New Zealand Labour Party
Template:Short description Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox political party Template:Labour The New Zealand Labour Party, also known simply as Labour (Template:Langx),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is a centre-left political party in New Zealand.<ref name="boston">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="centre-left">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The party's platform programme describes its founding principle as democratic socialism,<ref name="platform">Template:Cite web</ref> while observers describe Labour as social democratic<ref name="Bean2009" /><ref name="Aimer" /> and pragmatic in practice.<ref name="Bean2009" /><ref name="Aimer" /> The party participates in the international Progressive Alliance.<ref name="PA" /> It is one of two major political parties in New Zealand, alongside its traditional rival, the National Party.
The New Zealand Labour Party formed in 1916 out of various socialist parties and trade unions. It is the country's oldest political party still in existence.<ref name="founded"/> Alongside the National Party, Labour has alternated in leading governments of New Zealand since the 1930s.Template:Sfn Template:As of, there have been six periods of Labour government under 11 Labour prime ministers. The party has traditionally been supported by the working classes, Māori, Pasifika, and has had strongholds in inner cities and the Māori seats for much of its existence.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Labour won the party vote in 71 out of 72 electorates in the Template:NZ election link, making it overwhelmingly the most successful political party of the MMP era.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The party first came to power under prime ministers Michael Joseph Savage and Peter Fraser from 1935 to 1949, when it established New Zealand's welfare state. It governed from 1957 to 1960, and again from 1972 to 1975. In 1974, prime minister Norman Kirk died in office, which contributed to a decline in party support. However, Labour won the popular vote in 1978 and 1981, with the first-past-the-post voting system preventing them from governing. Up to the 1980s, the party advocated a strong role for governments in economic and social matters. When it governed from 1984 to 1990, Labour's emergent neoliberal faction had a strong influence; the party broke precedent and transformed the economy from a protectionist one through extensive deregulation. As part of Rogernomics, Labour privatised state assets and greatly reduced the role of the state, causing a party split in 1989. Labour prime minister David Lange also introduced New Zealand's nuclear-free policy. After a significant defeat in the 1990 election, Labour's neoliberal faction would largely defect from the party and form ACT New Zealand. Labour again became the largest party from 1999 to 2008, when it governed in coalition with, or based on negotiated support from, several minor parties; Helen Clark became the first Labour prime minister to secure a third full term in office. Clark's government was marked by the creation of Kiwibank, a state-owned banking corporation; strong opposition to the Iraq War; and the foreshore and seabed controversy, which caused disillusioned Māori Labour MPs to split and create the Māori Party.
In the 2017 election the party, under Jacinda Ardern, returned to prominence with its best showing since the 2005 general election, winning 36.9% of the party vote and 46 seats.<ref name="2017 general election results">Template:Cite web</ref> On 19 October 2017, Labour formed a minority coalition government with New Zealand First, with confidence and supply from the Green Party. In the 2020 general election, Labour won in a landslide, winning an overall majority of 10 and 50.01% of the vote.<ref name="2020_election">Template:Cite news</ref> In the 2023 election, Labour lost its majority to the National Party and subsequently returned to Opposition.<ref name="Guardian 2023 election">Template:Cite news</ref> Template:As of, Chris Hipkins serves as the party's leader, while Carmel Sepuloni is the deputy leader. Template:TOC limit
History
[edit]Background
[edit]Template:See also The founding of the New Zealand Labour Party, on 7 July 1916 in Wellington,<ref name="founded">Template:Cite web</ref> brought together a number of earlier socialist groups advocating proportional representation, the abolition of the country quota, the recall of members of Parliament, as well as the nationalisation of production and exchange.Template:Sfn
Despite the Labour Party's Wellington origins, the West Coast town of Blackball is regarded as the "spiritual home" of the party,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> because it was the site of a miners' strike in 1908 that led to the founding of the first nationwide federation of trade unions (the "Red Federation").<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Labour Party was established by trade unions, among other groups, and the party identifies itself as part of the wider labour movement in New Zealand.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Labour Party has long been identified with red, a political colour traditionally affiliated with socialism and the labour movement.
Formation (1901–1916)
[edit]Template:Formation of New Zealand Labour Party At the turn of the 20th century, the radical side of New Zealand working class politics was represented by the Socialist Party, founded in 1901. The more moderate leftists generally supported the Liberal Party.Template:Sfn In 1905 a group of working-class politicians who were dissatisfied with the Liberal approach established the Independent Political Labour League (IPLL),Template:Sfn which managed to win a seat in Parliament in the Template:NZ election link.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn At the same time, moderates contested as "Lib-Lab" candidates, aligning with the Liberal Party while enjoying the endorsement of the labour movement.Template:Sfn This established the basic dividing line in New Zealand's left-wing politics – the Socialists/IPLL tended to be revolutionary and militant, while the moderates focused instead on progressive reform.<ref name="McLintock1966"/> The process of unifying these sides into a single party was difficult, with tensions between different factions running strong.Template:Sfn
In 1910 the Independent Political Labour League was relaunched as an organisation called the Labour Party (distinct from the modern party). Soon, however, the leaders of the new organisation decided that additional effort was needed to promote left-wing cooperation, and organised a "Unity Conference". The Socialists refused to attend, but several independent labour activists agreed. The United Labour Party (ULP) was born.<ref name="McLintock1966">Template:Cite book</ref>
Soon afterward, the labour movement went through the 1912 Waihi miners' strike, a major industrial disturbance prompted by radicals in the union movement.<ref name="Black Tuesday">Template:Cite web</ref> The movement split over supporting or opposing the radicals, and in the end, the conservative Reform Party government of William Massey suppressed the strike by force. In the strike's aftermath, there was a major drive to end the divisions in the labour movement and to establish a united front. Accordingly, Walter Thomas Mills organised another Unity Conference, and this time the Socialists attended.<ref name="Black Tuesday"/> The resulting group was named the Social Democratic Party.
Not all members of the United Labour Party accepted the new organisation, however, and some continued under their own banner. Gradually, however, the differences between the Social Democrats and the ULP Remnant broke down, and in 1915 they formed a unified caucus – both to oppose Reform better and to differentiate themselves from the Liberals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A year later yet another gathering took place. This time, all major factions of the labour movement agreed to unite, forming the Labour Party as it is today.Template:Sfn
Electoral record of constituent parties pre–1916 Labour
[edit]| Term | Electorate | Party | Elected MPs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David McLaren | ||||||
| Alfred Hindmarsh | ||||||
| John Payne | ||||||
| John Robertson | Bill Veitch | |||||
| Paddy Webb | ||||||
| James McCombs | ||||||
| Andrew Walker | ||||||
Early years (1916–1935)
[edit]Almost immediately, the new Labour Party became involved in the acrimonious debate about conscription which arose during World War I. The party strongly opposed conscription,Template:Sfn and several leading members – Peter Fraser, Harry Holland, Bob Semple and Paddy Webb – were jailed and expelled from Parliament for their stand against the war.<ref name="Derby">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> The loss of leadership threatened to seriously destabilise the party, but the party survived.<ref name="Derby"/> (Fraser, Semple and Webb later supported conscription in World War II.<ref name="Derby"/>)
In its first real electoral test as a united party, the Template:NZ election link, Labour won eight seats – the party's quick success shocked many conservatives.Template:Sfn The eight seats compared with 47 for the governing Reform Party and 21 for the Liberal Party.Template:Sfn
Although Labour had split with its more militant faction (which went on to form various socialist parties), it maintained what were at the time radical socialist policies. Labour's 'Usehold' policy on land was, in essence, the replacement of freehold tenure by a system of perpetual lease from the state, with all land-transfer conducted through the state (the full nationalisation of farmland). This policy proved unpopular with voters, and Labour dropped it, along with other more radical policies, in the course of the 1920s.<ref name="McLintock1966" />
In the Template:NZ election link, Labour more than doubled its number of seats, winning seventeen. In the Template:NZ election link, it declined somewhat but had the consolation of soon overtaking the Liberals as the second-largest party. Labour leader Harry Holland became the official Leader of the Opposition on 16 June 1926, after the Eden by-election on 15 April elected Rex Mason (Labour) to replace James Parr (Reform), who had resigned. After the Template:NZ election link, however, the party was left in an advantageous position – the Reform Party had 28 seats and the new United Party (a revival of the Liberals) had 27 seats, and neither could govern without Labour support. Labour chose to back United, the party closest to its own views – this put an end to five terms (1912–1928) of Reform Party government.Template:Sfn
In the early 1930s the rigours of the Great Depression brought Labour considerable popularity, but also caused tension between Labour and the United Party. In 1931 United passed a number of economic measures which Labour deemed hostile to workers, and the agreement between the two parties collapsed. United then formed a coalition government with Reform, making Labour the Opposition. The coalition retained power in the Template:NZ election link, but gradually, the public became highly dissatisfied with its failure to resolve the country's economic problems. Harry Holland died in 1933 and his deputy, Michael Joseph Savage, became the Labour Party parliamentary leader. In the Template:NZ election link, the Labour Party gained a significant majority, gaining 53 seats to the coalition's 19, and returned to government.
Several of the early Labour Party stalwarts were Australian-born: Alfred Hindmarsh, Harry Holland, Michael Joseph Savage, Bob Semple, Paddy Webb, Bill Parry and later Jerry Skinner, Mabel Howard, Hugh Watt, Jim Edwards and Dorothy Jelicich.
First Government (1935–1949)
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Party leader Michael Joseph Savage became prime minister on 6 December 1935, marking the beginning of Labour's first term in office. The new government quickly set about implementing a number of significant reforms, including a reorganisation of the social-welfare system and setting up the state housing scheme.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Workers also benefited from the introduction of the forty-hour week, and legislation making it easier for unions to negotiate on their behalf.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Savage himself was highly popular with the working classes, and his portrait could be found on walls in many houses around the country.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At this time the Labour Party pursued an alliance with the Māori Rātana movement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The parliamentary opposition, meanwhile, attacked the Labour Party's more left-wing policies and accused it of undermining free enterprise and hard work. In May 1936, months after Labour's first general election win, the Reform Party and the United Party took their coalition to the next step, agreeing to merge with each other. The combined organisation, named the National Party, would be Labour's main rival in future years.Template:Sfn
Labour also faced opposition within its own ranks. While the Labour Party had been explicitly socialist at its inception, it had gradually drifted away from its earlier radicalism. The death of the party's former leader, the "doctrinaire" Harry Holland, had marked a significant turning-point in the party's history. Some within the party, however, were displeased about the changing focus of the party. Most notably, John A. Lee. Lee, whose views were a mixture of socialism and social credit theory, emerged as a vocal critic of the party's leadership, accusing it of behaving autocratically and of betraying the party's rank and file. After a long and bitter dispute, the party executive expelled Lee from the party, who then established his own breakaway Democratic Labour Party.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Savage died in 1940 and Peter Fraser, who became Labour's longest-serving prime minister, replaced him. Fraser became best-known as New Zealand's head of government for most of World War II. In the post-war period, however, ongoing shortages and industrial problems cost Labour considerable popularity, and the National Party, under Sidney Holland, gained ground, although Labour was able to win the 1943 and 1946 elections. Eventually, in the Template:NZ election link, Labour suffered electoral defeat.Template:Sfn
Fraser died shortly afterward, and was replaced by Walter Nash, the long-serving minister of finance.Template:Sfn It would be some time before Labour would return to power; Nash lacked the charisma of his predecessors, and National won considerable support for opposing the "industrial anarchy" of the 1951 waterfront dispute.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the Template:NZ election link, however, Labour won a narrow majority of two seats, and returned to office.
Second Government (1957–1960)
[edit]Template:Main Nash, Labour's third prime minister, took office in late 1957. Upon coming to power, Labour decided that drastic measures were needed to address balance-of-payments concerns.Template:Sfn This resulted in the highly unpopular 1958 "Black Budget" of Arnold Nordmeyer, the new minister of finance, which raised taxes on alcohol, cigarettes, cars, and petrol.Template:Sfn It is widely thoughtTemplate:By whom to have doomed the party to defeat despite the economy rejuvenating less than a year after the adoption of the Black Budget.Template:Sfn In the Template:NZ election link, the National Party returned to power.
The elderly Nash retired in 1963, suffering from ill health.Template:Sfn Nordmeyer replaced him, but the taint of the Black Budget ensured that Nordmeyer did not have any appreciable success in reversing the party's fortunes. In 1965 the leadership went to the younger Norman Kirk, who many believed would revitalise the party. Labour suffered defeat again in the next two elections, but in the Template:NZ election link, the party gained a significant majority over its rival.
Third Government (1972–1975)
[edit]Template:Main Kirk proved an energetic prime minister and introduced a number of new policies. His foreign-policy stances included strong criticism of nuclear-weapons testing and of South Africa's apartheid system. However, Kirk suffered from poor health, worsened by his refusal to slow the pace of his work. In 1974 Kirk was taken ill and died. Bill Rowling replaced him, but did not have the same electoral appeal – in the Template:NZ election link, Labour was heavily defeated by the National Party, then led by Robert Muldoon.Template:Sfn
Rowling remained the leader of the Labour Party for some time after his defeat. In the Template:NZ election link and the Template:NZ election link Labour won a larger share of the vote than National but failed to win an equivalent number of seats. This led to a very heated debate on New Zealand's electoral system, and precipitated the introduction of mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) fifteen years later.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Rowling himself was compared by media unfavourably to Muldoon, and did not cope well with Muldoon's aggressive style. In 1983 Rowling was replaced as parliamentary leader by David Lange, whom the parliamentary caucus perceived as more charismatic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the snap election of Template:NZ election link year, Labour decisively defeated the National Party.
Fourth Government (1984–1990)
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When the Fourth Labour Government came into power it uncovered a fiscal crisis that had been largely hidden by the outgoing Third National Government.Template:Sfn Government debt was skyrocketing, due largely to the costs of borrowing to maintain a fixed exchange-rate. When the result of the election became clear, Lange asked Muldoon to devalue the New Zealand dollar, which Muldoon refused to do, resulting in a constitutional crisis and precipitating some of the changes in the Constitution Act 1986.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The economic-policy agenda of the Fourth Labour Government differed significantly from previous Labour governments. The minister of finance, Roger Douglas, supported neoliberal theories, and sought to implement sweeping free-market reforms (dubbed "Rogernomics") to the economy and to the tax system.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Easton">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> This involved floating the New Zealand dollar, cutting government spending, reducing taxes and removing almost all industry subsidies.<ref name="Easton"/> The government also revolutionised New Zealand's foreign policy, making the country a nuclear-free zone, which resulted in suspension from the ANZUS alliance.<ref name="Lange1990">Template:Cite book</ref> Labour liberalised immigration policy and promoted migration from Asia.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Other innovations during the term of the Fourth Labour Government included extending the jurisdiction of the Waitangi Tribunal back to 1840 (the date of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi); the Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986, which legalised homosexual relations; and the Bill of Rights Act, which enumerated civil and political rights. Throughout its first term (1984–1987), the Labour government remained largely unified behind the enacted radical financial, economic and social policy reforms, but early signs of dissension began to appear before the 1987 election.Template:Sfn
In Template:NZ election link year Labour won another considerable election victory against the National Party, while ruptures over the direction of policy remained concealed. Labour took votes in affluent seats where it had never come remotely close to winning even at high-tide elections. In the biggest shock of all, it came within 400 votes of taking the blue-ribbon seat of Remuera off National. At the same time, Labour suffered negative swings in more traditional seats. The government's second term (1987–1990), with an increased Labour majority won on the back of Lange's anti-nuclear stance, saw emerging divisions over economic policy arising within Cabinet.Template:Sfn Ministers debated the extent and pace of further reforms, and there was disillusion among party members and supporters loyal to Labour's left-wing tradition.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Vowles 2013">Template:Cite book</ref> The Council of Trade Unions criticised the Labour Party. One vocal member of Parliament critical of government policy, former Party President Jim Anderton, departed to establish the NewLabour Party, which later became a part of the left-wing Alliance Party.Template:Sfn<ref name="Vowles 2013"/> At the same time Roger Douglas and Lange fought intermittent battles inside Cabinet, with Douglas wanting to expand his economic programme dramatically. Lange strongly opposed a flat-tax proposal from Douglas and moved to sack him, resulting in political clashes throughout 1988 and the departure of Douglas from the Cabinet in December 1988. After the Labour Caucus re-elected Douglas to Cabinet on 3 August 1989, Lange resigned from office himself (8 August 1989), interpreting Douglas's reappointment as a vote of no confidence in his leadership.<ref name="Hubbard">Template:Cite news</ref>
Geoffrey Palmer became the new prime minister.<ref name="Hubbard"/> However, Palmer failed to rebuild the shattered remnants of Lange's government and in September 1990, Mike Moore replaced him. Despite Moore's ascension somewhat salvaging poll-ratings, Labour suffered its worst defeat since it first took office in 1935 (losing twenty-eight seats) as voters flung it into the political wilderness in a massive landslide.<ref name="Vowles 2013"/> National swept to power, seemingly repudiating the Lange/Douglas program, but then engaged in even more radical policies than Labour had contemplated. Political disillusionment caused by both governments was to be instrumental in the later adoption of mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) in 1993 (implemented in 1996).<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Moore himself, despite recovering sixteen seats at the 1993 election, was replaced by Helen Clark in December 1993. Clark led the party in opposition to the National government for six years under the administrations of Jim Bolger (1993–1997) and Jenny Shipley (1997–1999). During this period in opposition, the party made a measured repudiation of Rogernomics, although it has never returned to its original leftist roots (Labour's contemporary position is left-of-centre).<ref name="boston"/><ref name="centre-left"/> When the Template:NZ election link, the first conducted under the MMP electoral system, gave the balance of power to the centrist New Zealand First party, many believed that Labour would return to power, but in the end New Zealand First formed a coalition arrangement with the National Party. Despite initially appearing coherent, the coalition became increasingly unstable and eventually collapsed, leaving the National Party to govern as a minority government from 1998 to 1999.
Fifth Government (1999–2008)
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After the Template:NZ election link, a minority coalition government of Labour and the Alliance took power, supported by the Green Party with Helen Clark becoming New Zealand's second female prime minister.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This government, while undertaking a number of reforms, was not particularly radical when compared to previous Labour governments, and maintained a high level of popularity.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Alliance, however, fell in popularity and split internally. Clark cited the Alliance split as one of the reasons for calling the Template:NZ election link several months early; Labour won comfortably.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Policies of the Fifth Labour Government included the KiwiSaver scheme,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the Working for Families package, increasing the minimum wage 5% a year, interest-free student loans, the establishment of district health boards, the introduction of a number of tax credits, overhauling the secondary-school qualifications system by introducing the NCEA, and the introduction of fourteen weeks' parental leave.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Labour also supported the Civil Union Act 2004, which legalised civil unions for same-sex and opposite-sex couples.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The foreign policy of the Fifth Labour Government strongly reflected liberal internationalist doctrine, with a particular emphasis on promoting democracy and human rights, advocating for antimilitarism and disarmament, and encouragement of free trade.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In 2003, the government opposed New Zealand military action in the Iraq War.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In early 2004 Labour came under attack in the foreshore and seabed controversy.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Significant internal tensions within the party eventually culminated in the resignation of junior minister Tariana Turia and her establishment of the new Māori Party.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Following the Template:NZ election link, Labour formed a minority coalition with the Progressive Party (breakaway party of the old Alliance), and entered into complex confidence and supply agreements with the centrist United Future and populist New Zealand First parties, which gave each party's leader a ministerial portfolio, while the support parties remained outside the Cabinet. A limited support agreement also linked Labour with the Green Party, giving certain policy concessions to the Greens in return for abstention on confidence-and-supply votes. Labour lost power when the National Party soundly defeated it in the Template:NZ election link.
In opposition (2008–2017)
[edit]
Following the loss to the National Party in the November 2008 election, Helen Clark stood down as leader of the party<ref name="nzh_clark_stands_down">Template:Cite news</ref> – Phil Goff succeeded her (serving from 2008–2011).<ref name="Shearer resign">Template:Cite news</ref> Labour had a relatively high turnover of four leaders during its most recent term in opposition; journalist Nicky Hager has attributed this to Labour's reaction to changes within public media and the political environment.<ref>Hager, Nicky, (2014). Dirty Politics: How Attack Politics in Poisoning New Zealand's Political Environment. Nelson: Craig Potton Publishing.</ref> Goff led Labour into a second electoral defeat in Template:NZ election link year and was succeeded by David Shearer, who led the Labour parliamentary from 2011 to 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Shearer resigned after losing the confidence of caucus. David Cunliffe (2013–2014) assumed the leadership after the 2013 leadership election in which, under new rules, members and unions held 60% of the vote.<ref name="Cunliffe wins">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="EIU">Template:Cite web</ref> Most of the Labour caucus disliked Cunliffe, but he had strong support from the party membership. In the leadership contest he won first-preference votes from only one-third of Labour MPs.<ref name="EIU"/>
Cunliffe's tenure as leader quickly became mired in internal disputes and falling poll-ratings. Labour went on to suffer its worst electoral reversal since 1922 at the Template:NZ election link year election, Cunliffe opted to resign after initially wishing to re-contest the leadership. His replacement, Andrew Little (2014–2017), then resigned in 2017 following new polling showing the party sinking to a record low result of 24%, with internal voices hoping that rising star Jacinda Ardern would take over in his stead.<ref name="Watkins">Template:Cite news</ref>
The caucus confirmed Ardern as the new Labour leader (2017–2023).<ref name="Watkins"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After Ardern's election to its parliamentary leadership Labour rose dramatically in opinion polls. By late August they had risen to 43% in one poll (having been 24% under Little's leadership), as well as managing to overtake National in opinion polls for the first time in over a decade.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Sixth Government (2017–2023)
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During the Template:NZ election link, Labour gained 36.6% of the party vote and increased its presence in the House of Representatives to 46 seats, making it the second-largest party in Parliament.<ref name="2017 general election results"/> On 19 October 2017, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters announced that his party would form a coalition government with Labour,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> citing changing international and internal economic circumstances as the reasoning behind his decision,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> coupled with a belief that a Labour government was best-placed to handle the social and economic welfare of New Zealanders in a global environment that was undergoing rapid and "seismic" change.<ref name="The Guardian">Template:Cite news</ref> This coalition, combined with confidence and supply from the Green Party,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> saw Labour return to government for the first time since 2008. Ardern became prime minister, with Peters as her deputy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Labour government pledged to eliminate child poverty, make tertiary education free, reduce immigration by 20,000 to 30,000, decriminalise abortion, and make all rivers swimmable within 10 years.<ref name="The Guardian" /> Notable policies, programmes and legislation during the 2017–2020 term included scrapping the previous National Government's national standards in schools and charter schools, the KiwiBuild affordable housing programme, restricting oil and gas exploration, banning semi-automatic firearms, restoring voting rights for prisoners serving less than three years and decriminalising abortion.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Labour Government also adopted an elimination approach towards the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, instituting lockdowns and closing the border.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Both Labour and Prime Minister Ardern attracted high domestic poll ratings due to their initial COVID-19 responses in 2020.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In mid-July 2020, the Serious Fraud Office announced that it was investigating donations made to the Labour Party by two Chinese businessmen during the 2017 general election. Labour Party President Claire Szabó announced that the party would co-operate with the investigation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The 2017–2020 term saw several ministerial resignations for various indiscretions, notably Phil Twyford, Clare Curran, Meka Whaitiri and David Clark.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In the Template:NZ election link, Labour gained 50% of the party vote and increased its presence in the House of Representatives to 65 seats, marking the first time that a party has won enough seats to govern alone since the introduction of the MMP system in 1996. Described as a "landslide" victory<ref name="2020_election" /> in which the party won the party vote in "virtually every single electorate", Labour is believedTemplate:By whom to have gained support from swing voters, many of whom had previously voted for National under John Key.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 20 October, Newshub reported that Ardern was not intending to forge a formal coalition with the Green Party but was exploring the possibility of a lower-level support arrangement due to Labour's large parliamentary majority.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following prolonged negotiations, the Green Party agreed to enter into a cooperation agreement with the Labour Party on 31 October and received two ministerial portfolios in return. Despite this landslide victory Labour faced criticism from economists due to the government's lack of action on New Zealand's housing affordability crisis, despite it being a key feature of Labour's 2017 election campaign.<ref> Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable policies, programmes and legislations during the 2020–2023 term included the Clean Car rebate programme, making the Māori New Year Matariki a public holiday, banning conversion therapy, replacing the district health boards with a national health service called Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), passing smokefree legislation banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 1 January 2009, repealing "three strikes" legislation, and banning live animal exports.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In terms of foreign policy, the Labour Government supported Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, sanctioned Russia, signed free trade agreements with both the United Kingdom and European Union, and advocated restraint in response to the Gaza war.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Government also implemented several co-governance arrangements in the public sector including entrenching Māori wards and constituencies in local government, the Three Waters reform programme, and creating Te Aka Whai Ora (the Māori Health Authority).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following a major COVID-19 outbreak in August 2021,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the Labour Government abandoned its elimination strategy and gradually eased lockdown, border restrictions, vaccine mandates and masking requirements between 2021 and 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During that period, growing opposition to lockdowns and vaccine mandates led to the emergence of several anti-vaccination protest groups including Voices for Freedom and Brian Tamaki's The Freedoms and Rights Coalition, culminating in the 2022 occupation of Parliament's grounds.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 19 January 2023, Ardern announced her resignation as party leader and therefore prime minister.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the resultant leadership election Chris Hipkins was the only candidate and was confirmed as the new Labour leader on 22 January.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Hipkins' premiership saw a shift in focus to "cost of living issues" and a "policy bonfire" that saw the scrapping or revision of several Government policies and initiatives including the planned merger of public broadcasters RNZ and TVNZ, a biofuel mandate, lowering the voting age to 16 years and the Clean Car Upgrade programme.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Hipkins' government also responded to two natural disasters, the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods and Cyclone Gabrielle, which devastated Auckland and the east coast of the North Island.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Prior to the dissolution of Parliament, the Labour Government passed two laws as part of efforts to replace the Resource Management Act 1991.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The 2020–2023 term saw the expulsion of Labour MP Gaurav Sharma, the resignations of ministers Stuart Nash and Kiri Allan, and ministers Michael Wood and Jan Tinetti being disciplined by Parliament's privileges committee.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The 2023 NZ general election, held on 14 October 2023, saw the Labour government lose its majority to the opposition National Party.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Guardian 2023 election" /> Based on final results, Labour's share of the popular vote declined to 26.91% while its share of Parliamentary seats dropped to 34.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In opposition, 2023–present
[edit]Template:Main In early November 2023, caretaker Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was re-elected as leader of the Labour Party and Carmel Sepuloni was elected as deputy leader.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In early 2024, three veteran Labour MPs Kelvin Davis, Rino Tirikatene and Grant Robertson resigned from Parliament, allowing Shanan Halbert, Tracey McLellan and Glen Bennett to re-enter Parliament via the party list.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In April 2024, Labour called for New Zealand to recognise Palestinian statehood.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In February 2024, two Labour MPs questioned whether New Zealand should be entering the non-nuclear component of the AUKUS, with foreign affairs spokesperson Phil Twyford describing it as an "offensive warfighting alliance against China."<ref name="RNZ 12 Feb 2024">Template:Cite news</ref> At the Labour Party's annual conference in 2024, held between 29 November and 1 December, Chris Hipkins announced that under a Labour government, New Zealand would not be a part of AUKUS, saying that any government he leads would "restore New Zealand's proudly independent foreign policy."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Ideology
[edit]The New Zealand Labour Party's founding 1916 policy objectives called for "the socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange", including state ownership of major parts of the economy, and increased rights for workers.<ref name="Aimer">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> While the socialist objective attracted support from some members, it also became a target for opponents who portrayed Labour as an extremist party. In the aftermath of World War II, Labour prioritised national unity over societal divisions, but after their defeat in Template:NZ election link year, many party members perceived the socialist objective as outdated and a hindrance to electoral success, leading to its abolition in 1951.<ref name="Aimer"/> The party transformed into a moderate social-democratic party, focusing on reform within the democratic framework while maintaining ties with trade unions.<ref name="Aimer"/><ref name="Bean2009">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="SmithVromen2006">Template:Cite book</ref>
By the late 1980s, the Labour Party had undergone significant ideological changes, leading to policies that frequently conflicted with the goals and interests of the union movement.<ref name="Aimer"/> The Labour Government of the 1980s deviated sharply from a social-democratic path; in a series of economic reforms, the government removed a swathe of regulations and subsidies, privatised state assets, and introduced corporate practices to state services.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
The party's constitution and platform programme maintains its founding principle as democratic socialism,<ref name="Party_constitution">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="platform"/> while observers describe Labour's policies as social-democratic and pragmatic in practice.<ref name="Bean2009"/><ref name="Aimer"/> From the 1990s onwards, Labour has again aimed to use the power of the state to try to achieve a "fairer and more equal society", based on a mixed economy in which both the state and private enterprise play a part.<ref name="Aimer"/> Subsequently, the party has also been described as embracing certain social-liberal policies.<ref name="polsci">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Principles
[edit]According to its current constitution, the party accepts democratic socialist principles, including:<ref name="Constitution">Template:Cite web</ref>
- The management of New Zealand's natural resources for the benefit of all, including future generations.
- Equal access to all social, economic, cultural, political, and legal spheres, regardless of wealth or social position.
- Co-operation as the main governing factor in economic relations, to ensure a just distribution of wealth.
- Universal rights to dignity, self-respect, and the opportunity to work.
- The right to wealth and property, subject to the provisos of regarding people as always more important than property and the obligations of the state to ensure a just distribution of wealth.
- Honouring Template:Lang / the Treaty of Waitangi as the founding document of New Zealand.
- The promotion of peace and social justice throughout the world by international co-operation.
- Equality in human rights regardless of race, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religious faith, political belief or disability.
Voter base
[edit]Historically, the party drew upon a stable sectional voter base comprising the urban working class, predominantly manual labourers and trade unionists. From the 1930s onwards, Labour has increasingly positioned itself as a broad-based party by responding and adapting to different social and economic problems and changing demographics (appealing to an expanding migrant population and a diversified ethnic, social make-up).<ref name="Aimer"/> Beginning in the 1980s, there was a shift away from class-issues and towards the promotion of individual freedoms, particularly for members of disadvantaged groups such as women and Māori. The modern party's core support base lies among young people, urban workers, civil servants, and minorities (particularly the Māori and Pasifika communities).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Organisation
[edit]Party structure
[edit]General and special branches
[edit]Party membership is tied into geographically-based branches in each parliamentary electorate. General branches must consist of at least 10 members aged 15 or over.<ref name="constitution2016">Template:Cite web</ref> Members may also form special branches where they have a special community of interest (such as university students and academics, young people, women, Māori people, Pasifika, multicultural groups, people with disabilities, the LGBT community, and industrial workers).<ref name="constitution2016"/> Influential branches include Princes Street Labour (this Auckland university branch is described as the "ideological powerhouse of the party",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and has contributed many prominent Labour politicians) and Vic Labour (the Victoria University of Wellington branch).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Membership figures are rarely released to the public. Full (non-affiliate) membership is known to have peaked at 55,000 in 1976. During the 1980s and 1990s, party membership plummeted to levels not seen since before the First Labour Government. This decline might be attributed to disillusionment on the part of some members with the economic policies of the Fourth Labour Government ("Rogernomics"). Membership figures began to recover under Helen Clark's leadership, with 14,000 members recorded in 2002.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
Conference, councils and committees
[edit]Delegates from all branches in the electorate, together with delegates from affiliated unions, make up the Labour Electorate Committee (LEC). The LEC is responsible for party organisation in the electorate.<ref name="constitution2016"/> The party is divided into six regional areas, which each year convene a Regional Conference.<ref name="Organisation">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Policy and other matters are debated and passed onto the Annual Conference.<ref name="constitution2016"/>
The Annual Conference (called Congress in election years) is the supreme governing body of the Labour Party when it is in session. All constituent bodies of the party are entitled to send delegates to Annual Conference.<ref name="constitution2016"/>
The New Zealand Council is the Labour Party's governing executive.<ref name="Organisation" /> It ensures that the party is governed effectively according to its constitution. The NZ Council consists of the president, two senior vice presidents (one of which must be Māori), three vice presidents (representing women, affiliates, and Pacific Islanders), seven regional representatives, one Policy Council representative, three Caucus representatives, and the general secretary.<ref name="constitution2016"/>
The Policy Council, responsible for the development of the policy platform and election manifesto,<ref name="platform"/> is elected for a three-year term following each general election. The party structure also provides for Special Interest Group Councils: representing the affiliates, women's issues, Māori issues, Pacific Islands, primary industries, local government, and youth.<ref name="constitution2016"/>
Caucus and parliamentary leadership
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The elected members representing the Labour Party in the House of Representatives meet as the Parliamentary Labour Party, also called the Caucus. The current parliamentary leader is Chris Hipkins (since 22 January 2023).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A leadership election is triggered upon the vacancy of the position of leader or a motion of no confidence. Candidates are nominated from within the Caucus. Under Labour Party rules, party members have 40% of the votes, MPs have another 40% of the votes, and affiliated unions have 20% of the votes.<ref name="constitution2016"/> Some observersTemplate:Who have criticised the influence of the unions in leadership elections.<ref name="unions1"/>
Affiliated trade unions
[edit]In the first decades of the 20th century, manufacturing industries grew strongly in New Zealand's main cities and union membership also increased. The Labour Party was formed in this period as the political wing of the labour movement and was financed by trade unions. Since then, the unions have retained close institutional links with the party. In 2023 there were 11 affiliated unions, which paid a levy to the party based on the size of their own memberships.<ref name="Organisation"/> Generally, members of these unions are also affiliated members of the Labour Party. Affiliates receive a percentage of the vote in party leadership elections.<ref name="unions1">Template:Cite news</ref>
In addition, the president of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions continues to speak at the Labour Party Annual Conference.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Young Labour
[edit]Template:Main Young Labour is the party's youth wing. It exists to organise young party members (and young members of affiliated unions) aged under 30,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and encourage wider involvement of young New Zealanders in centre-left politics. Young Labour is the most active sector in the Labour Party and plays a significant role in policy development and campaign efforts. It is endearingly called the "conscience of the party".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In March 2018, it was reported that four people under 16 were allegedly sexually assaulted at a Young Labour summer camp in February. The camp was said to have "mountains of alcohol", and people under the legal drinking age of 18 were said to have consumed alcohol. Although Young Labour and the Labour Party were aware of the allegations, party leadership failed to tell the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. The party offered counselling and support after the allegations were publicly reported.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> An independent review into the party's conduct and sexual assault complaint policy was announced by Party President Nigel Haworth, and was completed late August. The party has declined to release the report to the public.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Local government
[edit]Labour Party members, including current and former MPs, have contested various local government positions throughout New Zealand during local body elections. While several have stood as Labour Party candidates, others have contested the elections as independent politicians.
Auckland
[edit]Labour has contested the Auckland local body elections alongside City Vision, a left-leaning electoral ticket representing the local Labour, Green parties and other progressives.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following the 2022 Auckland local elections, the Auckland Council had four councillors serving under the Labour ticket and one serving under the affiliated City Vision ticket.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In addition, 26 Labour Party candidates were elected to local community boards across Auckland while four Labour candidates were elected to local licensing trusts in the Auckland Region. Meanwhile, seven City Vision local board members and three City Vision liquor licensing trust members were also elected.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Former Labour MP and cabinet minister Phil Goff served as mayor of Auckland for two terms between 2016 and 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Christchurch
[edit]In Christchurch, former Labour MP and cabinet minister Lianne Dalziel served for three terms as mayor between 2013 and 2022. She ran as an independent<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Within the Christchurch City Council, Labour maintains an umbrella, including community independents called The People's Choice (formerly Christchurch 2021).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During the 2019 Christchurch local elections, People's Choice candidates held 10 community board seats, seven council seats, and several community board chairmanships.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Dunedin
[edit]On 26 February 2016, Dunedin city councillor and former Labour MP David Benson-Pope announced that he would be contesting the Dunedin local elections in October under the "Local Labour" ticket. While still a Labour Party member, Benson Pope had stood in the 2013 local elections as an independent candidate. This report coincided with the dissolution of the city's main local body ticket, the centre-left Greater Dunedin group.<ref name="ODT 26 Feb 2016">Template:Cite news</ref> On 20 April, it was reported that the Labour Party had dropped its plan to field a bloc of candidates in the 2016 Dunedin elections. However, the party has not ruled out endorsing other candidates.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
During the 2019 local elections, Steve Walker and Marian Hobbs were elected to the Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council respectively on Labour Party tickets.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Hobbs subsequently resigned from the Otago Regional Council in November 2021.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
During the 2022 Dunedin local elections, Steve Walker and Joy Davis stood as Labour candidates for the Dunedin City Council. While Walker was re-elected, Davis failed to win a seat.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
New Plymouth
[edit]In New Plymouth, former MP Harry Duynhoven served as mayor from 2010 to 2013, when he was defeated by Andrew Judd.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Palmerston North
[edit]Beginning in 2016, the Labour Party began contesting the Palmerston North local elections, ending a long tradition of keeping national party political affiliations out of local government bodies. During the 2016 local elections, Lorna Johnson was elected on the Labour Party ticket to the Palmerston North City Council. During the 2019 local elections, she was joined by Zulfiqar Butt, who also stood on the Labour ticket.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During the 2022 local elections, Johnson was re-elected to the Palmerston North City Council but Butt was defeated.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Rotorua
[edit]Former Template:NZ electorate link electorate then Labour list MP Steve Chadwick, was elected as mayor of Rotorua in the 2013 elections. She stood as an independent.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She served for three terms before resigning in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Wellington Region
[edit]During the 2022 Wellington local elections, four Labour Party councillors were elected: Ben McNulty – Northern Ward, Rebecca Matthews – Onslow-Western Ward, Teri O'Neill – Eastern Ward, and Nureddin Abdurahman – Southern Ward. Labour MP Paul Eagle unsuccessfully contested the 2022 Wellington City mayoral election but came third place.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Daran Ponter of the Wellington City ward on the Greater Wellington Regional Council was the only councillor to have been re-elected on a Labour ticket during the 2022 Wellington local election.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Campbell Barry has been the mayor of Lower Hutt since 2019 and was re-elected on the Labour ticket along with Wainuiomata ward councilor Keri Brown during the 2022 Hutt City Council elections.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Whanganui
[edit]In Whanganui, Labour member Hamish McDouall served two terms as mayor until he was defeated by Andrew Tripe during the 2022 local elections.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> McDouall had previously contested the seat of Whanganui for the party. McDouall ran on an independent ticket.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Electoral performance
[edit]House of Representatives
[edit]- Labour did not contest every electorate until 1946, when it stood candidates in all 80 electorates.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> According to the National Executive reports,Template:Sfn the number of official candidates in 1919 is uncertain (53 or possibly 46). The party ran 41 candidates in 1922; 56 in 1925; 55 in 1928; 53 in 1931; 70 in 1935; 78 in 1938; and 77 in 1943. Labour did not run against independent candidates who voted with Labour, such as Harry Atmore in Nelson and David McDougall in Mataura, Southland. Labour did not run candidates against the two Country Party candidates in 1935, but did in 1938, when both candidates were defeated.
Māori electorates
[edit]Leadership
[edit]Template:For The Labour Party has had 17 leaders, 11 of whom have served as prime minister. To date, Helen Clark served longest as leader of the Labour Party. While some dispute exists as to when Harry Holland officially became leader, Clark had passed his longest possible leadership term by 26 October 2008.<ref name="nzh_labour_leader">Template:Cite news</ref>
List of leaders
[edit]The following is a complete list of Labour Party leaders in the House of Representatives:
Key:
Template:Legend2
Template:Legend2
Template:Legend2
Template:Legend2
PM: Prime Minister
LO: Leader of the Opposition
†: Died in office
| No. | Leader | Portrait | Term Began | Term Ended | Position | Prime Minister | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | 1 | Alfred Hindmarsh | File:Alfred Hindmarsh.jpg | 7 July 1916 | 13 November 1918† | — | rowspan=2 style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:Template:Party color"| | Massey |
| rowspan=6 style="background:Template:Party color"| | 2 | Harry Holland | File:Harry Holland (1925).jpg | 27 August 1919 | 8 October 1933† | — | ||
| height=15 style="border-top:solid 0 grey; background:Template:Party color"| | ||||||||
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | Bell | |||||||
| LO 1926–1928 | style="background:Template:Party color"| | Coates | ||||||
| Junior coalition partner 1928–1931 |
style="background:Template:Party color"| | Ward | ||||||
| LO 1931–1933 | rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Forbes | ||||||
| rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color"| | 3 | Michael Joseph Savage | File:Michael Joseph Savage Portrait (cropped).jpg | 12 October 1933 | 27 March 1940† | LO 1933–1935 | ||
| PM 1935–1940 | style="background:Template:Party color"| | Savage | ||||||
| rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color"| | 4 | Peter Fraser | File:Peter Fraser.jpg | 1 April 1940 | 12 December 1950† | PM 1940–1949 | height=50 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Fraser |
| LO 1949–1950 | style="border-bottom:solid 0 gray; background:Template:Party color"| | Holland | ||||||
| rowspan=4 style="background:Template:Party color"| | 5 | Walter Nash | File:Walter Nash (ca 1940s).jpg | 17 January 1951 | 31 March 1963 | LO 1951–1957 | height=20 style="border-top:solid 0 gray; background:Template:Party color"| | |
| height=15 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Holyoake | |||||||
| PM 1957–1960 | height=50 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Nash | ||||||
| LO 1960–1963 | rowspan=2 style="border-bottom:solid 0 gray; background:Template:Party color"| | Holyoake | ||||||
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | 6 | Arnold Nordmeyer | File:Arnold Nordmeyer (1950).jpg | 1 April 1963 | 16 December 1965 | LO 1963–1965 | ||
| rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color"| | 7 | Norman Kirk | File:Norman Kirk, crop.jpg | 16 December 1965 | 31 August 1974† | LO 1965–1972 | height=20 style="border-top:solid 0 gray; background:Template:Party color"| | |
| height=15 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Marshall | |||||||
| PM 1972–1974 | height=50 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Kirk | ||||||
| rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color"| | 8 | Bill Rowling | File:Bill Rowling, 1974 (crop).jpg | 6 September 1974 | 3 February 1983 | PM 1974–1975 | height=50 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Rowling |
| LO 1975–1983 | rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Muldoon | ||||||
| rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color"| | 9 | David Lange | File:David Lange (1992).jpg | 3 February 1983 | 8 August 1989 | LO 1983–1984 | ||
| PM 1984–1989 | style="background:Template:Party color"| | Lange | ||||||
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | 10 | Geoffrey Palmer | File:Geoffrey Palmer.jpg | 8 August 1989 | 4 September 1990 | PM 1989–1990 | style="background:Template:Party color"| | Palmer |
| rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color"| | 11 | Mike Moore | File:Mike Moore, 1992 (crop).jpg | 4 September 1990 | 1 December 1993 | PM 1990 | height=50 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Moore |
| LO 1990–1993 | style="border-bottom:solid 0 gray; background:Template:Party color"| | Bolger | ||||||
| rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color"| | 12 | Helen Clark | File:Helen Clark Visits the National Assembly for Wales, 11 April 2012 - Ymweliad Helen Clark i Gynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, 11 Ebrill 2012 (7083404269) (cropped).jpg | 1 December 1993 | 11 November 2008 | LO 1993–1999 | height=15 style="border-top:solid 0 gray; background:Template:Party color"| | |
| height=15 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Shipley | |||||||
| PM 1999–2008 | height=50 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Clark | ||||||
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | 13 | Phil Goff | File:Phil Goff.jpg | 11 November 2008 | 13 December 2011 | LO 2008–2011 | rowspan=4 style="background:Template:Party color"| | Key |
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | 14 | David Shearer | File:David Shearer.jpg | 13 December 2011 | 15 September 2013 | LO 2011–2013 | ||
| style="background:Template:Party color"| | 15 | David Cunliffe | File:David Cunliffe, 2008.jpg | 15 September 2013 | 30 September 2014 | LO 2013–2014 | ||
| height=50 style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:Template:Party color"| | 16 | Andrew Little | File:Andre Little 2016 (cropped).jpg | 18 November 2014 | 1 August 2017 | LO 2014–2017 | ||
| height=50 style="border-top:solid 0 grey; background:Template:Party color"| | rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color"| | English | ||||||
| rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color"| | 17 | Jacinda Ardern | File:Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern (cropped).jpg | 1 August 2017 | 22 January 2023 | LO 2017 | ||
| PM 2017–2023 | style="background:Template:Party color"| | Ardern | ||||||
| rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color"| | 18 | Chris Hipkins | File:Chris Hipkins 2023 (cropped).jpg | 22 January 2023 | Incumbent | PM 2023 | style="background:Template:Party color"| | Hipkins |
| LO 2023–present | style="background:Template:Party color"| | Luxon | ||||||
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List of deputy leaders
[edit]The following is a complete list of Labour Party deputy leaders:
| No. | Deputy leader | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James McCombs | 1919–1923 |
| 2 | Michael Joseph Savage | 1923–1933 |
| 3 | Peter Fraser | 1933–1940 |
| 4 | Walter Nash | 1940–1950 |
| 5 | Jerry Skinner | 1951–1962 |
| 6 | Fred Hackett | 1962–1963 |
| 7 | Hugh Watt | 1963–1974 |
| 8 | Bob Tizard | 1974–1979 |
| 9 | David Lange | 1979–1983 |
| 10 | Geoffrey Palmer | 1983–1989 |
| 11 | Helen Clark | 1989–1993 |
| 12 | David Caygill | 1993–1996 |
| 13 | Michael Cullen | 1996–2008 |
| 14 | Annette King | 2008–2011 |
| 15 | Grant Robertson | 2011–2013 |
| 16 | David Parker | 2013–2014 |
| 14 | Annette King | 2014–2017 |
| 17 | Jacinda Ardern | 2017 |
| 18 | Kelvin Davis | 2017–2023 |
| 19 | Carmel Sepuloni | 2023–present |
List of presidents
[edit]Template:For The following is a complete list of Labour Party presidents:Template:Sfn
| No. | President | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James McCombs | 1916–1917<ref name="DNZB James McCombs">Template:DNZB</ref> |
| 2 | Andrew Walker | 1917–1918Template:Sfn |
| 3 | Tom Paul | 1918–1920Template:Sfn |
| 4 | Peter Fraser | 1920–1921 |
| 5 | Frederick Cooke | 1921–1922 |
| 6 | Tom Brindle | 1922–1926 |
| 7 | Bob Semple | 1926–1928 |
| 8 | John Archer | 1928–1929 |
| 9 | Jim Thorn | 1929–1931Template:Sfn |
| 10 | Rex Mason | 1931–1932 |
| 11 | Bill Jordan | 1932–1933 |
| 12 | Frank Langstone | 1933–1934 |
| 13 | Tim Armstrong | 1934–1935 |
| 14 | Walter Nash | 1935–1936 |
| 15 | Clyde Carr | 1936–1937 |
| 16 | James Roberts | 1937–1950<ref name="DNZB Roberts">Template:DNZB</ref> |
| 17 | Arnold Nordmeyer | 1950–1955 |
| 18 | Michael Moohan | 1955–1960 |
| 19 | Martyn Finlay | 1960–1964 |
| 20 | Norman Kirk | 1964–1966 |
| 21 | Norman Douglas | 1966–1970 |
| 22 | Bill Rowling | 1970–1973 |
| 23 | Charles Bennett | 1973–1976<ref>Template:DNZB</ref> |
| 24 | Arthur Faulkner | 1976–1978 |
| 25 | Jim Anderton | 1979–1984 |
| 26 | Margaret Wilson | 1984–1987 |
| 27 | Rex Jones | 1987–1988<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 28 | Ruth Dyson | 1988–1993 |
| 29 | Maryan Street | 1993–1995 |
| 30 | Michael Hirschfeld | 1995–1999 |
| 31 | Bob Harvey | 1999–2000 |
| 32 | Mike Williams | 2000–2009 |
| 33 | Andrew Little | 2009–2011 |
| 34 | Moira Coatsworth | 2011–2015 |
| 35 | Nigel Haworth | 2015–2019 |
| 36 | Claire Szabó | 2019–2022<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> |
| 37 | Jill Day | 2022–present<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> |
See also
[edit]- City Vision, a prominent Auckland Council political ticket composed of Labour and Green Party members
- List of Labour parties
- List of New Zealand Labour Party MPs
- Politics of New Zealand
- Rainbow Labour
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]Sources
[edit]- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book (with Biographical appendix)
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
External links
[edit]- Template:Official website
- Official website for City Vision – the Auckland Local Government Group that includes Labour candidates
Template:New Zealand political parties Template:NZ Labour Party Template:Authority control
- Pages with broken file links
- New Zealand Labour Party
- 1916 establishments in New Zealand
- Former member parties of the Socialist International
- Labour parties
- New Zealand politics-related lists
- Political parties established in 1916
- Political parties in New Zealand
- Progressive Alliance
- Centre-left parties
- Social democratic parties in New Zealand