1965 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election

New Zealand party leadership election April 2024 April 2022 1965 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election File:NZLP logo.jpg legislative no 1963 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election 1963 1974 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election 1974 9 December 1965 Caucus 102px Norman Kirk DC241F 25 71.42% 110px Arnold Nordmeyer DC241F 10 28.58% Leader Leader after election Arnold Nordmeyer Norman Kirk The 1965 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election was held on 9 December 1965 to determine the future leadership of the New Zealand Labour Party. The election was won by Lyttelton MP Norman Kirk. Background After Walter Nash retired as leader in 1963 Arnold Nordmeyer became Labour's sixth leader despite holding considerable public blame for Labour's loss of support after the Black Budget of 1958.Brown Bruce 5n12 Nordmeyer, Arnold Henry 18 September 2015 The memory of the "Black Budget" still plagued Nordmeyer's profile and many within the party believed that it was time for a fresh start. Many MPs in Labour felt Nordmeyer was unelectable as his previous performance as Minister of Finance represented a 'tax and hope' image which the party was keen to rectify. In early 1964 Kirk spoke to Nordmeyer to see if he intended to continue as party leader. Nordmeyer stated he did and was confident he would win the 1966 election and would appoint Kirk Minister of Industries and Commerce in the event of a Labour victory. Kirk thought this hypothetical posting to be insufficient and set his sights on the leadership, despite (according to Nordmeyer) promising he would not.Grant 2014 78 Some colleagues such as Henry May thought it best for Kirk to wait until after the 1966 election, believing Labour would lose regardless of who was leader.Grant 2014 78–9 Kirk ignored such advice and, as party president, strategically allowed full television coverage of the party's 1965 annual conference. It was the first occasion a political conference was televised and Kirk took full advantage and presented himself well on camera and made impressive speeches including deliberately straying in his 'state of the party' address to speak on foreign affairs and declare reasons why New Zealand should avoid participating in the Vietnam War.Grant 2014 79 A group of younger Labour MPs formed a group who became dedicated to replace Nordmeyer with Kirk, becoming known as the "Mafia". The main supporters of Kirk were Bill Fox, Warren Freer and Mick Moohan who promoted him to others at gatherings. Moohan attempted to win over the President of the New Zealand Federation of Labour Tom Skinner, who was unconvinced. Skinner respected rather than liked Nordmeyer but thought a challenge being the end of his leadership was less dignified than he deserved and refused to help Kirk.Grant 2014 80 Freer, who supported Kirk but also felt affinity for Nordmeyer, asked his friend Phil Holloway (a Labour MP from 1954 to 1960) to inform Nordmeyer of Kirk's level of support. Freer hoped that if Nordmeyer was aware of the numbers he would not contest the leadership and save himself embarrassment. At a dinner with the Nordmeyers, Holloway informed them of the state of caucus loyalties. Nordmeyer was shocked to hear of Kirk's support but his wife, Frances, was cynical of the news and dismissed the information and assured that her husband had the numbers to win.Freer 2004 136–7 By mid-1965 media were openly speculating a challenge for the leadership by Kirk.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19650713.2.9 Speculation On Party Leadership The Press CIV 30801 13 July 1965 1 In October Nordmeyer stated that a caucus meeting would be held in the second week of December to "provide an opportunity for discussing and voting on the leadership and deputy leadership" of the party.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19651023.2.257 Leadership Talks The Press CIV 30889 23 October 1965 23 Candidates Arnold Nordmeyer Nordmeyer had led Labour since Nash's retirement nearly three years earlier. He led them in the 1963 election where Labour's vote increased slightly, but still did not perform well enough to win office. Some within Labour's caucus were of the opinion that Nordmeyer was too distant and out of touch with his colleagues and vice versa.Hayward 1981 56 Nordmeyer was credited for holding Labour factions together under his leadership with a closer liaison between the Labour movement's political and industrial wings, but the election loss and memory of the 1958 Budget counted against him.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19651209.2.8 Choosing Leader Today The Press CIV 30929 9 December 1965 1 Norman Kirk Kirk first entered parliament in 1957. Gradually, he began to rise through Labour's internal hierarchy, becoming vice-president of the Party in 1963 and president in 1964.Bassett Michael 5k12 Kirk, Norman Eric 8 November 2012 Michael Bassett As president Kirk made a point of visiting the Labour Representation Committee in every electorate in the country and was apparently received very well. Other MPs often saw Kirk as a champion for ordinary New Zealanders via his working-class background at a time when ordinary voters saw many other politicians, such as Nordmeyer, out-of-touch and aloof. Kirk was seen as lacking in administrative experience as he was a backbencher in the previous Labour government and had not been a cabinet minister. Result A caucus vote was held on 9 December 1965 where Nordmeyer was defeated by Kirk 25 votes to 10. Nordmeyer's deputy leader, Hugh Watt, retained his position despite the change in leadership receiving 24 votes against a combined total of 10 votes for the other two nominees.Grant 2014 85 Leadership ballot CandidateVotes% Norman Kirk 25 71.42 Arnold Nordmeyer 10 28.58Majority 15 42.85Turnout 35 Deputy-leadership ballot CandidateVotes% Hugh Watt 24 70.58 Arthur Faulkner 8 23.52 Norman Douglas 2 5.88Majority 16 47.05Turnout 34 How each MP voted A list of each MP's vote.Freer 2004 137Grant 2014 84 MP Leader Vote Phil Amos Kirk Basil Arthur Kirk Ron Bailey New Zealand politician Kirk Paddy Blanchfield Kirk Mick Connelly Nordmeyer Norman Douglas politician Kirk Jim Edwards New Zealand politician Nordmeyer Arthur Faulkner Kirk Bill Fraser New Zealand politician Kirk Warren Freer Kirk Martyn Finlay Kirk Bill Fox politician Kirk Mabel Howard Kirk Norman King New Zealand politician Kirk Norman Kirk Kirk Ethel McMillan Nordmeyer Brian MacDonell Kirk Ritchie Macdonald Kirk Robert Macfarlane New Zealand politician Nordmeyer Rex Mason Nordmeyer Jock Mathison Nordmeyer Henry May New Zealand politician Nordmeyer Mick Moohan Kirk Colin Moyle Kirk Walter Nash Kirk Arnold Nordmeyer Nordmeyer Bill Rowling Nordmeyer Matiu Rata Kirk Iriaka Ratana Kirk George Spooner Kirk Eruera Tirikatene Kirk Bob Tizard Kirk Steve Watene Kirk Hugh Watt Kirk Stan Whitehead Nordmeyer Aftermath Shadow Cabinet of Norman Kirk Kirk's new enthusiastic leadership brought about a gradual rejuvenation in Labour's popularity. He suffered narrow election losses in 1966 and 1969 elections before finally winning office and becoming Prime Minister in 1972 election. Nordmeyer remained in Parliament for another four years, moving to the backbenches and becoming an elder statesman of the party. He retired at the 1969 election. Notes References Grant David The Mighty Totara: The life and times of Norman Kirk 2014 Random House Auckland 9781775535799 Hayward Margaret Diary of the Kirk Years 1981 Reed Publishing Auckland 0589013505 Freer Warren Warren Freer A Lifetime in Politics: the memoirs of Warren Freer 2004 Victoria University Press Wellington 0-86473-478-6 Logan Mary Nordy, Arnold Nordmeyer a political biography 1 First ed. published 2008 2008 Steele Roberts Publishers Wellington 978-1-877448-33-1 Labour Party leadership 1965 Category:December 1965 in Oceania New Zealand Labour Party leadership election