1963 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election

New Zealand party leadership election April 2024 August 2019 1963 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election File:NZLP logo.jpg presidential no 1954 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election 1954 1965 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election 1965 26 February 1963 Caucus 160px Arnold Nordmeyer elected unopposed DC241F Leader Leader elect Walter Nash Arnold Nordmeyer The 1963 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election was held on 26 February to choose the sixth leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. The election was won by Island Bay MP Arnold Nordmeyer. This is the first time that a new leader had been elected which wasn't triggered by the death of the previous leader.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19630221.2.160 Deaths Brought Others – Choice of Leader Not Thrust Upon Labour The Evening Post 21 February 1963 17 Background Leader Walter Nash had led Labour since 1951 and after his government's defeat in 1960 he defied expectations by not announcing his intention to retire from the leadership. The night of the election he stated he would lead the Labour Party "as long as the Labour Party wants me to lead it" in response to a question from a journalist.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19601128.2.134.18 Mr Nash's Plans − Leadership of Party The Press XCIX 29373 28 November 1960 16 Pressure within the Labour Party membership built up for a leadership change, though Nash was reluctant to stand down and was determined not be succeeded by Arnold Nordmeyer. His preferred successor, Jerry Skinner, died in April 1962 though Nash decided still to remain leader for the 1963 election with Fred Hackett elected as his new deputy.Sinclair 1976 355 By June 1962 Nash told the caucus that he would resign at the end of the year unless caucus requested otherwise. In December 1962 party president Martyn Finlay (who had a strained relationship with Nash) wrote a letter to the caucus recommending a change in leadership, though was careful enough not to specifically suggest a successor.Gustafson Barry 4n2 Nash, Walter 26 August 2013 Barry Gustafson At the beginning of the final caucus meeting of the year Nash told caucus that he would resign at a caucus meeting in February and he would not be a candidate for re-election. In February 1963 Nash finally retired as leader of the Labour Party.Sinclair 1976 357 Both of Nash's deputy leaders were unable to succeed him, as Hackett was now known to be terminally ill, and other potential leadership contenders Michael Moohan, Norman Kirk and Hugh Watt ruled themselves out.Logan 2008 390 Candidates Arnold Nordmeyer Arnold Nordmeyer had been a contender for the leadership for many years prior. By 1963 his only convincing rival, Jerry Skinner, had died in April 1962 and Fred Hackett, another contender, was terminally ill.Sinclair 1976 357 In the previous Labour government he had been Minister of Finance from 1957 to 1960.Brown Bruce 5n12 Nordmeyer, Arnold Henry - Biography 6 October 2012 Nordmeyer, while seen by the press as the likeliest successor to Skinner for the deputy leadership, was defeated in the caucus ballot by Hackett.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19620607.2.138 Labour Party Elects Deputy Leader The Evening Post 7 June 1962 16 Despite this earlier defeat, he was once again seen by media as the likely candidate to succeed Nash as leader.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19630212.2.84 Leader For Labour The Press 12 February 1963 CII 30054 12 Result As Nordmeyer was the only officially nominated candidate, he was universally elected as leader.Logan 2008 391 For the deputy leadership, Hugh Watt defeated Norman Kirk in a ballot held at the subsequent caucus meeting.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19630430.2.58 Labour Party Makes Its Choice – Mr Watt New Deputy Leader The Evening Post 30 April 1963 16 Nash remained leader until 31 March and Nordmeyer took over his roles as party leader and Leader of the Opposition. Deputy-leadership ballot NameVotesPercentageHugh Watt1751.5%Norman Kirk1648.5% Aftermath Nordmeyer was the first leader of the party to have been born in New Zealand and one of only a few who had become leader without holding the deputy leadership first.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19630227.2.46 Labour Party Elects Mr Nordmeyer Leader The Press 27 February 1963 CII 30067 7 He led Labour to an election loss in 1963 where Labour's vote did increase though only equated to one extra seat. He would remain the Labour Party's leader until 1965 when he was ousted as leader by Norman Kirk. Citations References Logan Mary Nordy, Arnold Nordmeyer a political biography 2008 Steele Roberts Publishers Wellington 978-1-877448-33-1 Sinclair Keith Keith Sinclair Walter Nash 1976 Oxford University Press Auckland 0-19-647949-5 Labour Party leadership 1963 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election Category:February 1963 in Oceania