laureate Award, 18 May 2007) 

From June 2007, the National Library has administered the 'New Zealand Poet Laureate Award'. The National Library formed the Poet Laureate Advisory Council to receive nominations from the public and other sources, including New Zealand libraries, universities and creative writing programmes. Based on the Council's recommendations. the Laureate is appointed by the National Librarian | Te Pouhuaki. The first appointment as 'New Zealand Poet Laureate' (Michele Legoott) was announced by Judith Tizard at a function held at Parliament on 5 December 2007. (Source: Beehive.govt.nz: Judith Tizard: Announcement of 2007 Poet Laureate, 5 December 2007)

The Laureate's two-year tenure was officially increased to three years following an announcement in January 2024 by the National Library. Currently, the value of the Award is $150,000 over the three-year period of which the Laureate receives a $40,000 stipend annually and the National Library uses $10,000 annually for organising events, publicity and for carving the tokotoko. The Laureate is presented with their own tokotoko at Matahiwi Marae near the Te Mata Estate and also receives wine from the Winery. The National Library holds the matua, or parent tokotoko, to signify their guardianship of the New Zealand Poet Laureate Award. 

Find out more: An overview of the Award is available on the National Library of New Zealand's website New Zealand Poet Laureate Award and also includes the Poet Laureate blog which showcases their work and promotes poetry.

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This DigitalNZ story was compiled on 17 Aug 2025 & updated on 22 Aug 2025