New Zealand Labour Party Rōpū Reipa o Aotearoa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Chris Hipkins |
| Deputy Leader | Carmel Sepuloni |
| President | Jill Day |
| General Secretary | Rob Salmond[1] |
| Founded | 7 July 1916; 109 years ago (1916-07-07) |
| Merger of | Social Democratic Party United Labour Party |
| Headquarters | Fraser House, 160–162 Willis St,Wellington 6011 |
| Youth wing | Young Labour |
| LGBT+ wing | Rainbow Labour |
| Ideology | Social democracy |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| International affiliation | Progressive Alliance[2] Socialist International (1952–2014) |
| Colours | Red |
| Slogan | In It For You[3] |
| House of Representatives | 34 / 123 |
| Regional councillors | 3 / 132 |
| Local councillors | 19 / 718 |
| Mayors | 1 / 67 |
| Website | |
| labour.org.nz | |
TheNew Zealand Labour Party, also known simply asLabour (Māori:Reipa),[4] is acentre-leftpolitical party in New Zealand.[5][6][7][8] The party's platform programme describes its founding principle asdemocratic socialism,[9] while observers describe Labour associal democratic[10][11] and pragmatic in practice.[10][11] The party participates in the internationalProgressive Alliance.[2] It is one of twomajor political parties in New Zealand, alongside its traditional rival, theNational Party.
The New Zealand Labour Party formed in 1916 out of varioussocialist parties andtrade unions. It is the country's oldest political party still in existence.[12] Alongside the National Party, Labour has alternated in leadinggovernments of New Zealand since the 1930s.[13] As of 2020[update], there have been six periods of Labour government under 11 Labourprime ministers. The party has traditionally been supported by theworking classes,Māori,Pasifika, and has had strongholds in inner cities and theMāori seats for much of its existence.[14] Labour won theparty vote in 71 out of 72 electorates in the2020 election, making it overwhelmingly the most successful political party ofthe MMP era.[15][16]
The party first came to power under prime ministersMichael Joseph Savage andPeter Fraser from1935 to 1949, when it establishedNew Zealand's welfare state. It governedfrom 1957 to 1960, and againfrom 1972 to 1975. In 1974, prime ministerNorman Kirk died in office, which contributed to a decline in party support. However, Labour won the popular vote in1978 and1981, with thefirst-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 from1984 to 1990, Labour's emergentneoliberal faction had a strong influence; the party broke precedent and transformed the economy from aprotectionist one through extensivederegulation. As part ofRogernomics, Labourprivatisedstate assets and greatly reduced the role of the state, causing aparty split in 1989. Labour prime ministerDavid Lange also introducedNew Zealand's nuclear-free policy. After a significant defeat in the1990 election, Labour's neoliberal faction would largely defect from the party and formACT New Zealand. Labour again became the largest partyfrom 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 ofKiwibank, a state-owned banking corporation; strong opposition to theIraq War; and theforeshore and seabed controversy, which caused disillusioned Māori Labour MPs to split and create theMāori Party.
In the2017 election the party, underJacinda Ardern, returned to prominence with its best showing since the2005 general election, winning 36.9% of theparty vote and 46 seats.[17] On 19 October 2017, Labour formed aminority coalition government withNew Zealand First, withconfidence and supply from theGreen Party. In the 2020 general election, Labour won in alandslide, winning an overall majority of 10 and 50.01% of the vote.[18] In the2023 election, Labour lost its majority to the National Party and subsequently returned toOpposition.[19] Since 2023[update],Chris Hipkins serves as the party'sleader, whileCarmel Sepuloni is thedeputy leader.
The founding of the New Zealand Labour Party, on 7 July 1916 in Wellington,[12] brought together a number of earlier socialist groups advocatingproportional representation, the abolition of thecountry quota, therecall ofmembers of Parliament, as well as thenationalisation ofproduction andexchange.[20]
Despite the Labour Party's Wellington origins, theWest Coast town ofBlackball is regarded as the "spiritual home" of the party,[21] because it was the site of aminers' strike in 1908 that led to the founding of the first nationwide federation of trade unions (the "Red Federation").[22] The Labour Party was established by trade unions, among other groups, and the party identifies itself as part of the widerlabour movement in New Zealand.[23][24] The Labour Party has long been identified with red, apolitical colour traditionally affiliated with socialism and the labour movement.
| Socialist Party (1901) | Independent Political Labour League (1905) | ||||||||||||||||
| (independents) | Labour Party (original) (1910) | ||||||||||||||||
| United Labour Party (1912) | |||||||||||||||||
| Social Democratic Party (1913) | (remnants) | ||||||||||||||||
| Labour Party (1916) | |||||||||||||||||
At the turn of the 20th century, the radical side of New Zealandworking class politics was represented by theSocialist Party, founded in 1901. The more moderate leftists generally supported theLiberal Party.[25] In 1905 a group of working-class politicians who were dissatisfied with the Liberal approach established theIndependent Political Labour League (IPLL),[26] which managed to win a seat in Parliament in the1908 election.[27][28] At the same time, moderates contested as "Lib-Lab" candidates, aligning with the Liberal Party while enjoying the endorsement of the labour movement.[29] 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.[30] The process of unifying these sides into a single party was difficult, with tensions between different factions running strong.[31]
In 1910 the Independent Political Labour League was relaunched as an organisation called theLabour 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. TheUnited Labour Party (ULP) was born.[30]
Soon afterward, the labour movement went through the 1912Waihi miners' strike, a major industrial disturbance prompted by radicals in the union movement.[32] The movement split over supporting or opposing the radicals, and in the end, the conservativeReform Party government ofWilliam 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 anotherUnity Conference, and this time the Socialists attended.[32] The resulting group was named theSocial 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.[33] 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.[34]
| Term | Electorate | Party | Elected MPs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908–1910 | 17th | Wellington East | Ind. Labour League | David McLaren | ||
| 1910–1911 | Changed allegiance to: | Labour | ||||
| 1911–1912 | 18th | Wellington South | Labour | Alfred Hindmarsh | ||
| 1912–1914 | Changed allegiance to: | United Labour | ||||
| 1914–1916 | 19th | Wellington South | United Labour | |||
| 1911–1914 | 18th | Grey Lynn | Labour | John Payne | ||
| 1914–1916 | 19th | Grey Lynn | Independent Labour | |||
| 1916 | Changed allegiance to: | Independent | ||||
| 1911–1913 | 18th | Otaki | Labour | John Robertson | ||
| 1913–1914 | Changed allegiance to: | Social Democrat | ||||
| 1911–1912 | 18th | Wanganui | Independent Labour | Bill Veitch | ||
| 1912–1914 | Changed allegiance to: | United Labour | ||||
| 1914–1916 | 19th | Wanganui | United Labour | |||
| 1916 | Changed allegiance to: | Independent | ||||
| 1913–1914 | 18th | Grey | Social Democrat | Paddy Webb | ||
| 1914–1916 | 19th | Grey | Social Democrat | |||
| 1913–1914 | 18th | Lyttelton | Social Democrat | James McCombs | ||
| 1914–1916 | 19th | Lyttelton | Social Democrat | |||
| 1914–1916 | 19th | Dunedin North | United Labour | Andrew Walker | ||
Almost immediately, the new Labour Party became involved in the acrimonious debate aboutconscription which arose duringWorld War I. The party strongly opposed conscription,[35] and several leading members –Peter Fraser,Harry Holland,Bob Semple andPaddy Webb – were jailed and expelled from Parliament for their stand against the war.[36] The loss of leadership threatened to seriously destabilise the party, but the party survived.[36] (Fraser, Semple and Webb later supported conscription inWorld War II.[36])
In its first real electoral test as a united party, the1919 election, Labour won eight seats – the party's quick success shocked many conservatives.[37] The eight seats compared with 47 for the governingReform Party and 21 for theLiberal Party.[38]
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.[30]
In the1922 election, Labour more than doubled its number of seats, winning seventeen. In the1925 election, it declined somewhat but had the consolation of soon overtaking the Liberals as the second-largest party. Labour leader Harry Holland became the officialLeader of the Opposition on 16 June 1926, after theEden by-election on 15 April electedRex Mason (Labour) to replaceJames Parr (Reform), who had resigned. After the1928 election, however, the party was left in an advantageous position – the Reform Party had 28 seats and the newUnited 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.[39]
In the early 1930s the rigours of theGreat 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 formeda coalition government with Reform, making Labour the Opposition. The coalition retained power in the1931 election, 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 the1935 election, 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 laterJerry Skinner,Mabel Howard,Hugh Watt,Jim Edwards andDorothy Jelicich.
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Party leaderMichael Joseph Savage becameprime 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 thesocial-welfare system and setting up thestate housing scheme.[40] Workers also benefited from the introduction of the forty-hour week, and legislation making it easier for unions to negotiate on their behalf.[41] Savage himself was highly popular with the working classes, and his portrait could be found on walls in many houses around the country.[42] At this time the Labour Party pursued an alliance with theMāoriRātana movement.[43]
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 theNational Party, would be Labour's main rival in future years.[44]
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 andsocial 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 executiveexpelled Lee from the party, who then established his own breakawayDemocratic Labour Party.[45]
Savage died in 1940 andPeter Fraser, who became Labour's longest-serving prime minister, replaced him. Fraser became best-known as New Zealand's head of government for most ofWorld War II. In thepost-war period, however, ongoing shortages and industrial problems cost Labour considerable popularity, and the National Party, underSidney Holland, gained ground, although Labour was able to win the 1943 and 1946 elections. Eventually, in the1949 election, Labour suffered electoral defeat.[46]
Fraser died shortly afterward, and was replaced byWalter Nash, the long-servingminister of finance.[47] 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 the1951 waterfront dispute.[48] In the1957 election, however, Labour won a narrow majority of two seats, and returned to office.
Nash, Labour's third prime minister, took office in late 1957. Upon coming to power, Labour decided that drastic measures were needed to addressbalance-of-payments concerns.[49] This resulted in the highly unpopular 1958"Black Budget" ofArnold Nordmeyer, the new minister of finance, which raised taxes on alcohol, cigarettes, cars, and petrol.[50] It is widely thought[by whom?] to have doomed the party to defeat despite the economy rejuvenating less than a year after the adoption of the Black Budget.[50] In the1960 election, the National Party returned to power.
The elderly Nash retired in 1963, suffering from ill health.[51] 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 youngerNorman Kirk, who many believed would revitalise the party. Labour suffered defeat again in the next two elections, but in the1972 election, the party gained a significant majority over its rival.
Kirk proved an energetic prime minister and introduced a number of new policies. Hisforeign-policy stances included strong criticism ofnuclear-weapons testing and ofSouth Africa'sapartheid system. However, Kirk suffered from poor health, worsened by his refusal to slow the pace of his work. In 1974 Kirk was taken ill anddied.Bill Rowling replaced him, but did not have the same electoral appeal – in the1975 election, Labour was heavily defeated by the National Party, then led byRobert Muldoon.[52]
Rowling remained the leader of the Labour Party for some time after his defeat. In the1978 election and the1981 election 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 ofmixed-member proportional representation (MMP)fifteen years later.[53] 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 byDavid Lange, whom the parliamentary caucus perceived as more charismatic.[54] In thesnap election of1984, Labour decisively defeated the National Party.
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When the Fourth Labour Government came into power it uncovered a fiscal crisis that had been largely hidden by the outgoingThird National Government.[55] Government debt was skyrocketing, due largely to the costs of borrowing to maintain afixed exchange-rate. When the result of the election became clear, Lange asked Muldoon to devalue theNew Zealand dollar, which Muldoon refused to do, resulting ina constitutional crisis and precipitating some of the changes in theConstitution Act 1986.[56]
The economic-policy agenda of the Fourth Labour Government differed significantly from previous Labour governments. The minister of finance,Roger Douglas, supportedneoliberal theories, and sought to implement sweepingfree-market reforms (dubbed "Rogernomics") to the economy and to the tax system.[57][58] This involved floating the New Zealand dollar, cutting government spending, reducing taxes and removing almost all industry subsidies.[58] The government also revolutionised New Zealand's foreign policy, making the country anuclear-free zone, which resulted in suspension from theANZUS alliance.[59] Labour liberalisedimmigration policy and promoted migration from Asia.[60]
Other innovations during the term of the Fourth Labour Government included extending the jurisdiction of theWaitangi Tribunal back to 1840 (the date of the signing of theTreaty of Waitangi); theHomosexual Law Reform Act 1986, which legalised homosexual relations; and theBill 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.[61]
In1987 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 theblue-ribbon seat ofRemuera 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'santi-nuclear stance, saw emerging divisions over economic policy arising within Cabinet.[62] 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.[63][64] TheCouncil of Trade Unions criticised the Labour Party. One vocal member of Parliament critical of government policy, former Party PresidentJim Anderton, departed to establish theNewLabour Party, which later became a part of the left-wingAlliance Party.[62][64] 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 aflat-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.[65]
Geoffrey Palmer became the new prime minister.[65] 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.[64] 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 ofmixed-member proportional representation (MMP) in 1993 (implemented in 1996).[66][67]
Moore himself, despite recovering sixteen seats at the 1993 election, was replaced byHelen Clark in December 1993. Clark led the party in opposition to the National government for six years under the administrations ofJim Bolger (1993–1997) andJenny 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).[5][6] When the1996 election, the first conducted under the MMP electoral system, gave thebalance of power to the centristNew 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 aminority government from 1998 to 1999.
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After the1999 election, a minority coalition government of Labour and theAlliance took power, supported by theGreen Party with Helen Clark becoming New Zealand's second female prime minister.[68] 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.[69][70] The Alliance, however, fell in popularity and split internally. Clark cited the Alliance split as one of the reasons for calling the2002 election several months early; Labour won comfortably.[71]
Policies of the Fifth Labour Government included theKiwiSaver scheme,[72] theWorking for Families package, increasing theminimum wage 5% a year, interest-free student loans, the establishment ofdistrict health boards, the introduction of a number oftax credits, overhauling the secondary-school qualifications system by introducing theNCEA, and the introduction of fourteen weeks' parental leave.[73] Labour also supported theCivil Union Act 2004, which legalisedcivil unions for same-sex and opposite-sex couples.[74]
The foreign policy of the Fifth Labour Government strongly reflectedliberal internationalist doctrine, with a particular emphasis on promoting democracy and human rights, advocating for antimilitarism anddisarmament, and encouragement of free trade.[75] In 2003, the government opposed New Zealand military action in theIraq War.[76]
In early 2004 Labour came under attack in theforeshore and seabed controversy.[77] Significant internal tensions within the party eventually culminated in the resignation of junior ministerTariana Turia and her establishment of the newMāori Party.[78]
Following the2005 election, Labour formed a minority coalition with theProgressive Party (breakaway party of the old Alliance), and entered into complexconfidence and supply agreements with the centristUnited Future and populistNew 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 theGreen Party, giving certain policy concessions to the Greens in return for abstention onconfidence-and-supply votes. Labour lost power when the National Party soundly defeated it in the2008 election.
Following the loss to the National Party in the November 2008 election, Helen Clark stood down as leader of the party[79] –Phil Goff succeeded her (serving from 2008–2011).[80] Labour had a relatively high turnover of four leaders during its most recent term in opposition; journalistNicky Hager has attributed this to Labour's reaction to changes within public media and the political environment.[81] Goff led Labour into a second electoral defeat in2011 and was succeeded byDavid Shearer, who led the Labour parliamentary from 2011 to 2013.[82]
Shearer resigned after losing the confidence of caucus.David Cunliffe (2013–2014) assumed the leadership after the2013 leadership election in which, under new rules, members and unions held 60% of the vote.[83][84] 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.[84]
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 the2014 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 starJacinda Ardern would take over in his stead.[85]
The caucus confirmed Ardern as the new Labour leader (2017–2023).[85][86] 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.[87]
During the2017 election, 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.[17] On 19 October 2017, New Zealand First leaderWinston Peters announced that his party would form a coalition government with Labour,[88] citing changing international and internal economic circumstances as the reasoning behind his decision,[89] 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.[90] This coalition, combined withconfidence and supply from the Green Party,[91] saw Labour return to government for the first time since 2008. Ardern became prime minister, with Peters as her deputy.[92]
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.[90] Notable policies, programmes and legislation during the2017–2020 term included scrapping the previous National Government's national standards in schools andcharter schools, theKiwiBuild affordable housing programme, restricting oil and gas exploration,banning semi-automatic firearms, restoring voting rights for prisoners serving less than three years anddecriminalising abortion.[93][94][95][96][97][98][99] The Labour Government also adopted an elimination approach towards theCOVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, instituting lockdowns and closing the border.[100][101] Both Labour and Prime Minister Ardern attracted high domestic poll ratings due to their initial COVID-19 responses in 2020.[102][103]
In mid-July 2020, theSerious Fraud Office announced that it was investigating donations made to the Labour Party by two Chinese businessmen during the 2017 general election. Labour Party PresidentClaire Szabó announced that the party would co-operate with the investigation.[104][105] The 2017–2020 term saw several ministerial resignations for various indiscretions, notablyPhil Twyford,Clare Curran,Meka Whaitiri andDavid Clark.[106][107][108]
In the2020 election, Labour gained 50% of theparty 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[18] in which the party won the party vote in "virtually every single electorate", Labour is believed[by whom?] to have gained support fromswing voters, many of whom had previously voted for National underJohn Key.[109][110][111] 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.[112] Following prolonged negotiations, the Green Party agreed to enter into a cooperation agreement with the Labour Party on 31 October and received twoministerial portfolios in return. Despite this landslide victory Labour faced criticism from economists due to the government's lack of action onNew Zealand's housing affordability crisis, despite it being a key feature of Labour's 2017 election campaign.[113]
Notable policies, programmes and legislations during the2020–2023 term included theClean Car rebate programme,making the Māori New YearMatariki a public holiday,banningconversion therapy, replacing thedistrict health boards with a national health service calledTe Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), passingsmokefree legislation banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 1 January 2009,repealing "three strikes" legislation, and banning live animal exports.[114][115][116][117][118][119] In terms of foreign policy, the Labour Government supportedUkraine following the 2022Russian invasion of Ukraine,sanctioned Russia, signedfree trade agreements with both theUnited Kingdom andEuropean Union, and advocated restraint in response to theGaza war.[120][121][122][123]
The Government also implemented severalco-governance arrangements in the public sector including entrenchingMāori wards and constituencies inlocal government, theThree Waters reform programme, and creatingTe Aka Whai Ora (the Māori Health Authority).[124][125][126] Following a major COVID-19 outbreak in August 2021,[127] the Labour Government abandoned its elimination strategy and gradually eased lockdown, border restrictions, vaccine mandates and masking requirements between 2021 and 2022.[128][129][130] During that period, growing opposition to lockdowns and vaccine mandates led to the emergence of several anti-vaccination protest groups includingVoices for Freedom andBrian Tamaki'sThe Freedoms and Rights Coalition, culminating in the2022 occupation of Parliament's grounds.[131][132][133]
On 19 January 2023, Ardern announced her resignation as party leader and therefore prime minister.[134] In the resultantleadership electionChris Hipkins was the only candidate and was confirmed as the new Labour leader on 22 January.[135] 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 theplanned merger of public broadcastersRNZ andTVNZ, abiofuel mandate, lowering the voting age to 16 years and the Clean Car Upgrade programme.[136][137] Hipkins' government also responded to two natural disasters, the2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods andCyclone Gabrielle, which devastated Auckland and the east coast of theNorth Island.[138][139][140] Prior to thedissolution of Parliament, the Labour Government passedtwolaws as part of efforts to replace theResource Management Act 1991.[141][142]
The 2020–2023 term saw the expulsion of Labour MPGaurav Sharma, the resignations of ministersStuart Nash andKiri Allan, and ministersMichael Wood andJan Tinetti being disciplined by Parliament's privileges committee.[143][144][145][146] The 2023 general election, held on 14 October 2023, saw the Labour government lose its majority to the opposition National Party.[147][19] Based on final results, Labour's share of theparty vote declined to 26.91% while its share of Parliamentary seats dropped to 34.[148][149]
In early November 2023, caretaker Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was re-elected as leader of the Labour Party andCarmel Sepuloni was elected as deputy leader.[150] In early 2024, three veteran Labour MPsKelvin Davis,Rino Tirikatene andGrant Robertson resigned from Parliament, allowingShanan Halbert,Tracey McLellan andGlen Bennett to re-enter Parliament via the party list.[151][152] In April 2024, Labour called for New Zealand torecognisePalestinian statehood.[153] In February 2024, two Labour MPs questioned whether New Zealand should be entering the non-nuclear component of theAUKUS, with foreign affairs spokespersonPhil Twyford describing it as an "offensive warfighting alliance against China."[154] 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 proudlyindependent foreign policy."[155]
During the54th New Zealand parliamentary term, several private member's bills by Labour MPs were passed with majority support. On 11 October 2024,Deborah Russell's bill exempting victims of domestic violence from waiting a mandatory two years to seek a divorce was passed into law.[156] On 12 March 2025,Camilla Belich's bill designating the withholding of employees' wages as theft was passed into law with the support of the Green, Māori and New Zealand First parties (63 votes).[157] On 20 August 2025, Belich's bill banning employers from imposing gag orders on workers talking about their salaries passed into law with the support of the Green, Māori, and National parties. That same day,Tracey McLellan's bill extending the range of protections for those giving evidence of sexual assaults or family harm in theFamily Court passed into law with the support of all parties.[158]
On 20 October 2025, Hipkins and finance spokespersonBarbara Edmonds unveiled the party's "NZ Future Fund" policy, which would complement theNew Zealand Superannuation Fund established by theFifth Labour Government. The NZ Future Fund seeks to stimulate economic investment in New Zealand and is modelled after Singapore'sTemasek fund.[159] On 28 October, Hipkins announced that Labour, if elected into government, would introduce acapital gains tax to subsidise three free doctors' visits a year. The proposed capital gains tax would tax 28% of property transactions excluding the family home and farms.[160]
On 6 November, Hipkins and health spokespersonAyesha Verrall announced a policy proposing freecervical cancer screenings for all women aged between 25 and 69 years. The proposed cervical screening scheme would cost NZ$21.6 million and be funded through health baselines.[161]
The New Zealand Labour Party's founding 1916 policy objectives called for "the socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange", includingstate ownership of major parts of the economy, and increased rights for workers.[11] 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 in1949, many party members perceived the socialist objective as outdated and a hindrance to electoral success, leading to its abolition in 1951.[11] The party transformed into a moderatesocial-democratic party, focusing onreform within the democratic framework while maintaining ties withtrade unions.[11][10][162]
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.[11] The Labour Government of the 1980s deviated sharply from a social-democratic path; in aseries of economic reforms, the government removed a swathe of regulations and subsidies,privatised state assets, and introducedcorporate practices to state services.[163]
The party's constitution and platform programme maintains its founding principle asdemocratic socialism,[164][9] while observers describe Labour's policies as social-democratic and pragmatic in practice.[10][11] 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 amixed economy in which both the state and private enterprise play a part.[11] Subsequently, the party has also been described as embracing certainsocial-liberal policies.[165][166]
According to its current constitution, the party accepts democratic socialist principles, including:[167]
Historically, the party drew upon a stable sectional voterbase comprising the urbanworking class, predominantlymanual 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).[11] 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 andPasifika communities).[168][169]
Party membership is tied into geographically-based branches in eachparliamentary electorate. General branches must consist of at least 10 members aged 15 or over.[170] 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, theLGBT community, and industrial workers).[170] Influential branches includePrinces Street Labour (this Auckland university branch is described as the "ideological powerhouse of the party",[171] and has contributed many prominent Labour politicians) andVic Labour (theVictoria University of Wellington branch).[172]
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.[173]
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.[170] The party is divided into six regional areas, which each year convene a Regional Conference.[174] Policy and other matters are debated and passed onto the Annual Conference.[170]
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.[170]
The New Zealand Council is the Labour Party's governingexecutive.[174] 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 beMāori), three vice presidents (representing women, affiliates, and Pacific Islanders), seven regional representatives, one Policy Council representative, three Caucus representatives, and the general secretary.[170]
The Policy Council, responsible for the development of the policy platform andelection manifesto,[9] is elected for a three-year term following eachgeneral election. The party structure also provides forSpecial Interest Group Councils: representing the affiliates, women's issues, Māori issues, Pacific Islands,primary industries, local government, and youth.[170]
.jpg)
The elected members representing the Labour Party in the House of Representatives meet as the Parliamentary Labour Party, also called theCaucus. The current parliamentary leader isChris Hipkins (since 22 January 2023).[175] A leadership election is triggered upon the vacancy of the position of leader or amotion 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.[170] Some observers[who?] have criticised the influence of the unions in leadership elections.[176]
In the first decades of the 20th century,manufacturing industries grew strongly in New Zealand's main cities andunion 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.[174] Generally, members of these unions are also affiliated members of the Labour Party. Affiliates receive a percentage of the vote in party leadership elections.[176]
In addition, the president of theNew Zealand Council of Trade Unions continues to speak at the Labour Party Annual Conference.[177]
Young Labour is the party'syouth wing. It exists to organise young party members (and young members of affiliated unions) aged under 30,[178] 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".[179]
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.[180][181] An independent review into the party's conduct and sexual assault complaint policy was announced by Party PresidentNigel Haworth, and was completed late August. The party has declined to release the report to the public.[182]
Labour Party members, including current and former MPs, have contested various local government positions throughout New Zealand duringlocal body elections. While several have stood as Labour Party candidates, others have contested the elections asindependent politicians.
Labour has contested the Auckland local body elections alongsideCity Vision, a left-leaningelectoral ticket representing the local Labour,Green parties and other progressives.[183] Following the2022 Auckland local elections, theAuckland Council had four councillors serving under the Labour ticket and one serving under the affiliatedCity Vision ticket.[184] 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 theAuckland Region. Meanwhile, seven City Vision local board members and three City Vision liquor licensing trust members were also elected.[185][186]
Former Labour MP and cabinet ministerPhil Goff served asmayor of Auckland for two terms between 2016 and 2022.[187][188]
InChristchurch, former Labour MP and cabinet ministerLianne Dalziel served for three terms asmayor between 2013 and 2022. She ran as an independent[189][190]
Within theChristchurch City Council, Labour maintains an umbrella, including community independents calledThe People's Choice (formerly Christchurch 2021).[191] During the 2019 Christchurch local elections, People's Choice candidates held 10 community board seats, seven council seats, and several community board chairmanships.[192]
On 26 February 2016,Dunedin city councillor and former Labour MPDavid Benson-Pope announced that he would be contesting theDunedin local elections in October under the "Local Labour" ticket. While still a Labour Party member, Benson Pope had stood in the2013 local elections as an independent candidate. This report coincided with the dissolution of the city's main local body ticket, the centre-leftGreater Dunedin group.[193] 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.[194]
During the2019 local elections, Steve Walker andMarian Hobbs were elected to theDunedin City Council andOtago Regional Council respectively on Labour Party tickets.[195][196] Hobbs subsequently resigned from the Otago Regional Council in November 2021.[197]
During the2022 Dunedin local elections, Steve Walker and Joy Davis stood as Labour candidates for theDunedin City Council. While Walker was re-elected, Davis failed to win a seat.[198]
InNew Plymouth, former MPHarry Duynhoven served asmayor from 2010 to 2013, when he was defeated byAndrew Judd.[199]
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 the2016 local elections, Lorna Johnson was elected on the Labour Party ticket to thePalmerston North City Council. During the 2019 local elections, she was joined by Zulfiqar Butt, who also stood on the Labour ticket.[200] During the2022 local elections, Johnson was re-elected to the Palmerston North City Council but Butt was defeated.[201]
FormerRotorua electorate then Labour list MPSteve Chadwick, was elected asmayor of Rotorua in the 2013 elections. She stood as an independent.[202] She served for three terms before resigning in 2022.[203]
During the2022 Wellington City Council election, 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 MPPaul Eagle unsuccessfully contested the2022 Wellington City mayoral election but came third place.[204]
Daran Ponter of the Wellington City ward on theGreater Wellington Regional Council was the only councillor to have been re-elected on a Labour ticket during the 2022 Wellington local election.[205]
Campbell Barry has been themayor ofLower 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.[206][207]
In Whanganui, Labour memberHamish McDouall served two terms asmayor until he was defeated by Andrew Tripe during the 2022 local elections.[208] McDouall had previously contested theseat of Whanganui for the party. McDouall ran on an independent ticket.[209]
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | Harry Holland | 131,402 | 24.25% | 8 / 80 |  8 | 3rd | Opposition |
| 1922 | 150,448 | 23.70% | 17 / 80 | 9 |  3rd | Opposition | |
| 1925 | 184,650 | 27.20% | 12 / 80 |  5 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1928 | 198,092 | 26.19% | 19 / 80 | 7 | 2nd | Coalition | |
| 1931 | 244,881 | 34.27% | 24 / 80 | 5 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1935 | Michael Joseph Savage | 434,368 | 46.17% | 53 / 80 | 29 | 1st | Majority |
| 1938 | 528,290 | 55.82% | 53 / 80 | | 1st | Majority | |
| 1943 | Peter Fraser | 522,189 | 47.6% | 45 / 80 | 8 | 1st | Majority |
| 1946 | 536,994 | 51.28% | 42 / 80 | 3 | 1st | Majority | |
| 1949 | 506,073 | 47.16% | 34 / 80 | 8 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1951 | Walter Nash | 473,146 | 45.8% | 30 / 80 | 4 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 1954 | 481,631 | 44.1% | 35 / 80 | 5 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1957 | 531,740 | 48.31% | 41 / 80 | 6 | 1st | Majority | |
| 1960 | 420,084 | 43.4% | 34 / 80 | 7 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1963 | Arnold Nordmeyer | 383,205 | 43.7% | 35 / 80 | 1 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 1966 | Norman Kirk | 382,756 | 41.44% | 35 / 80 | | 2nd | Opposition |
| 1969 | 464,346 | 44.2% | 39 / 84 | 4 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1972 | 677,669 | 48.37% | 55 / 87 | 16 | 1st | Majority | |
| 1975 | Bill Rowling | 634,453 | 39.56% | 32 / 87 | 23 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 1978 | 691,076 | 40.41% | 40 / 92 | 8 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1981 | 702,630 | 39.01% | 43 / 91 | 3 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1984 | David Lange | 829,154 | 42.98% | 56 / 95 | 13 | 1st | Majority |
| 1987 | 878,448 | 47.96% | 57 / 97 | 1 | 1st | Majority | |
| 1990 | Mike Moore | 640,915 | 35.14% | 29 / 97 | 28 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 1993 | 666,759 | 34.68% | 45 / 99 | 16 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1996 | Helen Clark | 584,159 | 28.19% | 37 / 120 | 8 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 1999 | 800,199 | 38.74% | 49 / 120 | 12 | 1st | Coalition | |
| 2002 | 838,219 | 41.26% | 52 / 120 | 3 | 1st | Coalition | |
| 2005 | 935,319 | 41.10% | 50 / 121 | 2 | 1st | Coalition | |
| 2008 | 796,880 | 33.99% | 43 / 122 | 7 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 2011 | Phil Goff | 614,936 | 27.48% | 34 / 121 | 9 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 2014 | David Cunliffe | 604,534 | 25.13% | 32 / 121 | 2 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 2017 | Jacinda Ardern | 956,184 | 36.89% | 46 / 120 | 14 | 2nd | Coalition |
| 2020 | 1,443,546 | 50.01% | 65 / 120 | 19 | 1st | Majority | |
| 2023 | Chris Hipkins | 767,236 | 26.91% | 34 / 123 | 31 | 2nd | Opposition |
| Source:Electoral Commission | |||||||
| Election | Seats | +/– |
|---|---|---|
| 1919 | 0 / 4 | new |
| 1922 | 0 / 4 | 0 |
| 1925 | 0 / 4 | 0 |
| 1928 | 0 / 4 | 0 |
| 1931 | 0 / 4 | 0 |
| 1935 | 0 / 4 | 0 |
| 1938 | 3 / 4 | 3 |
| 1943 | 4 / 4 | 1 |
| 1946 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1949 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1951 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1954 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1957 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1960 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1963 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1966 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1969 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1972 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1975 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1978 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1981 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1984 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1987 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1990 | 4 / 4 | 0 |
| 1993 | 3 / 4 | 1 |
| 1996 | 0 / 5 | 3 |
| 1999 | 6 / 6 | 6 |
| 2002 | 7 / 7 | 1 |
| 2005 | 3 / 7 | 4 |
| 2008 | 2 / 7 | 1 |
| 2011 | 3 / 7 | 1 |
| 2014 | 6 / 7 | 3 |
| 2017 | 7 / 7 | 1 |
| 2020 | 6 / 7 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 / 7 | 5 |
The Labour Party has had 17 leaders, 11 of whom have served asprime minister. To date,Helen Clark served longest as leader of the Labour Party. While some dispute exists as to whenHarry Holland officially became leader, Clark had passed his longest possible leadership term by 26 October 2008.[212]
The following is a complete list of Labour Party leaders in the House of Representatives:
Key:
Labour Reform United National
PM:Prime Minister
LO:Leader of the Opposition
†: Died in office
| No. | Leader | Portrait | Term Began | Term Ended | Position | Prime Minister | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alfred Hindmarsh |  | 7 July 1916 | 13 November 1918† | — | Massey | ||
| 2 | Harry Holland | .jpg) | 27 August 1919 | 8 October 1933† | — | |||
| Bell | ||||||||
| LO1926–1928 | Coates | |||||||
| Junior coalition partner 1928–1931 | Ward | |||||||
| LO1931–1933 | Forbes | |||||||
| 3 | Michael Joseph Savage | .jpg) | 12 October 1933 | 27 March 1940† | LO1933–1935 | |||
| PM1935–1940 | Savage | |||||||
| 4 | Peter Fraser |  | 1 April 1940 | 12 December 1950† | PM1940–1949 | Fraser | ||
| LO1949–1950 | Holland | |||||||
| 5 | Walter Nash | .jpg) | 17 January 1951 | 31 March 1963 | LO1951–1957 | |||
| Holyoake | ||||||||
| PM1957–1960 | Nash | |||||||
| LO1960–1963 | Holyoake | |||||||
| 6 | Arnold Nordmeyer | .jpg) | 1 April 1963 | 16 December 1965 | LO1963–1965 | |||
| 7 | Norman Kirk |  | 16 December 1965 | 31 August 1974† | LO1965–1972 | |||
| Marshall | ||||||||
| PM1972–1974 | Kirk | |||||||
| 8 | Bill Rowling | .jpg) | 6 September 1974 | 3 February 1983 | PM1974–1975 | Rowling | ||
| LO1975–1983 | Muldoon | |||||||
| 9 | David Lange | .jpg) | 3 February 1983 | 8 August 1989 | LO1983–1984 | |||
| PM1984–1989 | Lange | |||||||
| 10 | Geoffrey Palmer |  | 8 August 1989 | 4 September 1990 | PM1989–1990 | Palmer | ||
| 11 | Mike Moore | .jpg) | 4 September 1990 | 1 December 1993 | PM1990 | Moore | ||
| LO1990–1993 | Bolger | |||||||
| 12 | Helen Clark | | 1 December 1993 | 11 November 2008 | LO1993–1999 | |||
| Shipley | ||||||||
| PM1999–2008 | Clark | |||||||
| 13 | Phil Goff |  | 11 November 2008 | 13 December 2011 | LO2008–2011 | Key | ||
| 14 | David Shearer |  | 13 December 2011 | 15 September 2013 | LO2011–2013 | |||
| 15 | David Cunliffe |  | 15 September 2013 | 30 September 2014 | LO2013–2014 | |||
| 16 | Andrew Little | .jpg) | 18 November 2014 | 1 August 2017 | LO2014–2017 | |||
| English | ||||||||
| 17 | Jacinda Ardern | .jpg) | 1 August 2017 | 22 January 2023 | LO2017 | |||
| PM2017–2023 | Ardern | |||||||
| 18 | Chris Hipkins | .jpg) | 22 January 2023 | Incumbent | PM2023 | Hipkins | ||
| LO2023–present | Luxon | |||||||
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 |
The following is a complete list of Labour Party presidents:[213]
| No. | President | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James McCombs | 1916–1917[214] |
| 2 | Andrew Walker | 1917–1918[215] |
| 3 | Tom Paul | 1918–1920[216] |
| 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 | 1929–1931[217] |
| 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[218] |
| 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[219] |
| 24 | Arthur Faulkner | 1976–1978 |
| 25 | Jim Anderton | 1979–1984 |
| 26 | Margaret Wilson | 1984–1987 |
| 27 | Rex Jones | 1987–1988[220] |
| 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[221] |
| 37 | Jill Day | 2022–present[222] |
[...] [I]n New Zealand politics, by the centre-left Labour Party and the centre-right National Party [...].
...his centre-left Labour party.
The Labour Party's values are based on our founding principle of Democratic Socialism.
The Labour Party is part of a wider labour movement, which continues to help working Kiwis in New Zealand. We therefore have a relationship with our affiliated trade unions.
The Party accepts the following democratic socialist principles [...].
The Party accepts the following democratic socialist principles –
g. All political authority comes from the people by democratic means, including universal suffrage, regular and free elections with a secret ballot.
h. The natural resources of New Zealand belong to all the people and these resources, and in particular non-renewable resources, should be managed for the benefit of all, including future generations.
i. All people should have equal access to all social, economic, cultural, political and legal spheres, regardless of wealth or social position, and continuing participation in the democratic process.
j. Co-operation, rather than competition, should be the main governing factor in economic relations, in order that a greater amount and a just distribution of wealth can be ensured.
k. All people are entitled to dignity, self-respect and the opportunity to work.
l. All people, either individually or in groups, may own wealth or property for their own use, but in any conflict of interest people are always more important than property, and the state must ensure a just distribution of wealth.
m. Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi is the founding document of New Zealand, and that the Treaty should be honoured in the Party, government, society and the whanau.
n. Peace and social justice should be promoted throughout the world by international co-operation and mutual respect.
o. The same basic human rights, protected by the State, apply to all people, regardless of race, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religious faith, political belief or disability.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
