1977 Mangere by-election

New Zealand by-election April 2024 July 2019 1977 Mangere by-election New Zealand 1977 presidential 1975 New Zealand general election 1975 general 1978 New Zealand general election 1978 general 1977 03 26 y 16,758 (64.31%) 150x150px David Lange New Zealand Labour Party 9,766 58.27 100px Clem Simich New Zealand National Party 5,107 30.48 MP Colin Moyle David Lange New Zealand Labour Party New Zealand Labour Party The Mangere by-election of 1977 was a by-election for the electorate of Mangere on 26 March 1977 during the 38th New Zealand Parliament. The by-election resulted from the resignation of the previous member Colin Moyle after accusations against him in parliament, and he was replaced by David Lange, also of the Labour Party. Apart from Lange, there were seven other candidates in the by-election. Candidates Labour Initially, there was media supposition that Moyle would stand again to vindicate himself from Muldoon's allegations and that he would not be opposed for selection. However several people did nominate though they were without name recognition. As Mangere was a safe Labour seat, there was a large amount of interest. Eventually there were four former Labour MPs in the race and Moyle decided to withdraw his nomination on 12 February only three days before the selection meeting. This led Labour's Auckland President Barry Gustafson to call for nominations to be re-opened, however Labour Party general secretary John Wybrow refused. With Moyle out, former MPs Dorothy Jelicich and Mike Moore became the favourites, with both Moyle and Labour leader Bill Rowling supporting Jelicich.Moyle goes, and Jelicich-Moore race seems on Auckland Star 12 February 1977 1 In the end a mammoth total of 16 candidates were nominated:16 now chase Labour nod for Mangere Auckland Star 15 February 1977 48 Gerrard Beeson, former Mayor of Onehunga Brian Edwards, a Manukau City Councillor Kelly Flavell, local lawyer Ken Hastings, Secretary of Labour's Auckland Regional Council George Hawkins, Chairman of the Papakura branch Harriet Hussey, Secretary of the Grey Lynn branch Dorothy Jelicich, former MP for Hamilton West David Lange, who was Labour's candidate for Hobson in 1975 Nigel Mercer, Chairman of the Papatoetoe branch Mike Moore, former MP for Eden Brian Nicholson, member of the Manukau East branch Ian Shaw, Secretary of the Riverside branch Elsa Smith, Chair of the Grey Lynn women's branch Rex Stanton, a Takapuna City Councillor and Labour's candidate for East Coast Bays in 1975 Charles Turner, Chairman of the Howick branch Ron Ng-Waishing, a former member of the Labour Party executive and candidate for Franklin in 1975 In addition to Moyle, several candidates pulled out of the nomination process; Malcolm Douglas unsuccessful Labour nominee for Onehunga in 1975, Geoff Braybrooke Labour's candidate for Pakuranga in 1975 and Murray Smith former MP for Whangarei.Labour backing may now go to outsider Auckland Star 15 February 1977 1 The candidates were narrowed down to a shortlist three Jelicich, Lange and Moore. The local members preferred Moore whilst the Labour Party head office favoured Jelicich resulting in Lange being selected as a compromise candidate. Lange, a criminal defence lawyer, was relatively unknown in political circles and his selection was something of a surprise. He was an unsuccessful candidate on the Labour ticket for the Auckland City Council at the 1974 local elections and had stood for parliament in Hobson in 1975, placing third.Nomination goes to Mr Lange The New Zealand Herald 16 February 1977 1 National Four candidates sought the National Party nomination:Nationals for Mangere Auckland Star 8 February 1977 48 Colin Bidois, a sports shop proprietor and Manukau City Councillor since 1968 Stanley Lawson, a book retail manager and member of the Auckland Power Board, National's Mangere candidate in 1972 and 1975 Clem Simich, a builder and former police detective-sergeant, deputy chairman of National's Tamaki executive Brian Slater, a pilot and Waitemata City Councillor, former vice-chair of National's Waitakere executive (1964–1967) Simich won the selection.Builder to stand for National The New Zealand Herald 15 February 1977 1 Simich was noted as being well presented but misjudging the nature of the Mangere electorate. His policies were largely conservative and he drove around in a Rolls-Royce followed by several other glamorous cars in a motorcade which jarred with the lower-middle class nature of the locals.Lange 2005 108f Others The incipient Values Party chose their 1975 candidate Frank Grayson once again.Values Party Makes Poll Gain The New Zealand Herald 14 February 1977 3 Barry Moss, an unsuccessful candidate for Manukau in 1969 stood as a "Worker's Labour" candidate.Norton 1988 269 Bill Owens was the candidate for the Social Credit Party who had contested the Mangere seat in 1975.Norton 1988 267 Barry Shaw ran as an independent labour candidate and Brigid Mulrennan stood for the Socialist Action Party, both had contested Auckland Central in 1975.Norton 1988 194 Campaign Most of the campaigning was conducted by candidates hosting public meetings, most of which were well attended. Labour leader Bill Rowling spoke at several meetings in Lange's support as did several other MPs. In one noted occasion a heckler at a workplace meeting was chased across a nearby paddock by Wigram MP Mick Connelly. There was also a live televised debate between Lange and Simich which, despite being a local contest, was broadcast nationwide. Lange performed well and won the debate, giving him much publicity on the national stage.Lange 2005 109 Results The following table gives the election results: Aftermath The by-election put Lange into parliament, and the attention that he got helped propel him to the deputy leadership of the parliamentary Labour Party in 1979 and the leadership itself in February 1983, and then a landslide victory over Muldoon in the 1984 general election. As Labour's majority was larger than expected Lange spent most of his first few weeks as an MP supporting Labour's candidate in the 1977 Pahiatua by-election, Allan Levett, attempt to increase their vote share.Lange 2005 110f Moyle stood as Labour's candidate in Whangarei in 1978 and would re-enter parliament in 1981 as MP for Hunua. Notes References David Lange Lange David 2005 Viking 0-670-04556-X My Life 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 Wood G. A. Ministers and Members in the New Zealand Parliament 2 1987 1996 University of Otago Press Dunedin 1 877133 00 0 113 Mangere 1977 Category:1977 elections in New Zealand Category:Politics of the Auckland Region Category:March 1977 in Oceania