1975 New Zealand general election

General election in New Zealand April 2024 April 2018 1975 New Zealand general election New Zealand parliamentary no 1972 New Zealand general election 1972 1978 New Zealand general election 1978 87 seats in the Parliament 44 1975 11 29 y elected members 1,603,733 (82.11%) 180x180px Robert Muldoon 9 July 1974 New Zealand National Party Tamaki 32 seats, 41.5% 55 23 763,136 47.6% 6.1% 180x180px Bill Rowling 6 September 1974 New Zealand Labour Party Tasman 55 seats, 48.4% 32 23 634,453 39.6% 8.8% 1975 New Zealand general election.svg 350px Results by electorate, shaded by winning margin Prime Minister Subsequent Prime Minister Bill Rowling Robert Muldoon New Zealand Labour Party New Zealand National Party The 1975 New Zealand general election was held on 29 November to elect MPs to the 38th session of the New Zealand Parliament. It was the first general election in New Zealand where 18- to 20-year-oldsLevine & Lodge 1976 ? and all permanent residents of New Zealand were eligible to vote, although only citizens were able to be elected. The National Party, led by Rob Muldoon, won 55 of the 87 seats over the Labour Party, led by Bill Rowling, in a landslide. The election saw the defeat of the Third Labour Government after only three years in office and the formation of the Third National Government. As of 2026, this is the most recent election where a government was voted out after one term. Background The incumbent Labour Party's decline in popularity during the previous term had as factors the death of its leader, Norman Kirk, economic decline triggered by the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities—most importantly the European Economic Community (EEC)—and the 1973 oil crisis.Coughlan Thomas Thomas Coughlan: Labour's soul searching begins as drums beat for David Parker challenge https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/thomas-coughlan-labours-soul-searching-begins-as-drums-beat-for-david-parker-challenge/6XN2YZU5NFHG7AVVPK3RDQYF6Q/ 23 October 2023 The New Zealand Herald 21 October 2023 Following the sudden death of Labour leader Kirk, the party was led by Bill Rowling, a leader who was characterised as being weak and ineffectual by some political commentators. Labour's central campaign was the so-called "Citizens for Rowling" petition which attacked National leader Robert Muldoon's forthright leadership style. This campaign was largely seen as having backfired on Labour. The National Party responded with the formation of "Rob's Mob". As former Minister of Finance in the previous National government, Muldoon focused on the economic impact of Labour's policies; National's campaign advertising suggested that Labour's recently introduced compulsory personal superannuation scheme would result in the government owning the New Zealand economy by using the worker's money, akin to a communist state. Muldoon argued that his New Zealand superannuation scheme could be funded from future taxes rather than an additional tax on current wages. In July 1974, Muldoon as opposition leader had promised to cut immigration and to "get tough" on law and order issues. He criticised the Labour government's immigration policies for contributing to the economic recession and a housing shortage which undermined the New Zealand "way of life". During the 1975 general elections, the National Party had also played an electoral advertisement that was later criticized for stoking negative racial sentiments about Polynesian migrants.1975 National Party advertisement http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/video/2158/national-party-advertisement documentary TVNZ Television New Zealand, Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand The campaign also achieved notoriety due to an infamous television commercial featuring "Dancing Cossacks", which was produced by Hanna Barbera on behalf of National's ad agency Colenso.https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/video/dancing-cossacks Dancing Cossacks political TV ad Ministry for Culture and Heritage 23 August 2013 3 February 2014 MPs retiring in 1975 Four National MPs and Three Labour MPs intended to retire at the end of the 37th Parliament: Party Name Electorate Term of office Date announced National Percy Allen Bay of Plenty 1957–75 before 20 August 1974https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19740821.2.18 Mr MacIntyre nominated The Press 21 August 1974 CXIV 33618 2 Logan Sloane Hobson 1960–661969–75 22 April 1974https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19740423.2.31 Retirement of M.P. The Press 23 April 1974 CXIV 33516 3 Sir Jack Marshall Karori 1946–75 20 December 1974https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19741221.2.21 Sir John Marshall to end political career next year The Press 21 December 1974 CXIV 33723 2 Douglas Carter Raglan 1957–75 5 August 1974https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19740807.2.120 Raglan M.P. to retire The Press 7 August 1974 CXIV 33606 14 Labour Norman Douglas Auckland Central 1960–75 16 October 1974Last Term for Mr Douglas The New Zealand Herald 18 October 1974 1 Ethel McMillan Dunedin North 1953–75 17 October 1974https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19741018.2.9 Labour candidates The Press 18 October 1974 CXIV 33668 1 Hugh Watt Onehunga 1953–75 20 June 1975https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19750621.2.30 Mr Watt not to stand The Press 21 June 1975 CXV 33875 3 Opinion polling border|left|458x458px http://www.polled.co.nz/historicalpollingdata.php Historical Pollling Data 1974–2021 Patrick Leyland 31 July 2021Not a Fair Go: A History and Analysis of Social Credit's Struggle for Success in New Zealand's Electoral System 2010 https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10289/4268/thesis.pdf?sequence=1 University of Waikato MA Calderwood David 27 September 2021https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19751021.2.132 Poll shows National lead The Press CXV 33979 21 October 1975 20 PollDateThese are the survey dates of the poll, or if the survey dates are not stated, the date the poll was released. National Labour Socred Values Lead 1975 election result 29 Nov 1975 47.59 39.56 7.43 5.19 8.03NRB Nov 1975 46 44 6 4 2TVNZ Heylen Nov 1975 44 43 7 5 1NRB Sep 1975 52 39 5 4 13TVNZ Heylen Sep 1975 51 42 5 3 9TVNZ Heylen Jul 1975 50 42 5 3 8NRB Jul 1975 51 40 5 4 11TVNZ Heylen May 1975 49 42 5 4 7NRB Mar 1975 46 42 6 6 4TVNZ Heylen Feb 1975 48 46 5 2 2NRB Nov 1974 44 44 7 4 TieTVNZ Heylen Sep 1974 45 47 5 3 2NRB Sep 1974 40 50 5 4 10N/A 31 August 1974 Death of Prime Minister Norman Kirk, Bill Rowling Becomes Prime MinisterNRB May 1974 44 44 5 5 TieNRB Nov 1973 44 47 6 1 3NRB May 1973 39 51 5 1 12 1972 election result 25 Nov 1972 41.50 48.37 6.65 1.96 6.87 Results alt=|right|thumb|Celebrating on election night The final results saw National win 55 seats, and Labour 32 seats. The party seat numbers were an exact opposite of the 1972 election, when Labour won 55 seats to National's 32. This election also represented the biggest swing against a sitting government since 1935, outdoing the previous record set in 1972. Robert Muldoon replaced Bill Rowling as Prime Minister, ending the term of the Third Labour government, and beginning the term of the Third National government. No minor parties won seats, though the election saw the best ever result for New Zealand's first green political party, Values. There were 1,953,050 electors on the roll, with 1,603,733 (82.11%) voting. While Muldoon would be re-elected twice, this would be the only time between 1969 and 1990 that National polled more votes than Labour. Notable electorate results included the election of two Māori MPs to general seats; the first time that any Māori had been elected to a non-Māori electorate since James Carroll in 1893. The MPs in question were Ben Couch in Wairarapa and Rex Austin in Awarua. In Palmerston North and Western Hutt, Labour was first on election night but lost when special votes were counted. centerParty Candidates Total votes Percentage Seats won Change New Zealand National Party87763,13647.5955 +23 New Zealand Labour Party87634,45339.5632 -23 Social Credit Party (New Zealand)87119,1477.430 ±0 Values Party8783,2415.190 ±0Socialist Unity154080.030 ±0National Socialist1190.00- ±0 Independent politician673,7560.230 ±0Total4151,603,73387 Votes summary Popular Vote #ddd 600px 410px National New Zealand National Party 47.59 Labour New Zealand Labour Party 39.56 Social Credit Social Credit Party (New Zealand) 7.43 Values Values Party 5.19 Independents Independent politician 0.23 Parliament seats #ddd 600px 410px National New Zealand National Party 63.22 Labour New Zealand Labour Party 36.78 The table below shows the results of the 1975 general election: Key New Zealand National Party New Zealand Labour Party Social Credit Party (New Zealand) Electorate results for the 1975 New Zealand general electionNorton 1988 ? |- |colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | General electorates |- Auckland Central Norman Douglas New Zealand Labour Party Richard Prebble New Zealand Labour Party 289 Murray McCully New Zealand National Party Avon Mary Batchelor New Zealand Labour Party 5,503 Tom George New Zealand National Party Awarua Aubrey Begg New Zealand Labour Party Rex Austin New Zealand National Party 2,150 Aubrey Begg New Zealand Labour Party Bay of Plenty Percy Allen New Zealand National Party Duncan MacIntyre New Zealand National Party 3,960 Robert Frederick McKee New Zealand Labour Party Birkenhead Norman King New Zealand Labour Party Jim McLay New Zealand National Party 2,816 Norman King New Zealand Labour Party Christchurch Central Bruce Barclay New Zealand Labour Party 2,973 Tim Armitage New Zealand National Party Clutha Peter Gordon New Zealand National Party 4,735 F A O'Connell New Zealand Labour Party Coromandel Leo Schultz New Zealand National Party 4,724 Raymond C. Bradley New Zealand Labour Party Dunedin Central Brian MacDonell New Zealand Labour Party 1,428 Ian Bright New Zealand National Party Dunedin North Ethel McMillan New Zealand Labour Party Richard Walls New Zealand National Party 958 Brian Arnold New Zealand Labour Party East Coast Bays Frank Gill New Zealand National Party 5,594 Rex Stanton New Zealand Labour Party Eden Mike Moore New Zealand Labour Party Aussie Malcolm New Zealand National Party 1,331 Mike Moore New Zealand Labour Party Egmont Venn Young New Zealand National Party 4,120 Dennis Duggan New Zealand Labour Party Franklin Bill Birch New Zealand National Party 7,605 Ron Ng-Waishing New Zealand Labour Party Gisborne Trevor Davey New Zealand Labour Party Bob Bell New Zealand National Party 1,321 Trevor Davey New Zealand Labour Party Grey Lynn Eddie Isbey New Zealand Labour Party 2,839 Jens Meder New Zealand National Party Hamilton East Rufus Rogers New Zealand Labour Party Ian Shearer New Zealand National Party 2,246 Rufus Rogers New Zealand Labour Party Hamilton West Dorothy Jelicich New Zealand Labour Party Mike Minogue New Zealand National Party 2,069 Dorothy Jelicich New Zealand Labour Party Hastings Richard Mayson New Zealand Labour Party Bob Fenton New Zealand National Party 491 Richard Mayson New Zealand Labour Party Hawkes Bay Richard Harrison New Zealand National Party 3,805 David Butcher New Zealand Labour Party Henderson Martyn Finlay New Zealand Labour Party 401 Warren Adams New Zealand National Party Heretaunga Ron Bailey New Zealand Labour Party 336 Julie CameronGustafson 1986 358 New Zealand National Party Hobson Logan Sloane New Zealand National Party Neill Austin New Zealand National Party 4,101 Howard Manningnb David Lange came third for Labour in Hobson Social Credit Party (New Zealand) Hutt Trevor Young New Zealand Labour Party 1,019 Brett Newell New Zealand National Party Invercargill J. B. Munro New Zealand Labour Party Norman Jones New Zealand National Party 2,533 J. B. Munro New Zealand Labour Party Island Bay Gerald O'Brien New Zealand Labour Party 1,274 Bill Nathan New Zealand National Party Kapiti Frank O'Flynn New Zealand Labour Party Barry Brill New Zealand National Party 2,222 Frank O'Flynn New Zealand Labour Party Karori Jack Marshall New Zealand National Party Hugh Templeton New Zealand National Party 4,830 Margaret Shields New Zealand Labour Party King Country Jim Bolger New Zealand National Party 4,316 Thomas Varnam New Zealand Labour Party Lyttelton Tom McGuigan New Zealand Labour Party Colleen Dewe New Zealand National Party 999 Tom McGuigan New Zealand Labour Party Manawatu Allan McCready New Zealand National Party 2,918 Alan Charles Eyles New Zealand Labour Party Mangere Colin Moyle New Zealand Labour Party 1,604 Stanley Lawson New Zealand National Party Manukau Roger Douglas New Zealand Labour Party 678 Brian Leaming New Zealand National Party Manurewa Phil Amos New Zealand Labour Party Merv Wellington New Zealand National Party 1,358 Phil Amos New Zealand Labour Party Marlborough Ian Brooks New Zealand Labour Party Ed Latter New Zealand National Party 3,010 Ian Brooks New Zealand Labour Party Miramar Bill Young New Zealand National Party 1,749 John Wybrow New Zealand Labour Party Mt Albert Warren Freer New Zealand Labour Party 247 Frank Ryan New Zealand National Party Napier Gordon Christie New Zealand Labour Party 931 John Isles New Zealand National Party Nelson Stan Whitehead New Zealand Labour Party 1,093 Ian McWhannel New Zealand National Party New Lynn Jonathan Hunt New Zealand Labour Party 890 Barry O'Connor New Zealand National Party New Plymouth Ron Barclay New Zealand Labour Party Tony Friedlander New Zealand National Party 1,935 Ron Barclay New Zealand Labour Party North Shore George Gair New Zealand National Party 5,247 Wyn Hoadley New Zealand Labour Party Oamaru Bill Laney New Zealand Labour Party Jonathan Elworthy New Zealand National Party 2,196 Bill Laney New Zealand Labour Party Onehunga Hugh Watt New Zealand Labour Party Frank Rogers New Zealand Labour Party 1,044 Kevin O'Brien New Zealand National Party Otago Central Ian Quigley New Zealand Labour Party Warren Cooper New Zealand National Party 2,371 Ian Quigley New Zealand Labour Party Otahuhu Bob Tizard New Zealand Labour Party 3,785 Lois Morris New Zealand National Party Pahiatua Keith Holyoake New Zealand National Party 6,769 Paul Thornicroft New Zealand Labour Party Pakuranga Gavin Downie New Zealand National Party 7,016 Geoff Braybrooke New Zealand Labour Party Palmerston North Joe Walding New Zealand Labour Party John Lithgow New Zealand National Party 142 Joe Walding New Zealand Labour Party Papanui Bert Walker New Zealand National Party 2,985 Rod Garden New Zealand Labour Party Petone Fraser Colman New Zealand Labour Party 2,834 Brel Gluyas New Zealand National Party Piako Jack Luxton New Zealand National Party 6,174 Helen Clark New Zealand Labour Party Porirua Gerry Wall New Zealand Labour Party 2,265 Ross Doughty New Zealand National Party Raglan Douglas Carter New Zealand National Party Marilyn Waring New Zealand National Party 3,756 Bill Pickering New Zealand Labour Party Rakaia Colin McLachlan New Zealand National Party 5,237 Graeme Lowrie New Zealand Labour Party Rangiora Kerry Burke New Zealand Labour Party Derek Quigley New Zealand National Party 1,386 Kerry Burke New Zealand Labour Party Rangitikei Roy Jack New Zealand National Party 1,756 Bruce Beetham Social Credit Party (New Zealand) Remuera Allan Highet New Zealand National Party 8,656 G B Mead New Zealand Labour Party Riccarton Eric Holland New Zealand National Party 4,766 Don Johnson New Zealand Labour Party Rodney Peter Wilkinson New Zealand National Party 7,817 John Prebble New Zealand Labour Party Roskill Arthur Faulkner New Zealand Labour Party 530 John Maurice PriestleyGustafson 1986 382 New Zealand National Party Rotorua Harry Lapwood New Zealand National Party 3,605 Peter Tapsell New Zealand Labour Party Ruahine Les Gandar New Zealand National Party 2,763 Rex Willing New Zealand Labour Party St Albans Roger Drayton New Zealand Labour Party 1,570 Prudence Rotherberg New Zealand National Party St Kilda Bill Fraser New Zealand Labour Party 1,890 Gordon Heslop New Zealand National Party South Canterbury Rob Talbot New Zealand National Party 4,301 Neville Lambert New Zealand Labour Party Stratford David Thomson New Zealand National Party 5,667 P P Hopkins New Zealand Labour Party Sydenham John Kirk New Zealand Labour Party 3,817 Paul Matheson New Zealand National Party Tamaki Robert Muldoon New Zealand National Party 6,735 Tim Kaye New Zealand Labour Party Tasman Bill Rowling New Zealand Labour Party 529 Peter Malone New Zealand National Party Taupo Jack Ridley New Zealand Labour Party Ray La Varis New Zealand National Party 1,614 Jack Ridley New Zealand Labour Party Tauranga Keith Allen New Zealand National Party 4,843 Richard Hendry New Zealand Labour Party Timaru Sir Basil Arthur New Zealand Labour Party 1,011 Dave Walker New Zealand National Party Waikato Lance Adams-Schneider New Zealand National Party 7,073 Brian West New Zealand Labour Party Wairarapa Jack Williams New Zealand Labour Party Ben Couch New Zealand National Party 1,468 Jack Williams New Zealand Labour Party Waitemata Michael Bassett New Zealand Labour Party Dail Jones New Zealand National Party 1,385 Michael Bassett New Zealand Labour Party Wallace Brian Talboys New Zealand National Party 6,978 Ian Lamont New Zealand Labour Party Wanganui Russell Marshall New Zealand Labour Party 1,244 John Rowan New Zealand National Party Wellington Central Ken Comber New Zealand National Party 1,076 David Shand New Zealand Labour Party West Coast Paddy Blanchfield New Zealand Labour Party 2,401 Barry Dallas New Zealand National Party Western Hutt Henry May New Zealand Labour Party Bill Lambert New Zealand National Party 109 Henry Maynb Henry May was first on election night, but lost when special votes were included New Zealand Labour Party Whangarei Murray Smith New Zealand Labour Party John Elliott New Zealand National Party 2,710 Murray Smith New Zealand Labour Party Wigram Mick Connelly New Zealand Labour Party 1,967 Neil Russell New Zealand National Party |- |colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | Māori electorates |- Eastern Maori Paraone Reweti New Zealand Labour Party 6,261 Monty Searancke New Zealand National Party Northern Maori Matiu Rata New Zealand Labour Party 4,151 Winston Peters New Zealand National Party Southern Maori Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan New Zealand Labour Party 6,452 Willard Amaru New Zealand National Party Western Maori Koro Wētere New Zealand Labour Party 8,925 Emerson Studholme Rangi New Zealand National Party |} Table footnotes: nb Post-election events A number of local by-elections were required due to the resignations of incumbent local body politicians following the general election: A by-election occurred for the Invercargill City Council after councillor Norman Jones resigned after being elected to parliament, prompting a by-election. Jones was replaced on the council by J. B. Munro, whom he defeated at the parliamentary election.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19760417.2.117 Mr Munro gets seat in council The Press 17 April 1976 CXVI 34130 16 There was a by-election for Mayor of Hamilton. Mayor Mike Minogue resigned after he was elected as MP for Hamilton West. The by-election was win by leader of the Social Credit Party, Bruce Beetham, who had contested Rangitikei in 1975.Beetham stretches majority The Times 5 May 1976 1 Notes References Atkinson Neill 2003 Adventures in Democracy: A History of the Vote in New Zealand Dunedin University of Otago Press Chapman George Alan Chapman George The Years of Lightning 1980 AH & AW Reed Wellington 0-589-01346-7 Gustafson Barry Barry Gustafson The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party 1986 Reed Methuen Auckland 0-474-00177-6 Levine & Lodge 1976 Stephen Levine Juliet Lodge 1976 The New Zealand General Election of 1975 Price Milburn for New Zealand University Press Wellington 0-7055-0624-X Norton Clifford New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946-1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science 1988 Victoria University of Wellington Wellington 0-475-11200-8 Wilson Jim Jim Wilson (librarian) New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 4th First published in 1913 1985 V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer Wellington 154283103 External links Mr Nathan the National candidate for Island Bay below a defaced poster (photo) Category:November 1975 in Oceania Category:1975 elections in New Zealand Category:1970s in New Zealand