1972 New Zealand general election

General election in New Zealand April 2024 April 2018 1972 New Zealand general election New Zealand parliamentary no 1969 New Zealand general election 1969 36th New Zealand Parliament 1975 New Zealand general election 1975 87 seats in the Parliament 44 1972 11 25 y elected members 1,340,168 (88.94%) Norman Kirk, crop.jpg 200x200px Norman Kirk 9 December 1965 New Zealand Labour Party Sydenham 39 seats, 44.2% 55 16 677,669 48.4% 4.2% Jack Marshall, 1972.jpg 200x200px Jack Marshall 7 February 1972 New Zealand National Party Karori 45 seats, 45.2% 32 13 581,422 41.5% 3.7% 1972 New Zealand general election.svg 350px Results by electorate, shaded by winning margin Prime Minister Subsequent Prime Minister Jack Marshall Norman Kirk New Zealand National Party New Zealand Labour Party The 1972 New Zealand general election was held on 25 November to elect MPs to the 37th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Labour Party, led by Norman Kirk, defeated the governing National Party. Background The National Party had been in office since the 1960 election, when it had defeated the ruling Labour Party, led by Walter Nash. The Second Labour Government was the shortest-lasting of all New Zealand governments to that day; in contrast, the Second National Government, led for the majority of its tenure by Keith Holyoake, would be re-elected three times. National's policies were focused around stability and a "steady as she goes" approach, but Holyoake's Government was increasingly perceived as tired and worn-out. Additionally, Holyoake had been in politics since the 1930s, and his staunch conservatism was a poor fit for an increasingly cosmopolitan society. For much of the government's third term, there had been speculation as to when Holyoake would stand down. Finally, in February 1972, Holyoake stood aside and was replaced by his deputy, Jack Marshall, who took steps to reinvigorate the party. Meanwhile, Norman Kirk had been at the helm of Labour since 1965. In this time, he had been modernising and updating the Labour Party, but narrowly lost the 1969 election. Kirk slimmed and dressed to improve his image, and visited several overseas Labour parties to broaden his knowledge. He activated a "spokesman" or shadow cabinet system to spread the responsibility, but it was difficult to avoid one composed largely of MPs from the Auckland and Christchurch areas. Despite the improvements, commentators speculated whether National would pull off another cliffhanger victory. Economic recession and voter fatigue had hurt National at the polls. Labour's slogan was "It's Time – Time for a change, time for Labour", which expertly captured the national mood. A deciding election issue was the proposed raising of the levels of lakes Manapouri and Te Anau as part of the construction of the Manapouri Power Station to supply the aluminium smelter in Bluff with electricity. National wanted to proceed with the work but Labour pledged to keep the lake levels as they were. It became a deciding issue, with four National incumbents from Otago and Southland losing their electorates (Awarua, Invercargill, Otago Central, and Oamaru). http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/conservation-a-history/8 https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211017/http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/conservation-a-history/8 2021-10-17 8. Environmental activism, 1966–1987 - Conservation – a history Simon Nathan Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand 2 March 2009 11 August 2020White Mike Saving Manapōuri: The campaign that changed a nation North & South 30 June 2019 https://www.noted.co.nz/planet/planet-planet/manapouri-the-campaign-that-changed-a-nation 10 August 2020 27 May 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200527073428/https://www.noted.co.nz/planet/planet-planet/manapouri-the-campaign-that-changed-a-nation dead MPs retiring in 1972 Nine National MPs and one Labour MP intended to retire at the end of the 36th Parliament. Party Name Electorate National John Rae Eden Alfred E. Allen Franklin Leslie Munro Hamilton West Don McKay Marsden Norman Shelton Rangitīkei Rona Stevenson Taupo George Walsh Tauranga David Seath Waitomo Dan Riddiford Wellington Central Labour John Mathison Avon 1972 electoral redistribution Since the 1969, the number of electorates in the South Island was fixed at 25, with continued faster population growth in the North Island leading to an increase in the number of general electorates. Including the four Māori electorates, there had been 80 electorates since the 1902.McRobie 1989 67 This increased to 84 electorates through the 1969 election.McRobie 1989 111 The 1972 electoral redistribution saw three additional general seats created for the North Island, bringing the total number of electorates to 87.McRobie 1989 115 Together with increased urbanisation in Christchurch and Nelson, the changes proved very disruptive to existing electorates. Only two South Island electorates were not altered by the redistribution (Clutha and Lyttelton).McRobie 1989 116 Only eight of the North Island electorates were not altered (Franklin, Gisborne, Hobson, Island Bay, Miramar, North Shore, Tamaki, and Wairarapa).McRobie 1989 115 In the South Island, three electorates were abolished (Buller, Westland, and Selwyn), and three electorates were newly created (Rakaia, Tasman, and West Coast).McRobie 1989 112, 116 In the North Island, five electorates were abolished (Hauraki, Marsden, Otaki, Waimarino, and Waitomo), two electorates were recreated (Coromandel and Otahuhu), and six electorates were newly created (East Coast Bays, Hamilton East, Kapiti, King Country, Ruahine, and Whangarei).McRobie 1989 111, 115 Election day thumb|200px|Kirk campaigning in Levin The date for the 1972 elections was 25 November, a Saturday. 1,583,256 people were registered to vote. There was a turnout of 89.1%, slightly higher than the previous election and considerably higher than the following one. The number of electorates being contested was 87.McRobie 1989 115 Results The election saw the Labour Party defeat the governing National Party in a landslide, winning 55 seats to National's 32. This represented the largest swing against a sitting government since Labour first won power in 1935. Labour was therefore able to form its first government since 1960, with Norman Kirk becoming Prime Minister. The second National government thus gave way to the third Labour government. No minor parties managed to gain seats, and no independents were elected. There were 1,583,256 electors on the roll, with 1,401,152 (88.50%) voting. thumb|300px|Map of electorates. centerParty Candidates Total votes Percentage Seats won Change New Zealand Labour Party87677,66948.3755 +16 New Zealand National Party87581,42241.5032 -13 Social Credit Party (New Zealand)8793,2316.65- ±0 Values Party4227,4671.96- ±0 New Democratic Party (New Zealand)868,7830.63- ±0 Liberal Reform Party (New Zealand)244,0770.29- ±0Socialist Unity54440.03- ±0National Socialist1350.00- ±0 Independent politician438,5030.61- ±0Total4561,401,15287 +3 Votes summary Popular Vote #ddd 600px 410px Labour New Zealand Labour Party 48.37 National New Zealand National Party 41.50 Social Credit Social Credit Party (New Zealand) 6.65 Values Values Party 1.96 New Democratic New Democratic Party (New Zealand) 0.63 Liberal Reform #FDBB30 0.29 Independents Independent politician 0.61 Parliament seats #ddd 600px 410px Labour New Zealand Labour Party 63.22 National New Zealand National Party 36.78 The table below shows the results of the 1972 general election: Key New Zealand National Party New Zealand Labour Party Social Credit Party (New Zealand) Independent politician Electorate results for the 1972 New Zealand general election |- |colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | General electorates |- Auckland Central Norman Douglas New Zealand Labour Party 2,009 Clive Edwards New Zealand National Party Avon John Mathison New Zealand Labour Party Mary Batchelor New Zealand Labour Party 6,055 Gordon Thomas New Zealand National Party Awarua Hugh Templeton New Zealand National Party Aubrey Begg New Zealand Labour Party 723 Hugh Templeton New Zealand National Party Bay of Plenty Percy Allen New Zealand National Party 2,189 G B Mead New Zealand Labour Party Birkenhead Norman King New Zealand Labour Party 1,533 Don McKinnon New Zealand National Party Christchurch Central Bruce Barclay New Zealand Labour Party 5,103 Barbara Beaven New Zealand National Party Clutha Peter Gordon New Zealand National Party 2,131 Les McKayNorton 1988 210 New Zealand Labour Party Coromandel Leo Schultz New Zealand National Party 2,181 Alyson Murphy New Zealand Labour Party Dunedin Central Brian MacDonell New Zealand Labour Party 3,771 Fred O'NeillNorton 1988 213 New Zealand National Party Dunedin North Ethel McMillan New Zealand Labour Party 4,020 John WallisNorton 1988 215 New Zealand National Party East Coast Bays Frank Gill New Zealand National Party 979 Brian Pauling New Zealand Labour Party Eden John Rae New Zealand National Party Mike Moore New Zealand Labour Party 788 Mary KiddGustafson 1986 371 New Zealand National Party Egmont Venn Young New Zealand National Party 2,928 Robert Logan Peck New Zealand Labour Party Franklin Alfred E. Allen New Zealand National Party Bill Birch New Zealand National Party 4,188 Geoff Braybrooke New Zealand Labour Party Gisborne Esme Tombleson New Zealand National Party Trevor Davey New Zealand Labour Party 488 Esme TomblesonNorton 1988 229 New Zealand National Party Grey Lynn Eddie Isbey New Zealand Labour Party 5,487 Jens Meder New Zealand National Party Hamilton East Rufus Rogers New Zealand Labour Party 397 Ross Jansen New Zealand National Party Hamilton West Leslie Munro New Zealand National Party Dorothy Jelicich New Zealand Labour Party 544 Derek Heather New Zealand National Party Hastings Duncan MacIntyre New Zealand National Party Richard Mayson New Zealand Labour Party 1,148 Duncan MacIntyre New Zealand National Party Hawkes Bay Richard Harrison New Zealand National Party 600 David Butcher Norton 1988 241 New Zealand Labour Party Henderson Martyn Finlay New Zealand Labour Party 4,221 Ross C. MacFarlaneNorton 1988 243 New Zealand National Party Heretaunga Ron Bailey New Zealand Labour Party 2,964 John SchnellenbergFrom war refugee to liberal thinker, businessman and books man http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/89982874/from-war-refugee-to-liberal-thinker-businessman-and-books-man https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211017/http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/89982874/from-war-refugee-to-liberal-thinker-businessman-and-books-man 2021-10-17 4 March 2017 Stuff.co.nz 4 March 2017 New Zealand National Party Hobson Logan Sloane New Zealand National Party 1,148 Howard Manning Social Credit Party (New Zealand) Hutt Trevor Young New Zealand Labour Party 3,397 Michael Fowler New Zealand National Party Invercargill John Chewings New Zealand National Party J. B. Munro New Zealand Labour Party 765 John Chewings New Zealand National Party Island Bay Gerald O'Brien New Zealand Labour Party 3,495 Bruce Farland New Zealand National Party Kapiti Frank O'Flynn New Zealand Labour Party 706 Barry Brill New Zealand National Party Karori Jack Marshall New Zealand National Party 4,408 Adam Floyd New Zealand Labour Party King Country Jim Bolger New Zealand National Party 1,240 Bruce Sakey New Zealand Labour Party Lyttelton Tom McGuigan New Zealand Labour Party 3,235 John Blumsky New Zealand National Party Manawatu Les Gandar New Zealand National Party Allan McCready New Zealand National Party 427 Mervyn Hancock New Zealand Labour Party Mangere Colin Moyle New Zealand Labour Party 3,939 Stanley Lawson New Zealand National Party Manukau Roger Douglas New Zealand Labour Party 2,844 R O Price New Zealand National Party Manurewa Phil Amos New Zealand Labour Party 2,397 Pat BakerGustafson 1986 354 New Zealand National Party Marlborough Ian Brooks New Zealand Labour Party 1,290 Bruno Dalliessi New Zealand National Party Miramar Bill Young New Zealand National Party 434 Brian Edwards New Zealand Labour Party Mt Albert Warren Freer New Zealand Labour Party 3,980 John Malcolm New Zealand National Party Napier Gordon Christie New Zealand Labour Party 3,725 Merle Bell New Zealand National Party Nelson Stan Whitehead New Zealand Labour Party 1,933 Ian McWhannell New Zealand National Party New Lynn Jonathan Hunt New Zealand Labour Party 4,312 Gordon McDermott New Zealand National Party New Plymouth Ron Barclay New Zealand Labour Party 1,296 Terry Boon New Zealand National Party North Shore George Gair New Zealand National Party 2,821 Colin Chiles New Zealand Labour Party Oamaru Allan Dick New Zealand National Party Bill Laney New Zealand Labour Party 390 Allan Dick New Zealand National Party Onehunga Hugh Watt New Zealand Labour Party 4,835 Peter Blakeborough New Zealand National Party Otago Central Murray Rose New Zealand National Party Ian Quigley New Zealand Labour Party 1,483 Murray Rose New Zealand National Party Otahuhu Bob Tizard New Zealand Labour Party 6,403 D C Brooker New Zealand National Party Pahiatua Keith Holyoake New Zealand National Party 4,359 L J Cairns New Zealand Labour Party Pakuranga Bob Tizard New Zealand Labour Party Gavin Downie New Zealand National Party 1,802 J B Irwin New Zealand Labour Party Palmerston North Joe Walding New Zealand Labour Party 1,766 Paul William Mitchell New Zealand National Party Papanui Bert Walker New Zealand National Party 1,734 Mollie Clark New Zealand Labour Party Petone Fraser Colman New Zealand Labour Party 5,340 Nick Ursin New Zealand National Party Piako Jack Luxton New Zealand National Party 4,472 I L Howell New Zealand Labour Party Porirua Gerry Wall New Zealand Labour Party 4,399 Ross Doughty New Zealand National Party Raglan Douglas Carter New Zealand National Party 1,350 Allan John Smith New Zealand Labour Party Rakaia Colin McLachlan New Zealand National Party 2,133 Alex Clark New Zealand Labour Party Rangiora Lorrie Pickering New Zealand National Party Kerry Burke New Zealand Labour Party 866 Adrian Hiatt New Zealand National Party Rangitikei Norman Shelton New Zealand National Party Roy Jack New Zealand National Party 3,037 N R Pearce nb Bruce Beetham came third for Social Credit in Rangitikei New Zealand Labour Party Remuera Allan Highet New Zealand National Party 6,118 Rex Stanton New Zealand Labour Party Riccarton Eric Holland New Zealand National Party 2,164 David Jackson New Zealand Labour Party Rodney Peter Wilkinson New Zealand National Party 4,507 Peter Trim New Zealand Labour Party Roskill Arthur Faulkner New Zealand Labour Party 4,439 John PriestleyGustafson 1986 382 New Zealand National Party Rotorua Harry Lapwood New Zealand National Party 786 N F Pachoud New Zealand Labour Party Ruahine Les Gandar New Zealand National Party 552 Sam Mihaere New Zealand Labour Party St Albans Roger Drayton New Zealand Labour Party 3,066 Ron Doak New Zealand National Party St Kilda Bill Fraser New Zealand Labour Party 5,615 Charles Kirby New Zealand National Party South Canterbury Rob Talbot New Zealand National Party 2,035 David Braithwaite New Zealand Labour Party Stratford David Thomson New Zealand National Party 3,068 D G Turney New Zealand Labour Party Sydenham Norman Kirk New Zealand Labour Party 6,986 John Burn New Zealand National Party Tamaki Robert Muldoon New Zealand National Party 4,590 Alan Hedger New Zealand Labour Party Tasman Bill Rowling New Zealand Labour Party 1,834 Gerald Hunt New Zealand National Party Taupo Rona Stevenson New Zealand National Party Jack Ridley New Zealand Labour Party 783 Jim Higgins New Zealand National Party Tauranga George Walsh New Zealand National Party Keith Allen New Zealand National Party 2,215 Henry UttingerNorton 1988 360 New Zealand Labour Party Timaru Sir Basil Arthur New Zealand Labour Party 3,954 Dave Walker New Zealand National Party Waikato Lance Adams-Schneider New Zealand National Party 4,208 Bob Reese New Zealand Labour Party Wairarapa Jack Williams New Zealand Labour Party 1,086 Ben Couch New Zealand National Party Waitemata Frank Gill New Zealand National Party Michael Bassett New Zealand Labour Party 2,544 Ray La Varis New Zealand National Party Wallace Brian Talboys New Zealand National Party 2,904 Ian Lamont New Zealand Labour Party Wanganui Bill Tolhurst New Zealand National Party Russell Marshall New Zealand Labour Party 2,879 Bill Tolhurst New Zealand National Party Wellington Central Dan Riddiford New Zealand National Party Ken Comber New Zealand National Party 27 David Shand nb Shand was first on election night, but lost when special votes were included New Zealand Labour Party West Coast Paddy Blanchfield New Zealand Labour Party 4,242 Barry Dallas Independent politician Western Hutt Henry May New Zealand Labour Party 2,392 Julian Watts nb Julian Watts was a son of Jack WattsGustafson 1986 388 New Zealand National Party Whangarei Murray Smith New Zealand Labour Party 1,180 Lawrence Carr New Zealand National Party Wigram Mick Connelly New Zealand Labour Party 5,255 David Cox New Zealand National Party |- |colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | Māori electorates |- Eastern Maori Paraone Reweti New Zealand Labour Party 6,190 Koro Dewes New Zealand National Party Northern Maori Matiu Rata New Zealand Labour Party 5,260 Graham Latimer New Zealand National Party Southern Maori Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan New Zealand Labour Party 8,251 Kate Parahi New Zealand National Party Western Maori Koro Wētere New Zealand Labour Party 8,686 R Te A H Rawiri New Zealand National Party |} Table footnotes: nb Notes References 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 Templeton & Eunson 1972 In the Balance: Election '72 Ian Templeton Keith Eunson 1972 John McIndoe Dunedin Right Out: Labour Victory '72 Brian Edwards 1973 Reed 0-589-00801-3 Electoral Atlas of New Zealand McRobie Alan 1989 GP Books Wellington 0-477-01384-8 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 Category:November 1972 in Oceania Category:November 1972 elections