New Zealand general election, 1990

New Zealand general election, 1990
New Zealand
27 October 1990

All 97 seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives
49 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Jim Bolger Mike Moore Jim Anderton
Party National Labour NewLabour
Leader since 1986 1990 1989
Leader's seat King Country Christchurch North Sydenham
Last election 40 seats, 44.02% 57 seats, 47.96% Not yet founded
Seats won 67 29 1
Seat change Increase 27 Decrease 28 Increase 1
Popular vote 872,358 640,915 94,171
Percentage 47.82% 35.14% 5.16%
Swing Increase 3.80% Decrease 12.82% Increase 5.16%

Prime Minister before election

Mike Moore
Labour

Elected Prime Minister

Jim Bolger
National

The 1990 New Zealand general election was held on 27 October to determine the composition of the 43rd New Zealand parliament. The governing Labour Party was defeated, ending its controversial two terms in office. The National Party, led by Jim Bolger, won a landslide victory and formed the new government.

Background

The Labour Party had taken office after defeating the National Party under Robert Muldoon in the 1984 election. David Lange became Prime Minister and Roger Douglas became Minister of Finance. The economic program outlined by Douglas was deeply unpopular with Labour's traditional supporters, however deregulation, privatisation, and free trade, all opposed by the party's more left-wing members, were a key part of the so-called "Rogernomics" platform. This internal dissent was off-set somewhat by new social legislation and a strong stance against nuclear weapons.

Labour was re-elected in the 1987 election with its parliamentary majority untouched, but the internal disputes continued. Eventually Lange forced Douglas to resign in December 1988, but the crisis had weakened Lange's position such that he resigned eight months later. He was replaced as Prime Minister by Geoffrey Palmer, but Palmer failed to revive Labour's falling popularity. Several months before the election, Palmer was replaced by Mike Moore. The National Party was performing strongly its leader, Jim Bolger, spoke repeatedly of "the Decent Society", saying that the reforms were doing significant damage to the social fabric of the country. The government was also being challenged by the NewLabour Party, founded by renegade MP Jim Anderton.

The election

The date for the 1990 election was 27 October. 2,202,157 people were registered to vote, and 85.2% of these people turned out. The number of seats being contested was 97 this was the same as in the previous election, which had the largest number of seats for any Parliament until that point.

Summary of results

The 1990 election eventually saw a victory for the National Party, then in opposition. National won nearly half (48%) of the vote and 67 (69%) of the seats, becoming the fourth National government. This was the highest number of seats the party had ever won, either in absolute terms or as a percentage. Four new (and young) National MPs: (Bill English, Tony Ryall, Roger Sowry and Nick Smith) were called the "brat pack" by Sir Robert Muldoon (himself one of the "Young Turks" of 1960).[1]

The new Green Party gained the third-highest number of votes, but won no seats. The NewLabour Party won a single seat, due to Jim Anderton retaining the Sydenham seat he originally won as a Labour candidate.

The governing Labour Party, by contrast, suffered its worst-ever electoral defeat since it first won power in the 1935 election, winning only 29 (30%) of the seats and 35% of the vote (its lowest percentage since 1931), and losing 27 seats. Initially it appeared that twelve ministers and the Speaker had lost their seats, but Fran Wilde scraped in on special votes. And many of Labour's talented "class of 84" were sent away, though four of them: Annette King, Jim Sutton, Trevor Mallard and Judy Keall returned in 1993.[2]

The result was primarily due to intense anger at Labour and its policies (shown by it losing 12% of its vote) rather than love of National (which only increased its vote by 4%).

Detailed results

Party totals

Election results[3]
Party Candidates Total votes Percentage Seats won
National 97 872,358 47.82 67
Labour 97 640,915 35.14 29
Greens 71 124,915 6.85 -
NewLabour 93 94,171 5.16 1
Democrats 91 30,455 1.67 -
Social Credit 68 17,897 0.98 -
Mana Motuhake 4 10,869 0.60 -
McGillicuddy Serious 59 10,058 0.55 -
Christian Heritage 18 9,591 0.53 -
Minor parties and Independents 76 12,863 0.71 -
Total 674 1,824,092 97

Votes summary

Popular Vote
National
 
47.82%
Labour
 
35.14%
Greens
 
6.85%
NewLabour
 
5.16%
Democrats
 
2.02%
Others
 
3.37%
Parliament seats
National
 
69.07%
Labour
 
29.90%
NewLabour
 
1.03%

Electorate results

The tables below shows the results of the 1990 general election:

Key

 National    Labour    Democrats    NewLabour    Mana Motuhake  

Electorate results for the New Zealand general election, 1990
Electorate Incumbent Winner Majority Runner up
General electorates
Albany Don McKinnon 7,455 J Allen
Ashburton Jenny Shipley 7,922 Basil Moskovis
Auckland Central Richard Prebble 3,277 K Hill
Avon Larry Sutherland 4,250 W Rush
Awarua Jeff Grant 4,964 H A Russell
Bay of Islands John Carter 5,285 B R Dent
Birkenhead Jenny Kirk Ian Revell 2,813 Jenny Kirk
Christchurch Central Geoffrey Palmer Lianne Dalziel 3,769 R Gluer
Christchurch North Mike Moore 2,148 P Yarrell
Clevedon Warren Kyd 4,732 A Stubbs-Batten
Clutha Robin Gray 6,527 J Buchanan
Coromandel Graeme Lee 6,342 Margaret Hawkeswood
Dunedin North Stan Rodger Pete Hodgson 2,336 G Donoghue
Dunedin West Geoffrey Palmer 1,779 Ian McMeeking
East Cape Anne Collins Tony Ryall 1,968 Anne Collins
East Coast Bays Murray McCully 5,216 Gary Knapp
Eastern Hutt Trevor Young Paul Swain 801 R F Thomas
Eden Richard Northey Christine Fletcher 1,524 Richard Northey
Fendalton Philip Burdon 4,993 T Day
Gisborne Allan Wallbank Wayne Kimber 449 Allan Wallbank
Glenfield Judy Keall Peter Hilt 2,958 Judy Keall
Hamilton East Bill Dillon Tony Steel 2,121 Bill Dillon
Hamilton West Trevor Mallard Grant Thomas 1,563 Trevor Mallard
Hastings David Butcher Jeff Whitaker 728 David Butcher
Hawkes Bay Bill Sutton Michael Laws 2,895 Bill Sutton
Heretaunga Bill Jeffries Peter McCardle 1,122 Bill Jeffries
Hobson Ross Meurant 6,641 H Henry
Horowhenua Annette King Hamish Hancock 624 Annette King
Invercargill Rob Munro 4,137 B G Rait
Island Bay Elizabeth Tennet 3,635 A Nolan
Kaimai Robert Anderson 8,147 G L Dickson
Kaipara Lockwood Smith 8,610 W K Sellwood
Kapiti Margaret Shields Roger Sowry 1,599 Margaret Shields
King Country Jim Bolger 7,274 C Gordon
Lyttelton Peter Simpson Gail McIntosh 68 Peter Simpson
Manawatu David Robinson Hamish MacIntyre 3,089 David Robinson
Mangere David Lange 4,039 B Archer
Manurewa Roger Douglas George Hawkins 1,143 P Baker
Maramarua Bill Birch 7,670 Charles Chauvel
Marlborough Doug Kidd 7,187 B Hutchinson
Matamata John Luxton 8,501 W J Pepperell
Miramar Peter Neilson Graeme Reeves 552 Peter Neilson
Mt Albert Helen Clark 1,230 L Bellshaw
Napier Geoff Braybrooke 1,265 C M Pritchard
Nelson Philip Woollaston John Blincoe 636 L Baigent
New Lynn Jonathan Hunt 1,099 M A Bishop
New Plymouth Harry Duynhoven John Armstrong 1,701 Harry Duynhoven
North Shore George Gair Bruce Cliffe 6,183 G Ransom
Ohariu Peter Dunne 783 George Mathew
Onehunga Fred Gerbic Grahame Thorne 612 Fred Gerbic
Otago Warren Cooper 3,927 T Cooke
Otara Colin Moyle Trevor Rogers 1,226 Taito Phillip Field
Pahiatua John Falloon 7,689 M Martindale
Pakuranga Maurice Williamson 9,086 F C Grant
Palmerston North Trevor de Cleene Steve Maharey 349 P L Sherriff
Panmure Bob Tizard Judith Tizard 1,098 Gray Bartlett
Papakura Merv Wellington John Robertson 5,665 James Stubbs
Papatoetoe Ross Robertson 510 A W Brewster
Pencarrow Sonja Davies 384 Ray Wallace
Porirua Graham Kelly 3,453 P Faulkner
Raglan Simon Upton 5,442 O Scaletti-Longley
Rangiora Jim Gerard 5,273 J A McLachlan
Rangitikei Denis Marshall 6,127 P Barton
Remuera Doug Graham 7,368 C Harding
Roskill Phil Goff Gilbert Myles 644 Phil Goff
Rotorua Paul East 5,270 B Raitt
St Albans David Caygill 1,560 D Dumergue
St Kilda Michael Cullen 1,886 B Alexander
Selwyn Ruth Richardson 5,441 V Elley
Sydenham Jim Anderton 1,443 L S Constable
Tamaki Robert Muldoon 7,592 M Martindale
Taranaki Roger Maxwell 7,867 S Dalziel
Tarawera Ian McLean Max Bradford 5,152 M R Moore
Tasman Ken Shirley Nick Smith 2,246 Ken Shirley
Tauranga Winston Peters 9,314 W K Delaney
Te Atatu Michael Bassett Brian Neeson 1,370 Dan McCaffrey
Timaru Maurice McTigue 3,192 G J Clarke
Titirangi Ralph Maxwell Marie Hasler 64 Ralph Maxwell
Tongariro Noel Scott Ian Peters 886 Noel Scott
Waikaremoana Roger McClay 5,865 D Davies
Waikato Rob Storey 6,172 G Middleton
Waipa Katherine O'Regan 8,477 M Apiata-Wade
Wairarapa Wyatt Creech 4,141 P Morgan
Waitaki Jim Sutton Alec Neill 2,905 Jim Sutton
Waitotara Venn Young Peter Gresham 7,192 D T O'Sullivan
Wallace Derek Angus Bill English 8,886 David Soper
Wanganui Russell Marshall Cam Campion 409 Jill Pettis
Wellington Central Fran Wilde 246 Pauline Gardiner[nb 1]
West Auckland Jack Elder 252 L Wicks
West Coast Kerry Burke Margaret Moir 2,611 Kerry Burke
Western Hutt John Terris Joy Quigley 700 John Terris
Whangarei John Banks 6,839 E E Tait
Yaldhurst Margaret Austin 42 J Connelly
Māori electorates
Eastern Maori Peter Tapsell 6,844 W K Kaa
Northern Maori Bruce Gregory 956 Matiu Rata
Southern Maori Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan 7,614 Tikirau Stevens
Western Maori Koro Wētere 5,466 Eva Rickard

Table footnotes:

  1. Gardiner was first on election night for Wellington Central, but lost when special votes were included [2]

Summary of seat changes

Notes

  1. 1 2 Bassett 2008, p. 538.
  2. "New Zealand Elections 1972-1993". New Zealand Election Study. Retrieved 17 December 2011.

References

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