New Zealand’s head of state, the Queen, is resident in the United Kingdom. She appoints a governor-general to act as her representative and exercise her constitutional powers in New Zealand. The governor-general is now appointed on the recommendation of the New Zealand government and acts strictly in accordance with constitutional conventions limiting the political powers of the office. One important ceremonial duty is to open each new Parliament after a general election. Here, the governor-general in 2001, Dame Silvia Cartwright, is opening Parliament.